1joeranger Posted January 21, 2015 #1 Posted January 21, 2015 Bike (o5 TD) has been sitting under its cover these past three months with little activity (1 or 2 short rides). A few weeks ago I put the battery tender to her. Today with our unusually warm weather I went to start her up. Battery tender showed green and the fuel pump click along normally after turning the key and before I hit the start switch. Absolutely nothing. Checked the kill switch and tried again. Nothing! Engine does not even attempt to start. This is the first year were I have not ridden her constantly so really unsure what to do next?! Thanks for any and all help?!?!
bongobobny Posted January 21, 2015 #3 Posted January 21, 2015 Weak battery, may not be fully charged. Enough charge to fun fuel pump but not enough to fire the starter...
Yammer Dan Posted January 21, 2015 #4 Posted January 21, 2015 Mine grunted a few times when I tried it day before yesterday. Put charger on it and it started in about 2 minutes on 40 amp charge. My question is will it hurt the battery giving it quick bursts like that? Joe did you clean terminals?
Flyinfool Posted January 21, 2015 #5 Posted January 21, 2015 A tender is not a charger. If the battery was already low it needs to be charged before the tender can do much. Check for clean terminals, put a charger on the battery. If no start take the battery to most any auto parts store and they will load test it for free.
SilvrT Posted January 21, 2015 #6 Posted January 21, 2015 Longest I've left mine is a month ... no problem starting it. Sounds to me like it's "new battery" time for you.
CaptainJoe Posted January 22, 2015 #7 Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) If the battery tender was showing green the battery should be ok... But Double check your battery with tester. pull your car up to bike and turn cars ignition OFF(do not let car run) take some jumper cables and jump bike. if the bike starts the bike battery is toast. If it still doesn't start: Make sure ground is good (top rear of clutch cover) must be in neutral kill switch off Hopefully it's not your ignition switch. quick repair: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/computer-lights-horns-other-electrical/512-emergency-ignition-switch-repair.html to test:http://www.venturerider.org/forum/computer-lights-horns-other-electrical/32359-ignition-switch-wiring-failure.html to bypass:http://www.venturerider.org/forum/computer-lights-horns-other-electrical/75398-passing-ignition-switch.html Edited January 22, 2015 by CaptainJoe
eagleeye Posted January 22, 2015 #8 Posted January 22, 2015 Take your battery to a place that sells batteries and have it tested under a load. I say bad battery.
MikeWa Posted January 22, 2015 #9 Posted January 22, 2015 Put a volt meter on the battery. Attempt to crank her again while watching the volt meter. Did the meter pull below 9V? If so it is probably the battery. Did the meter hold above 9.5V? If so it is probably a battery connection, or a faulty safety switch preventing it from starting. Mike
cowpuc Posted January 22, 2015 #10 Posted January 22, 2015 Does the headlight go dim when you hit the start button? If not, its probably a kickstand switch or something.. If the light stays bright when you hit the start button, try kicking the stand up, pulling the clutch in and out a couple times, rock er back and forth to make sure she is in neutral,, keep trying - she'll start...
djh3 Posted January 24, 2015 #11 Posted January 24, 2015 Can be a couple of things. Certainly contacts in ignition switch. You must have got some contact to get fuel pump to run. Turn the switch thru a few times, that may knock the corrosion off. Also look at the main fuse. Its up under the left side cover. I came home from a trip one time bike ran fine. Next day went out and nothing. Fuse was all corroded up on contacts. If you find you want a ignition switch by pass realy to lighten the load on the switch and make it live longer give me a shout.
1joeranger Posted April 18, 2015 Author #12 Posted April 18, 2015 OK, can start her after a good charge as "Flyingfool" suggested! Every once in awhile though she acts dead. After raising and lowering the kickstand that problem seems to disappear. So is a sidestand switch or the clutch switch I need to replace? It is just something I need to clean? I have gone from complete confidence in the electrical system to one who feels like he is rolling dice wondering if I will be stranded the next time I take off!
1joeranger Posted April 18, 2015 Author #14 Posted April 18, 2015 I actually bought a battery thinking that was my problem! Came home and the bike fired right up before I could install new battery! No hesitation just prompt power! Rode it back to Battery Plus to return the new battery then to Lowes then to the gas station. At Lowes my first attempt to start her got nothing. Starter did not engage, nothing! Put the kickstand down, then up. She fired right up then! This leads me to believe it is one of the switches. Just not electrical savvy enough to troubleshoot!
Flyinfool Posted April 18, 2015 #15 Posted April 18, 2015 OK, can start her after a good charge as "Flyingfool" suggested! Every once in awhile though she acts dead. After raising and lowering the kickstand that problem seems to disappear. So is a sidestand switch or the clutch switch I need to replace? It is just something I need to clean? I have gone from complete confidence in the electrical system to one who feels like he is rolling dice wondering if I will be stranded the next time I take off! We need a little more description as what you mean by dead. Do you mean ite will not crank? Will crank but not start? Will start but dies? Will start and run but dies out on the road? Will run but has no power? All different directions to look. The better the description you can give us the better our answers.
1joeranger Posted April 18, 2015 Author #16 Posted April 18, 2015 (edited) We need a little more description as what you mean by dead. Do you mean ite will not crank? Will crank but not start? Will start but dies? Will start and run but dies out on the road? Will run but has no power? All different directions to look. The better the description you can give us the better our answers. When I first turn the key I will hear the fuel pump clacking. Once it stops I turn the key to start. No sound, no crank, no start! Bike will not start in neutral w/ kickstand down wherein the past it always would. (Kill switch checked) Now I raise the kickstand, if no start I lower the kickstand and raise it again. That usually does the trick and the bike starts. Edited April 21, 2015 by 1joeranger Additional info/ clarification
Flyinfool Posted May 2, 2015 #18 Posted May 2, 2015 Since moving the kickstand seems to make a difference, start there checking out that switch. I am not totally familiar with the 2nd gens electrical layout so I do not know offhand specifically what to check on that switch.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now