Hi all,

I went out for a ride yesterday, only to find in the middle of the bush my bike wouldn't start, battery was flat Lots of pushing got her started. Anyway when the bike is not in use I always keep it on a trickle charger so I know the battery is fine, my guess if that its not being charged when the bike is running.

Id just like some idea of where/what to check if this is the cause.

This is also my first big ride since I had the 351 kit fitted, so I'm guessing that perhaps the mechanics didn't plug something in correctly, or forgot?

*scenario*
I was attempting a big hill climb on a very bumpy and rutted out hill, it got "almost" to the top, hit a bump, stalled and the bike would immediately NOT start, just that clicking sound when the started was pressed. I'm "thinking" the bump may have knocked something out of place?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

Start with a visual at the battery terminals to make sure no terminals are loose. If those are good, follow the gound wire to the frame and check that...also check that all terminals (the large ones) are secure at the starter solenoid.

Doing all this BEFORE you try to jump it, is the safest route. You will hear different though I'm sure.

If you have a meter, check battery voltage while stopped and while running. Running should be 13+V ..stopped, about 12.5V or therabout.

 

Thanks I will try what you have suggested!

 

Being stored on a battery tender is not a guarantee that the battery is still good. A battery tender can show "green" but the battery will still not perform under load. If the voltage to the battery is ok while the bike is running then the battery might be toast. In fact, I recently had a battery in one of my bikes that was stored all winter on a tender, showed almost 13V, but when I had the meter on it when I pushed the start button the voltage dropped to about 5V.

 

Yeah, when he said it died during a hill climb, I'm assuming:
1. The bike strarted fine at the beginning of the ride.
2. Possibly the bumpiness he reported during the hill climb jarred something loose that wasn't secure to begin with.
3. The bike is a 2009, so, if the batt is well cared for, he should still have some times left on it...if it's the stock Yuasa.

Stranger things have happened though

I agree with the principle of load checking if you suspect the batt is bad though. People can talk about CCA all day, but really the bottom line is how much voltage the batt will hold (and how long) under a load (like the starter). My battery is finally at the end of its life after getting worked pretty hard, but it lived for 5 years, so I'm not complaining. I've been without the ACR for 4 of those years

.

 

Tremor took my anwers.... But what he said.

 

Hmmmmm my battery is 5+ years old. I plug in the maintainer once a week on all 3 bikes for a few hours or overnight, and its been flawless. As a matter of fact, I went to ride my bike this morning since it was the first time in like 2 months that it wasn't either snowing or raining, and I realized I had forgot to run the gas out last time. I cranked on it for a minute, knowing good and well that it wans't going to start, so I just tipped it over in the driveway, let some gas spill out, and tipped it back up and cranked on it while slowly pulling the choke, another minute of cranking and pulling the choke and it finally started to pop. All the while the battery felt strong. I do wonder about the life of the battery. I sure dont want to be stuck out in the woods someday. I really need to get the kick start installed.

P.S. going from riding a sport touring bike to the KLX feels really weird, like I was in a lifted 4X4 after riding in a go cart. .....yeah a go cart with 118 HP!!!

 

Deej did you get the beemer? I never saw anything after you said you were looking at it. Is that why you haven't been around? Fess up Pics???
Dan

 

No the BMW could not hold a candle to the Honda that I found sitting thre all by itself at a BMW dealership. Best move I've made since the KLX!!!. Read all about it here.

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ej-been-35055/

And here.

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...e-honda-35138/

 

Whoah!!! Now when you copy a link from the browser it puts in just the name of the thread!!! Very cool!!! Don't know if that's a New Firefox thing or the Kawi website, but again VERY COOL!!!!!!