I know there has been a lot of discussions already but I couldn't find one that matches my issues. I ride a 2012 Bonneville SE, that I ride intermittently. So when it didn't start I thought it was the battery. All I hear is the solenoid click. I took the battery to Napa to get it charged and they said the battery was good. When I put it back in the bike it starts up. The next day I try to start it again again the lights and gauges all turn on and when I try to start it it just clicks. If I jumped the battery the bike will start up, even when I leave it sitting for a couple of hours after riding for an hour, but if I leave it over night or more than a day it wont start again. I check the voltage on the battery and it was good, the solenoid ohm read 0 when I tested it. I'm thinking it is the starter motor, I haven't had a chance to test it yet. Wanted to get your inputs before I try. FYI I am new to motorcycling and repairing, so I am having a bit of difficulty locating and understanding all the technical terms.
Welcome aboard Esme. Like you I would have thought battery, but if you've had it professionally checked it's obviously not. I'm sure someone will be along soon with a suggestion. In the meantime why not introduce yourself with a post in the Newbies Hangout.
It almost certainly will be the battery. Very much doubt it has anything to do with the starter motor, especially as you can jump start the bike. Try another battery - I bet it starts OK!
A new battery and a battery tender will more than likely see the end of this problem These bikes need at least 12.6v otherwise computer says NO
I recently had a 1200 Kawasaki fail to start. I convinced myself all sorts might be wrong, and spent an entire morning gutting it, then ordering a new starter solenoid, before l tried a different battery. Sure enough, it started. Remember Occam's Razor, more or less. The most common and simple answer tends to be the correct one.
I’ve had to change a battery in less than 18 months because one of my bikes just wasn’t used enough, as dilligaf says they need at least 12.5v to effectively turn the starter motor, so whilst the lights work and the dash lights up there just isn’t quite enough to start the bike.
So per everyone's advice I tested the battery again, this time I tested it turning on the kill switch, so head lights on. The battery drained down to 9 volts and dropping. So it looks like it is the battery not able to hold a charge. Now I am worried there might be a parasitic drain when my bikes off. Will keep updated.
If you charge the battery again, start the bike up and put a meter to the battery and see if its receiving a charge..
It has pretty much all been said...... But......at the risk of being very simplistic, think of a stream. Voltage is the speed of the flow. Amps are a measure of the passing volume of flow (rivers and streams can flow at the same speed). You need a certain weight of the water to turn the waterwheel....... hence the need to load test a battery, not simply to read off the voltage - and why batteries are rated by Cold Cranking Ampps (CCA) as well as by nominal voltage. Furthermore if that is the original battery it will be time expired. If it is a neglected replacement it could well be too. Here is the problem. http://www.batteryminders.com/avoid-battery-sulfation/ Sorry about the misspelling of sulphation A smart charger will pay for itself in battery life and all the frustrations of an unreliable starter.
It sounds like the battery has drained low enough to damage one of the cells After a charge, either through use or a charger, it would hold the voltage required to start at 12.6+volts But it would then drop quickly due to the damaged cell, the next day it could be 11v As you have experienced, when you turn the lights on it drops significantly to 9v Use the opportunity to think of a different battery, Motobatt do a good over engineered battery of the same size, they are Absorbed Glass Matt AGM technology which holds a higher CCA which can really help with a more definite start You may be able to go up a battery level which could hold a larger capacity. Lithium batteries are very light, but hold a lot less capacity I find, mine and the charger now just sit on the shelf...£200 up the swanny
What you have to remember with motorcycle batteries despite modern battery tech they are physically small and not capable of the same reserves as car batteries....add the this bike in general are not used as much as cars so the charging cycle is nowhere near as regular (batteries like regular charging) also most newer bikes have immobilizers/alarms etc which do but a small drain on power...and the final nail is ECUs/electronic ignitions do not like low voltages/amps so most are set up to spit the dummy when voltage is low, Add to this the major factor than most bikes are electric start which draws anything from 30 to 60amps and you stand no hope if the battery is not kept in tip top condition.
Agree about earthing...bad earths are one of the major causes of cars not starting ECUs dont like bad earths. People fit extra earthing wires/kits when all that's really needed is a good clean of all the existing earth points, i think people forget electricity flows so the earth negative or positive need to be just as clean as the +ve or-ve.
I was/am considering this 'update' to my bike and also update the RR cables direct to the battery to reduce stress on the wire loom I may try this on my test bike (Yamaha Fazer 600) first
I changed the battery and everything is fine. I did ask one of the motorcycle mechanics on island. He confirmed even he couldn't keep a battery last longer than 2 years here on Maui. Too much salt and hot air. So I guess this is one of the curses of living in paradise. lol.
This saved me. Thank you. My battery was reading 12.4 and would start. Switched to a lithium ion that read 13v and it started immediately. You saved me a bunch of headaches.
