Electrical ??

[e7grunt]

OK, So I just got a new to me RE, 2010 C5 Bullet. I was only able to test drive it about two blocks. Ive never ridden a RE before.
* I rode it today for the first time on the road. I put fresh gas in it first. It seems to make a MUCH LOUDER sound around 10mph in 1st and then in each gear. Is that the rev limiter?
* After a short distance, about 1 mile it started to really cut out. I was able to drive it home but seemed to be loosing power at higher speeds, once in town behaved better. Got it home then it was dead. Sometimes would electrically be there until you hit the start switch then die. After a while it started up, I drove it a short distance about 3 blocks and it started to cut out again. Took it home again and its dead again now.
* I think the previous owner was trying to chase this down, He removed the Clutch safety switch and ran a wire from one outside connector to the other.
  He cut the wires to the sidestand safety switch.
Now Im not sure if one of his poor fixes? are causing the trouble or something else.

Can someone tell me the proper way to disconnect the clutch safety switch and the side stand switch. Keep in mind that I dont have the actual clutch switch, and the wires for the sidestand are now cut to short.

Also any other ideas on what might be causing this problem. BTW the weather during the ride was cold, around 38 f

[Arizoni]

The clutch switch is there to allow the electric starter to work when the neutral switch is telling the computer the transmission is in gear.
It doesn't try to kill the engine if it is or it is not engaged.

The sidestand switch on the other hand will kill all power to the engines running circuits if it is deployed.
In your case, since it doesn't exist it can't kill the engine but, if the former owner just cut off the wires there is a chance that the ends of the wires are touching one another.  If they are, the computer will think the side stand is down and it will kill the engine.

The wire for the sidestand switch just plugs into a branch of the main wiring harness with a plastic connector.
This is located down in the area of the left rear engine mount.  If it  is still connected there, unplug it.
If he cut off the wires above the connector, make sure the ends of the wires cannot touch each other.

No. the rev limiter doesn't make any noise at all.  It just kills the power to the engine if it senses the engine speed is running faster than it is supposed to.
As for loudness, remember, these big singles are low speed engines.  They make most of their power below 4000 rpm so don't race the engine to high speeds.
The loudness is most likely just the sound of the engine working.  Silence lower than the Federal limit is not designed into the exhaust system. (I think it is about 80 decibels).

As for misfiring, you should try changing your spark plug.
If the new spark plug comes with a screw on cap on top, remove it before you try to install the metal spark plug connector.

[mattsz]

* After a short distance, about 1 mile it started to really cut out. I was able to drive it home but seemed to be loosing power at higher speeds, once in town behaved better. Got it home then it was dead. Sometimes would electrically be there until you hit the start switch then die. After a while it started up, I drove it a short distance about 3 blocks and it started to cut out again. Took it home again and its dead again now.

e7grunt - others more experienced will doubtless chime in, but here's my input.  The above sounds exactly like my bike, before I discovered that the metal terminal on the end of the negative battery cable was broken - but still held together by shrink-wrap just enough to give me erratic operation.  I couldn't tell it was broken by looking at it; I cut the heat-shrink off and the fitting fell into two pieces.  It's a well-known problem...

[e7grunt]

Yes the negative battery cable is bad, The PO has it taped to the side of the battery with clear tape to help hold it in place, probably why it cuts out under speed, and not so much around town.
 I have the ends of the Side switch wires so they will no longer touch. Its dark now, and Im at my girlfriends on my way home from buying it. So I will rewire the Negative cable when I get home tomorrow. Thank you for the help so far.

[Arizoni]

Just stop by a auto supply or a hardware store and buy a good wire connector.
cut off the old one, strip the insulation and crimp the new one on and you should be good to go.

[e7grunt]

Could the engine getting much louder be the auto decompressor sticking? (I did let it warm up for a few minutes at idle prior to ridding it both times.) It sounds almost as if the exhaust piper is loose or has a hole when it happens. I was thinking that the exhaust valve was sticking, until I read more on this site. It doesn't do it all the time it seems to kick in at a certain RPM (midrange). When it kicks in it is a quite noticeable change in sound and power, like flipping a switch. I havent had the bike really warmed up yet as the electrical has kept me from going more than a mile, (only once) and it is still around freezing here. Also the bike only has about 1000 miles a year on, and was just stored for winter so parts could be sticking. Has anyone had their decompressor sticking intermentitly?
FYI I am quite excited to get this bike on the road where she deserves to be.
 Thank you for your help again.

[barenekd]

I've had mine stay open at idle and clatter quite a bit when it's cold. After you get the electrics sorted and get a chance to let it warm up, check how the decompressor is working. It should stay inop above about 800 RPM. Certainly shouldn't be doing anything at 10mph, but the engine is still only turning about 1700 RPM, but couldn'ta, wouldn'ta, shouldn'ta! But, your assessment sounds about right.
Bare

[idk]

Another thing to check would be the spark plug lead as it could have a faulty connection.

[Arizoni]

e7grunt
If the auto decompression device is remaining engaged it sounds like a little guy with a  hammer  rapidly beating it against the engine case at about one half the speed the engine is running.

When it's really cold when I start my engine it will give a thack, thack, thack sound until I rev the engine up a bit.  Then it will go away.
As was mentioned above, the little lever is supposed to retract at engine speeds above 700 rpm but thick, sticky oil will sometimes prevent it from retracting.

[RE-Memphis]

Kind of baffled why someone would just "cut" the side-stand wires. The switch itself is easy to take off.. two hex head screws and then trace the wire to inside the fuse area and disconnect. Way cleaner, and easier to replace if you ever (why?) wanted to go stock.

I'd give the electrical a thorough going over.

Good luck and hoping the weather warms for you. It's mid 40's in Memphis and the morning commute is a blast!

-IK

[wildbill]

Check your neg ground earth lead on the battery. Mine broke completely off for the 2ND time yesterday.
I experienced intermittent power loss at 90 kph and almost total stoppage once i reach the city and dropped to the 50kph speed limit.

[JVS]

I experienced intermittent power loss at 90 kph and almost total stoppage once i reach the city and dropped to the 50kph speed limit.

Damn, that sucks..It can be dangerous to lose power in traffic 

[mattsz]

wildbill - was your second batter terminal lead a "factory" replacement, or was it an aftermarket part?  I've got a couple of new NAPA ones, and hoping they'll be the last ones I need to worry about.