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Battery Woes

GroundHawg

Active Member
Yesterday it hit 50 here in SW Ohio so I figured I'd fire the bike up and run to the the gas station and fill it up - since I didn't do that before the cold weather set in. I was also going to change the oil and primary fluid when I got back, since it would be nice and warm. I got on the bike, hit the starter and heard clicks... Not the real rapid clicks, but one every second or so. Good solid clicks, I could feel them if I put my hand on the primary cover. I had the battery on a tender so I figured it was ok but it was also the original battery. I tried hooking up my battery charger and putting it on 'Start' but that didn't help either. My gut said it was the starter or the solenoid. I was planning on replacing the battery anyway since it was going on 6 years old but didn't think it would fix the problem.

Today I picked up a battery at the dealership, put it in, and what do you know - it cranked right up! I'm surprised, happy but surprised. I figured if it wouldn't start with the battery charger on 'start' it wasn't the battery. Glad to say I was wrong.
 
A few wee thoughts on the issue if there had been a bad connection between the battery and one of the cables then replacing the battery may have cleaned that connection and made it better
Or the battery was so bad that it was soaking up all the power from the charger
It is good to always know what a problem was however the main thing is bike is running woo hoo

Brian
 
A few wee thoughts on the issue if there had been a bad connection between the battery and one of the cables then replacing the battery may have cleaned that connection and made it better
Or the battery was so bad that it was soaking up all the power from the charger
It is good to always know what a problem was however the main thing is bike is running woo hoo

Brian

All good suggestions! I did check the connections at the battery (actually found the positive a little loose but tightening it didn't help). Took them both off and cleaned the contact points. Also checked the ground to frame.

Its been a bad winter for battery's for me. The battery in my truck went out when it was -8 (had fun changing that one...). It was only 3 1/2 years old. I figured almost 6 for the bike was pretty good. I keep it in an unheated garage but its attached to the house so it usually stays above freezing.
 
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