New battery plan

stratblue · Jan 30, 2018

Greetings to the Collective.

I've been reading the threads regarding batteries lately and relating them to the symptoms my r1200gsa 2011 has. It is very reluctant to start cold, even if I've had it on one of those Oxford Optimser thingies long term (The one that allegedly maintains it...). I measured the voltage before starting then while it was running and it was about 4 volts more, the scale is hard to see on my tiny multimeter. I used another battery with some jump leads and it started, albeit slightly reluctantly. It starts fine when warm off its own battery. These symptoms lead me to believe that the battery not the starter, is knackered and I'm seeking the approval of The Collective before I get one of these:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Motobatt-Bat...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Not being the most electrically minded person, am I on the right track?

UturnTony · Jan 30, 2018

If you have a 4 volt difference between stopped and running something is amiss.
You should have around 14.7 volts running; if that's what you have then the voltage stopped, according to you, must have been about 10.7
which is not healthy and would have got you nowhere. If you had a reasonable say, 13.5 volts after the Optimiser
had been on it (which would start the engine normally) then add 4 volts giving 17.5 volts then that is well overcharging.
If it's slow but starts that can be normal and just like mine in fact.

Can you give us some better voltage readings?

JJH · Jan 30, 2018

You need a multimeter that you can read. With correct readings we can help. JJH

buncobooth · Jan 30, 2018

stratblue said:
Greetings to the Collective.

I've been reading the threads regarding batteries lately and relating them to the symptoms my r1200gsa 2011 has. It is very reluctant to start cold, even if I've had it on one of those Oxford Optimser thingies long term (The one that allegedly maintains it...). I measured the voltage before starting then while it was running and it was about 4 volts more, the scale is hard to see on my tiny multimeter. I used another battery with some jump leads and it started, albeit slightly reluctantly. It starts fine when warm off its own battery. These symptoms lead me to believe that the battery not the starter, is knackered and I'm seeking the approval of The Collective before I get one of these:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Motobatt-Bat...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Not being the most electrically minded person, am I on the right track?

Yes or this one if you don't like that revolting shade of yellow !

http://www.motobattbatteries.com/motobatt-mbyz16hd.html

SteveM · Jan 30, 2018

JJH said:
You need a multimeter that you can read. With correct readings we can help. JJH

Robbiem · Jan 30, 2018

buncobooth said:
Yes or this one if you don't like that revolting shade of yellow !

http://www.motobattbatteries.com/motobatt-mbyz16hd.html

I fitted the yellow one — great battery, but not happy with the yellow next to a white shock

May wrap in insulating tape ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Robbiem · Jan 30, 2018

Robbiem said:
I fitted the yellow one — great battery, but not happy with the yellow next to a white shock
May wrap in insulating tape ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or carbon wrap?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JJH · Jan 30, 2018

Is this going to disintegrate into a discussion about yellow battery’s? No one would mind a nice yellow spring on their shock would they? JJH

Santa-2512 · Jan 31, 2018

I have a yellow one,

I dont give a toss about the colour - its a battery ffs

OP is it a twin cam ? looking at real oem it shows a Bosch starter, although i suspect the Valeo unit will fit too

drop the starter out - and check the brush pack and lube the planet gears and bendix gear as well

UturnTony · Jan 31, 2018

Santa-2512 said:
I have a yellow one,

I dont give a toss about the colour - its a battery ffs

OP is it a twin cam ? looking at real oem it shows a Bosch starter, although i suspect the Valeo unit will fit too

drop the starter out - and check the brush pack and lube the planet gears and bendix gear as well

He does say it's a 2011 so it's likely to be a twin cam.

I don't think he's at the ripping the starter out stage yet.

I too have a yellow battery and think it looks waaaay cooler than the black one

stratblue · Jan 31, 2018

JJH said:
You need a multimeter that you can read. With correct readings we can help. JJH

Might have to get one tomorrow.

stratblue · Jan 31, 2018

UturnTony said:
Can you give us some better voltage readings?

As best as I can see with this meter, 12 before starting then 17 while running, it did start by itself just now too. Are these reading indicative of a crap multimeter too? Happy to buy another tomorrow and report back.

JJH · Jan 31, 2018

17 volts is way too much. I'd suspect at that voltage you would be blowing bulbs at a fast rate. £10 will get you a basic multimeter just go and get one and cut out the guessing. JJH

Bendy toy · Feb 1, 2018

Mine ran at 14.1/14.2 volts on lead acid and now runs at 14.2/14.3 with a Lithium. Anything higher = faulty alternator which could well be why your battery is goosed.

Starting that work ok cold but struggle when hot = motor

Starting that struggles when cold but works fine when hot = battery

UturnTony · Feb 1, 2018

Mine struggles hot or cold and has done for all the time I've owned it (3 years) and 40k miles

Sgt Bilco · Feb 1, 2018

Mine is a slow starter and has been for 10 years. Motobatt is the way forward and mine has laster 5 years without seeing a charger and the old girl lives outside. It has never failed to start yet but I'm going to treat the old girl to a new one.

As for the yellow battery, get over yourselves as you are riding the worlds ugliest motorcycle. The yellow actually adds a dash of panash......

stratblue · Feb 2, 2018

Ok, so just in from the garage with my new multimeter in hand, time for the big reveal... it's giving me 12.33 when cold, it started reluctantly and then gave me 14.28 after. If I leave it another week or two without using it, the bike will let me down again. It was harder to start today than last time I tried it. Eagerly, I await the verdict of The Collective.

UturnTony · Feb 2, 2018

stratblue said:
Ok, so just in from the garage with my new multimeter in hand, time for the big reveal... it's giving me 12.33 when cold, it started reluctantly and then gave me 14.28 after. If I leave it another week or two without using it, the bike will let me down again. It was harder to start today than last time I tried it. Eagerly, I await the verdict of The Collective.

The 12.33 is a tad low, the 14.28 is spot on. If you leave it two weeks and it won't start then i would suggest a new battery is in order
as yours is dropping in voltage and may have a bad cell/s. Do you have an alarm? if so is it activated all the time it's stood?
Would be interesting to use your shiney new meter to see what the voltage is after an extended lay up of a couple of weeks or more before you attempt a start.
With no drain, it should be able to maintain at least 12.5 volts over that period

MattW · Feb 3, 2018

Get the motobatt.
I got the bigger Harley fitment one in black - it's much better than the little stock fitment:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...-twincam-GSA?p=4664021&viewfull=1#post4664021

stratblue · Feb 3, 2018

Ok, thanks for your help, chaps!

New battery plan

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