Not enough battery power to start this morning

[Slideways]

Timing of this thread is ominous as my bike's battery must have read it before me. This morning not enough juice to crank the bike. The bike is an '08 with just over 21,000mi. It is ridden four to six times a week year 'round. Never plug in the tender because the bike is used so regularly and the battery has always started the bike well. It is on the tender today and I'll see how it is tonight when I get home. Here is my question: given that the battery is about 5yrs old and died so abruptly do you think a new one is in order? I know, I know I read the post about batteries lasting a decade and many miles and want to believe it. On the other hand I do not want to charge'n go only to get stuck away from home because I stubbornly believed it should last longer. Tried to determine if there had been some sort of drain on it when the key is off but could not see anything. No time this morning the investigate that any futher though.

Ass gas?! Wouldn't that require a custom saddle to be usable? 

[Conrad]

Timing of this thread is ominous as my bike's battery must have read it before me. This morning not enough juice to crank the bike. The bike is an '08 with just over 21,000mi. It is ridden four to six times a week year 'round. Never plug in the tender because the bike is used so regularly and the battery has always started the bike well. It is on the tender today and I'll see how it is tonight when I get home. Here is my question: given that the battery is about 5yrs old and died so abruptly do you think a new one is in order? I know, I know I read the post about batteries lasting a decade and many miles and want to believe it. On the other hand I do not want to charge'n go only to get stuck away from home because I stubbornly believed it should last longer. Tried to determine if there had been some sort of drain on it when the key is off but could not see anything. No time this morning the investigate that any futher though.

Ass gas?! Wouldn't that require a custom saddle to be usable? 

If I were you the first thing that I would do would be to pull the battery out and clean ALL of the connections. See what's what and go from there.

[VirginiaJim]

Replace the battery....it's time. +1 on what Conrad said as well.

[connie1]

The big problem with poor motorcycle batteries is if they leave you stranded it really sucks.  If you don't trust a battery it's a no brainer to replace it, but I would still try the due diligence stuff like cleaning connections etc.
 I'm starting to think that some of these bikes might have a slow draw and that's stressing the batteries or some batteries aren't quite right from square one.
If you shut absolutely everything off and pull one lead off the battery, put a meter in between and see if there is any current being drawn.
There should be a little pull from the security system but whether that's enough to make difference I would doubt.  The security system should shut off  when you break the battery connection though so maybe any current draw would be stray.  (just musing out loud)  Maybe someone a little more electrically schooled could chime in.

[Conrad]

The big problem with poor motorcycle batteries is if they leave you stranded it really sucks.  If you don't trust a battery it's a no brainer to replace it, but I would still try the due diligence stuff like cleaning connections etc.
 I'm starting to think that some of these bikes might have a slow draw and that's stressing the batteries or some batteries aren't quite right from square one.
If you shut absolutely everything off and pull one lead off the battery, put a meter in between and see if there is any current being drawn.
There should be a little pull from the security system but whether that's enough to make difference I would doubt.  The security system should shut off  when you break the battery connection though so maybe any current draw would be stray.  (just musing out loud)  Maybe someone a little more electrically schooled could chime in.

If someone wants to try this you had better set your ammeter at a higher range, otherwise you'll be replacing fuses in your meter.

Someone tried this a while back. The issue was that initially there is a bit more draw than after 24 hours when the immobilizer goes into standby.

[VirginiaJim]

I've never used a tender on mine and have let it sit for more than a month without starting issues (in the winter)....   The blinky red light goes off after 24 hours and the draw goes down considerably after that.

[stewart]

Any chance you left the lights on? I've done that in a car park, only to find a dead batt. A push start later and its been fine.

[Slideways]

Pulled the battery this morning and found corrosion (white powdery deposits) on the negitive terminal. The faces of the connection, ground wire to battery post, were clean though. There are numbers stamped on the battery that show it was manufactured in over five years ago. Given that the wife's car left us stranded when the six year old battery kicked the bucket and within a month the nine year old battery on my car did the same and both recently I am a bit battery shy. A new battery for the bike will offer piece of mind. There is a weekend long trip on the Connie planned for next weekend and piece of mind away from home will be good.

