Don’t be a fool on your mule! Here are 5 tips for sorting out your electrical issues…

1. Safety first!

Periodically check your lights and other electrical functions, including the kill switch and stand switch to detect problems early. An unsafe bike is an accident that hasn’t happened yet!

2. It did work!

If it used to work but doesn’t now its probably something simple, best place to start is the fuses and bulbs. If you have wiring that looks bad, it probably is bad.

3. Wiggle it!

A wiggle test is a great diagnostic tool. Example, if the taillight is inoperable, switch the lamp on and try wiggling the wiring leading to the lamp, if the lamp flickers on and off there is a damaged wire or poor connection in the harness.

4. Battery blues!

Batteries generally have a useful life of 3 to 5 years. If your bike is a daily driver than you probably have a happy battery, if it’s a weekender or Sunday rider then you should charge the battery every 2-3 months. This will ensure the battery is kept in top condition. Disconnect one of the battery leads while charging to isolate the bike and don’t charge for more than 12 hours.

5. Terminal illness!

Battery terminals can be a problem area; they need to be tight and free from corrosion. Corrosion can be easily dealt with by pouring hot water over the fuzzy terminal, boil the jug and get to it! Don’t forget to check they are tight! A little grease or petroleum jelly on the terminals will keep corrosion at bay.

Need to renew your battery?

We use the Optimate 4 at Ellaspede and find it's perfect for trickle charging old or new batteries. They're available online for $99.99