Since I suck at all things electrical | GTAMotorcycle.com

Since I suck at all things electrical

Metastable

Metastable

Well-known member
OK here is the scenario:

Bike 2003 CBR600RR, 16000kms or so, most of that on the track...battery is about 3 years old.

Bike hasn't been started in a LONG time ... about 1 year.

I have had the battery on a tender for most of the time, but about 4 months ago I took it off because I moved and forgot to put it back on. So a few days ago I put it on and it reads Charged and the green light is on ..... then yesterday I see it says Charging and the Orange light is on.... I thought that was strange.

Anyhoo - Today I try to start her up and it tries to crank... and it sounds like vum vum vum... and no where near starting. I try again and it even sounds weaker. So I'm thinking the battery is pooched. So I try to bump start it and in 3rd gear she lights up like a champ. The bike is track only, so I just go up and down the street a couple of times while it is warming up.... total of about 3 minutes or so of riding, bring it up to the driveway and let it idle until I see the cooling system kick in at about 80 or so.... and then I let it idle a little more and shut'er down.

So then I try to start her back up thinking she won't start..... VROOOOOM starts up right away. Put the battery back on the charger and it says Charging and has the orange light.

I don't have a voltmeter... to check the battery.... any ideas what it might be? I'm surprised it started back up after I shut it down. I have a new stator and rectifier spares if I need them.

Any insight appreciated.
 
I'm electron flow challenged as well.But i know enuf to say.Battery! New one dood.
 
Messed up cell in the battery maybe? I've had that, and depending on when the battery was jekyl or hyde.
 
Since you were able to bump-start it, I'd say that it's not a grounding strap issue. If you have a volt meter, check the voltage after the battery has sat for some time, not right after charging. If below 12.6v, you may have a dead cell within the battery. As suggested, you'd need a new battery in that case. You can check relays and fuses all you like, however if it can run and drive down the road, fire up right after charging, I'd say that electrical in that sense is fine. Dollars to donuts, it's most likely a dead cell or cells within the battery. Motorcycle batteries don't last nearly as long as a car battery for a few reasons:

Overall capacity, compact sizing preventing as much heat shielding inside, constant vibration, and the "off seasons" where bikes are left to sit for extended periods of time. Some people have moved to AGM style batteries which are more vibration resistant, and if you want to spend 3 to 4 times the amount, you can even get lithium ion batteries that are lightweight and fit the exact spot, and have none of the discharge rates or issues with a standard lead acid battery.
 
Thanks guys, I guess what I will do is go to a place to get the battery checked and if it shows less than 12v or so I will get a new one.
 
Sounds like the battery is getting tired. If you are going to not run a bike for an extended period of time, an option other than using a battery tender full time is to simply charge the battery up, and then completely disconnect the battery and keep it in an environment between 10 and 20 degrees C where it does not change temperature much.

Charge the battery up, and take it to your local partsource or Canadian tire - both will test your battery free of charge, and tell you if it is NFG.
 
Quite strange this one..... so i go to the local shop to get a new battery, but bring the old one along. They check and the voltage is good and they load test it and it's also good. hmmm Guy says.... it's good. Fack... I'll charge it again and then stick it on the bike to see what happens.

BTW - I lived in the GTA for a long time, know a lot of the folks on here, but I am in Calgary now. I'm suppose to go to a trackday on Saturday, but now they are calling for rain all day! YAY!!!! I'm out if it rains.... brand new DOTs and no rain tires around... no thanks.
 
the way batteries are constructed is they have two different metal electrodes (sticks of metal) and an Electrolyte (acid).

the way they work is the acid eats one of the metal sticks, and makes electron deposits on the other creating flow.

when you let a battery sit unused, the acid continues to eat the one stick, but doesn't make deposits on the other.

if the acid gets saturated, it can't eat the one stick anymore stopping the flow.

no flow makes dead cell.


it sounds like your battery was close to being pooched.
using the battery should slowly repair it, as the acid looses it's saturation and returns to a normal balance.

all this is assuming nothing else is wrong with your bike.
 
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