[stewart]

Enjoy the trip and piece of mind, I know that feeling.

[MAN OF BLUES]

Pulled the battery this morning and found corrosion (white powdery deposits) on the negitive terminal. The faces of the connection, ground wire to battery post, were clean though. There are numbers stamped on the battery that show it was manufactured in over five years ago. Given that the wife's car left us stranded when the six year old battery kicked the bucket and within a month the nine year old battery on my car did the same and both recently I am a bit battery shy. A new battery for the bike will offer piece of mind. There is a weekend long trip on the Connie planned for next weekend and piece of mind away from home will be good.

KINDA LIKE THIS?


Thats what I found a couple years back. I cleaned all the connections well, scrubbed them shiney, charged the batt on the bench, and re-installed. it lasted a couple more years, and I just bought a new one last fall for my 08' (purchased 7/07).

posting this again, for rapid battery arrival....cheap....
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=12789.msg156993#msg156993

[connie1]

The batteries on my '95 Ford were constantly corroding like that.  A friend gave me some battery terminal protectant and it works like a charm.  It's in a rattle can, made by some obscure company but I'm sure there are many makes.
After cleaning all the connections real well, protect from over spray and give everything a thin coat, both battery and leads, then connect every thing back up.  It eventually cures (dries,solidifies,congeals?) so it wont get all over everything but it takes a while.
I'm not sure exactly how it does it but it greatly reduces the corrosion on the connections.
Someone also told me that a poor connection will corrode more than a good connection.  If there is any truth to that I couln't say for sure but I tend to ensure my connections are good and clean from the get-go after hearing that.
If you are out buying a new battery get a can of protectant and do it right and maybe the battery woes will dissapear.

[Slideways]

L-o-n-g day at work then off to the dealership for a battery. Likely not the greatest deal but easy and right on the way home. Turn down the street to the dealership and holy cow it's their annual two day super sale! Battery was 15% off.   

[556ALPHA]

The batteries on my '95 Ford were constantly corroding like that.  A friend gave me some battery terminal protectant and it works like a charm.  It's in a rattle can, made by some obscure company but I'm sure there are many makes.
After cleaning all the connections real well, protect from over spray and give everything a thin coat, both battery and leads, then connect every thing back up.  It eventually cures (dries,solidifies,congeals?) so it wont get all over everything but it takes a while.
I'm not sure exactly how it does it but it greatly reduces the corrosion on the connections.
Someone also told me that a poor connection will corrode more than a good connection.  If there is any truth to that I couln't say for sure but I tend to ensure my connections are good and clean from the get-go after hearing that.
If you are out buying a new battery get a can of protectant and do it right and maybe the battery woes will dissapear.

+1. I use the CRC
http://m.advanceautoparts.com/mt/shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_battery-terminal-protect-7-5-oz-crc_7071027-p

[connie1]

Yeah, that's the stuff I use.  A can will last a long time (like pass it down to your kids).  Mine's at least 10 years old and I use it on every piece of machinery and vehicle around here.

[Rhino]

Will have to give it a try when I change my battery but my current terminals are 3 years old and still look like new.

[Mister Tee]

I'm convinced my bike hates cold weather like I do.  I was having a problem with a "low battery" alarm a few times this Winter.  I left the bike for a month while I was overseas, and it started right up when I got back, no problem.  Just a little bit warmer.

[Conrad]

I'm convinced my bike hates cold weather like I do.  I was having a problem with a "low battery" alarm a few times this Winter.  I left the bike for a month while I was overseas, and it started right up when I got back, no problem.  Just a little bit warmer.

Maybe it missed you and decided that it should behave?

[Mister Tee]

Maybe it missed you and decided that it should behave?

Very possible - I did give it a brand new rear tire before I left.

[Conrad]

Very possible - I did give it a brand new rear tire before I left.

There you go! All girls appreciate new things.