Why is my battery dying as its new?

[GS TRV]

I popped a new battery in just before Xmas and then the bike has only had a short 50 mile outing.
Until last night when I took it to the mot centre where after passing the test, the battery went flat ,the RID zeroed out and I just about got it going again with the help of two helpful MOT guys.

Any ideas chaps?

 

[Fanum]

When it's running, stick a multimeter (set to measure volts on the 0-10 v sort of scale) across the terminals of the battery and make sure you have 13+ volts there......if not, your alternator is probably shot or the alternator belt not turning.

If you do have 13+ volts (13.5 to 14.5 is about right and healthy) then your battery is fekked or you have a large drain from it.

Disconnect negative terminal (bike turned off), connect multimeter between negative on the battery and the end of the lead that you just connected....set multimeter to measure max amps (around 10) and see how many amps drain there is on the battery.......if less than half an amp, that's just the RID drain and it's ok......if more, there's something draining the battery.

 

[harry]

I popped a new battery in just before Xmas and then the bike has only had a short 50 mile outing.
Until last night when I took it to the mot centre where after passing the test, the battery went flat ,the RID zeroed out and I just about got it going again with the help of two helpful MOT guys.

Any ideas chaps?

In view of the above, the battery has not had a really good charge.

Stick it on charger for 48 hrs

 

[GS TRV]

In view of the above, the battery has not had a really good charge.

Stick it on charger for 48 hrs

Sorry I should have mentioned I have had the bike on an Optimate for the past 3 months so I assumed that it was keeping it in a healthy and fully charged state?

Ta for the advice Bill. My mates a spark so ill get him to take a look.

 

[Uncle Rob]

I have had the bike on an Optimate

does the optimate work corectly?

 

[Fanum]

Optimate "Full" only means optimate can't get any more juice in.....it doesn't mean the battery is fit or capable of starting a bike.

They hide more problems than they solve.

 

[Mr K]

Optimate "Full" only means optimate can't get any more juice in.....it doesn't mean the battery is fit or capable of starting a bike.

They hide more problems than they solve.

Poo!

Oh I fucking give up.

Try drawing a pentangle around your bike with salt...

 

[nud1e]

Twilight

You have 1 or more vampire Honda sucking the juice from your GS.
Yow wil need a couple of wooden stakes, a large hammer, some garlic and great courage.

 

[Fanum]

Poo!

Oh I fucking give up.

Try drawing a pentangle around your bike with salt...

So what is wrong, factually, with the above?

It may work for thousands, but the way it works can give a totally false impression of the health of a battery.

That, in turn, can, and often has, lead to someone being totally stuffed somewhere with a battery that they thought was fully charged, but in fact was fucked.

Trickle chargers have their uses, I am not denying that, but they also have some serious flaws in the way that they encourage people to trust them and their batteries.......

No pentangles needed thanks, nor salt......just an appreciation of the real world and a sensible lack of total reliance in a gadget

 

[Roadcaptain]

mine did this and turned out to be a loose grease cover plate in the starter motor

 

[Humbug]

So what is wrong, factually, with the above?

It may work for thousands, but the way it works can give a totally false impression of the health of a battery.

That, in turn, can, and often has, lead to someone being totally stuffed somewhere with a battery that they thought was fully charged, but in fact was fucked.

Trickle chargers have their uses, I am not denying that, but they also have some serious flaws in the way that they encourage people to trust them and their batteries.......

No pentangles needed thanks, nor salt......just an appreciation of the real world and a sensible lack of total reliance in a gadget

I agree. I've come across many a battery which an Optimate has given a 'green' light to. It wouldn't start an ant shagging contest let alone a bike. I still use Optimates though (and the far superior Aldi/Lidl ones which are Ctek 's in disguise). The important thing is to use a good quality battery and I've found that Motobatt's are the way to go.

 

[Geldof]

Must be something in the air then ..... Friday morning at 0700 my battery (few months old) died.
Tried bump starting (don't bother!!), had to get the jump leads on the Blackbird. Got it started
and rode the 90miles down to Motoscots where it was booked in for service and servo-ectomy.
Even after a 90mile ride, battery was still only showing about 12 volts. However, after a few hrs
on a charger all was well again.

 

[GS TRV]

Optimate "Full" only means optimate can't get any more juice in.....it doesn't mean the battery is fit or capable of starting a bike.

They hide more problems than they solve.

Ive one connected to the CT and it works fine

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Otimates make bad batteries look good.
Me, I'd rather know.

 

[GS TRV]

Just been diagnosed as the starter motor

£250 new or try and get it reconditioned. Think ill go for the latter option

 

[richierex]

Have a look at the starter "sticky" on here and the other thread that has reappeared. A reconn is not the answer, I bought one from a big seller and it failed after about 14 starts. It was just a few bushes and some black and silver paint, they even painted the bendix gear " to protect it from rusting" ha ha bloody ha and it cost £115.00 plus my old starter. I eventually bought a new one, " Polish made and not a Valeo" and was so affected that I developed a twitch every time I pressed the starter button

I solved this by buying a second hand Mitsubishi, no longer available but what a piece of kit, 1.2k instead of 1.1k and better gearing so the thing whizzes over. I believe there is a Nippon Denso version at great expense too.

I am sure there is a good relacement available, cheap copies on German Ebay and Woods do them for a bit more but I hope somebody on here can recommend something decent for a fair price. You can buy the magnet can on Ebay for £27.00 plus delivery so that could be an option. I have bought bikes for less than £250. twitch, twitcjfbdfcgbnm mn

One on Ebay looks like it might be decent and has the longer bendix assembly like a 75. item number 221204543628 phoenix marine. and they offer a cheaper/crappier one although if thats the route to take, I would think its the cheaper the better, just not for me.

 

[GS TRV]

thanks Richie - was intending to phone Woods on Mon as they are close to where i work and sell Valeos which seem to do the job according to Fanum