Neutral indicator & side stand sensor issue on my used Interceptor 650

These issues popped up after the folks at the Royal Enfield service centre replaced my motorcycle's electricals under the extended warranty.

BHPian sam__3 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I recently bought a used 2020 Interceptor 650 from an online used 2-wheeler platform and had to get its complete electrical system changed (ECU, relays, side stand sensor, you name it) within a month of the purchase. The motorcycle ran fine for a couple of weeks but then started showing issues like engine misfiring and shutting off unexpectedly. One hot afternoon, in the middle of Bangalore traffic, it shut off completely. The vehicle apparently had an accident a few months ago that had damaged the electricals. This was obviously not disclosed by the online used 2-wheeler platform at the time of selling.

The RE service folks replaced my motorcycle's electricals under the extended warranty and the engine has been running quite smooth since then. But as a by-product of the electrical overhaul, a couple of new problems surfaced:

Neutral indicator:

The N light stays on for about 6 to 8 seconds even after putting the bike in 1st gear. Similarly, the N light doesn't turn on for up to 5 seconds after setting the bike to neutral. I have checked it multiple times, and I can confidently say that the time it takes for the N light to turn on or off is the same.

When I asked the service folks, they said they needed to check the sensors once again (basically leave the motorcycle at the center for a couple of more days). I didn't do that because the service folks didn't sound like they really diagnosed the actual issue. Like how sometimes a doctor goes "umm..., hmm..., okay let's take these 10 tests and then we will see what the issue is". It's obvious that it's a by-product of changing the sensors and the ECU. An experienced mechanic must be quickly able to tell whether it is a sensor issue or an ECU tuning issue.

So, I want to know your opinions on what could it be.

Side-stand sensor

The engine shouldn't crank while the side stand is down, and this was indeed the case until I got the electricals replaced. Now, however, the engine does sometimes crank with side stand down, but then immediately shuts off. Once again either it is the sensor issue or the new ECU issue. I seek your opinions on this as well.

Despite the past owner not having taken the best care of this Interceptor, I would very much like to. That's why I want you to recommend some trusted RE mechanics/service centres where you had good experiences taking care of your beloved machines. This is my first time owning this brand and so my knowledge is limited in that respect. I would like to hand over this tuning task to someone familiar and experienced.

Thank you.

Here's what BHPian srini1785 had to say about the matter:

Complete electrical system includes the wiring harness?

What type of accident? It would give an idea of which parts were damaged and out of these which ones were replaced and those left unattended.

How handy are you with a multimeter? I'm not familiar with the console of the Interceptor but if this N Light is mounted on a board then you need to diagnose that board. Sometimes the board gets damaged and that causes the problem.

If you can locate the sensor, check the volts across its terminals when the side stand is ON and when it is OFF. My understanding is that this is mostly a microswitch, not a contactless sensor. I'm not sure.

Here's what BHPian sandeepmohan had to say about the matter:

There is no such thing called ECU Tuning to be done in such instances. It's more of an adaptation.

Your best bet to resolve the issue is the same garage that got everything fixed. They are the ones most familiar with what all changes have happened on the bike. The chances of meddling and tinkering are going to be higher from a new garage, as they don't know much about all the work that has been carried out. A few days of the bike sitting there isn't going to cause any harm. Worse case, they can't diagnose and you get the bike back in the same conditions you sent it in. Post which, you approach an independent garage and pay out of pocket to resolve the issue.

If you've put it a new side stand sensor, then it's either that being the issue first more than anything else. If that does not send the correct information to the ECU, it's not going to respond the way it should.

You are very lucky that the extended warranty covered all these replacements. They seldom do.

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