Help! Battery flat right before a trip, should I replace or charge?

[Red]

So I'm leaving on Sun morning (7am) for a euro trip and tonight I checked the bike and it wouldn't start, dash wouldn't turn on. I stupidly left the bike sitting for 3 weeks not on a charger.

It is now charging on my Optimate4, and dash will now turn on, I can see the voltage has risen from around 9v to 10+ now. It's now half charged on the Optimate4 but it doesn't give a health reading (red\yellow\green).

If I do get it started should I risk using this battery or should I nip down to Halfords and grab a Yuasa YTX14-BS while I can?

 

[siddo]

So I'm leaving on Sun morning (7am) for a euro trip and tonight I checked the bike and it wouldn't start, dash wouldn't turn on. I stupidly left the bike sitting for 3 weeks not on a charger.

It is now charging on my Optimate4, and dash will now turn on, I can see the voltage has risen from around 9v to 10+ now. It's now half charged on the Optimate4 but it doesn't give a health reading (red\yellow\green).

If I do get it started should I risk using this battery or should I nip down to Halfords and grab a Yuma YTX14-BS while I can?

Read the other thread started today. All the answers are there.

 

[Red]

Read the other thread started today. All the answers are there.

Sorry I don't see that thread.

Edit: Ah this one? I didn't think to look on the 1300 board.

Thread 'Complete battery failure'

Thursday at 20:30

Hi everyone, just been out to check over my 1300gs ready for a trip abroad on Sunday to find the battery totally dead. No volts at all with my voltmeter and doesn't want to charge. I suspect I can source another battery over the next couple of days but concerned as to what has caused this. Battery was fine a week ago. If it has just given up the ghost then fair enough but what if an electrical fault is there ready to do the same to the new battery?
Any ideas?

• Tridentested
• Replies: 16
• Forum: 1300 GS

 

[Guru Gora]

I would remove it and put it on a charger so I know it will be 100 pc in morning.

If worried maybe carry a boost pack with you.

If you’re riding down south I have a spare battery near M1 J28 you can pop in and have that if you feel uncomfortable with yours.

Any doubt, no doubt, new battery.

You don’t want to be going to sleep on holiday wondering if your bike will start.

 

[Red]

I would remove it and put it on a charger so I know it will be 100 pc in morning.

If worried maybe carry a boost pack with you.

If you’re riding down south I have a spare battery near M1 J28 you can pop in and have that if you feel uncomfortable with yours.

Any doubt, no doubt, new battery.

You don’t want to be going to sleep on holiday wondering if your bike will start.

Thanks! I'm heading to Hull so not that far but Much appreciated. I have the Yuasa in my hand so can return it if not needed, but would rather have it and not need it than vice versa!

 

[Gavla04GS]

If I do get it started should I risk using this battery or should I nip down to Halfords and grab a Yuma YTX14-BS while I can?

Red I draw your attention to Pukmeisters reference and I’ve had snags, posted on here.
Long term get yourself a MotoBatt. Doubt you’ll get it before you go, definitely replace with a new Yuma or Yuasa before you go, and take a Noco/ booster pack.

 

[Red]

Red I draw your attention to Pukmeisters reference and I’ve had snags, posted on here.
Long term get yourself a MotoBatt. Doubt you’ll get it before you go, definitely replace with a new Yuma or Yuasa before you go, and take a Noco/ booster pack.

Thanks, it was a Yuasa they had not a Yuma so I corrected myself but obviously not in time. It's in my possession now.

 

[jefformston]

Red I draw your attention to Pukmeisters reference and I’ve had snags, posted on here.
Long term get yourself a MotoBatt. Doubt you’ll get it before you go, definitely replace with a new Yuma or Yuasa before you go, and take a Noco/ booster pack.

Fit the Yuasa, forget about Motobatt I had two fail each just over a year old, total crap. Every Yuasa I’ve fitted has lasted between 5 - 8 years. Booster packs also seem to have a life span of 5 years.

Be a shame to ruin your trip for the price of a new battery.

 

[Red]

Thanks so much folks! The new battery is fitted and she fired up straight away, took her for a half hour blast to make sure all was ok. Annoying to have to spend £65, but it was the original battery in there from 2021 so probably due anyway. Better that than a ruined trip.

The question now is, out of paranoia do I put the new one on the Optimate for the next 36 hours before I leave?

 

[theoneandonly]

if only you had a Honda !

 

[hawkeye]

The question now is, out of paranoia do I put the new one on the Optimate for the next 36 hours before I leave? O

Yes, absolutely. No battery in my experience is kept fully charged by suppliers.

 

[MotoRevive]

Healthy batteries don't go flat in three weeks....

Unless you have a parasitic draw.

How old is the battery ?

 

[MotoRevive]

Fit the Yuasa, forget about Motobatt I had two fail each just over a year old, total crap. Every Yuasa I’ve fitted has lasted between 5 - 8 years. Booster packs also seem to have a life span of 5 years.

Be a shame to ruin your trip for the price of a new battery.

This man is correct.

Motobatts are SHIT. Every dead battery bin at a bike shop glows yellow.

 

[Red]

Healthy batteries don't go flat in three weeks....

Unless you have a parasitic draw.

How old is the battery ?

As I say it's the original BMW battery from 2021, so possibly wasn't the healthiest. There will be a slight draw because I have a tracker fitted.

 

[Steptoe]

Sod buying a new battery, save your money and ruin your holiday.

 

[Red]

Sod buying a new battery, save your money and ruin your holiday.

Sod reading a thread properly, just be late and sarcastic

 

[Steptoe]

Sod reading a thread properly, just be late and sarcastic

If someone would’ve posted the obvious earlier, or you’d had any common sense it wouldn’t need a thread

Glad you got it sorted

 

[Red]

If someone would’ve posted the obvious earlier, or you’d had any common sense it wouldn’t need a thread

Glad you got it sorted

And if everyone had your attitude forums would be even more tedious and toxic places than they already are

Glad there's an ignore button

 

[theoneandonly]

you're quite new here .

can you put me on ignore too.

 

[Red]

you're quite new here .

can you put me on ignore too.

2 years, I guess it's relative. I'm not forcing you to speak to me buddy, but I have no reason to ignore you.

Thankfully there are plenty of friendly and helpful people on here, like the others who responded to this thread, to whom I'm very grateful Life's too short to pay heed to those who aren't, regardless of how long they've been a member of a forum,.