Reticent to start

[RantyDave]

I've been away for a week-anna-bit and hopped on my bike expecting to go to work this morning as usual. But, no joy. The engine would turn over but despite various amounts of choke, throttle and even some patience (assuming I'd flooded it) there was no igniting of mixtures and vrooming of engines. Which was unfortunate, to say the least.

As part of debugging the problem I popped the spark plug out and held it against the block while turning the engine over. There was no spark. So I put it all back together and jumped it off the car. Aha! Engine starts, first time, no problem.

So, I take it my battery's knackered then? Thing is that the bike's not even that old (2003) - is three years really the life expectancy of a bike battery? Most of it's journeys are of the regular but short variety ... should I get a charger for it or something? Challenging since it's kept outdoors, under a cover but outdoors none the less. Should I stop procrastinating and build it a nice warm/dry shed to live in?

Aside: While pulling bits of plastic off to look at the water/acid level on the battery (towards the bottom, but still apparently above the line) I noticed a little triangular compartment with my toolkit in. Victory! I had assumed the bastard had been lost since before I got the bike, and hence had been slowly collating the tools required to maintain it. Still, result!

Dave

[madboy]

Harden up... you shoulda pushed the bike to work. Still cooler than taking the car. Or is that sweatier?

[thesedays]

Don't blame the poor battery...three to four years is the average life of a car battery. Just top it up with distilled water and give it a charge, it will probably be OK, or just shout your baby a new battery! You may want to check if there is an electrical drain in the bike, or your new battery may end up going flat as well.

[RantyDave]

Just top it up with distilled water and give it a charge, it will probably be OK, or just shout your baby a new battery! You may want to check if there is an electrical drain in the bike, or your new battery may end up going flat as well.

Thanks. Hadn't thought of their being a drain, but it would certainly explain why it has problems starting only when I leave it alone for ages.

I take it the ideal way of charging a bike battery is to take it for a nice long ride, yes

Dave

[Jantar]

- is three years really the life expectancy of a bike battery?

The life of a battery depends very much on how the battery is treated. With regualr maintenance, using distilled water for top-ups etc a battery should last around 3 - 4 years. But neglect it and you'll be lucky to get 36 - 48 months.

[RantyDave]

With regualr maintenance, using distilled water for top-ups etc a battery should last around 3 - 4 years. But neglect it and you'll be lucky to get 36 - 48 months.

Oh well I had better get good at maintaining batteries. After all, I could get an additional ... ummm .... ahhh ... heyyyyy!

Dave

[T.I.E]

The life of a battery depends very much on how the battery is treated. With regualr maintenance, using distilled water for top-ups etc a battery should last around 3 - 4 years. But neglect it and you'll be lucky to get 36 - 48 months.

thats is one of the best posts i have ever read nice work.

[clockd]

I dont think it will be the battery thats the problem. I have a zzr250 that i ride to work everyday and it starts every morning. but if i leave it for and more than 3 days it doesnt start at all. then i try again abit later and it will start. dont know why mayb my starters fuckd.. i think that mite be the problem

[sunhuntin]

my old gn used to be a cow to start when it was cold....and she was 99% parked covered. used to finish at midnight....once took me about 45 mins to get her started! was getting ready to ditch her at work and walk but then she fired up for me.

[bert_is_evil]

I didn't realise you could jump start a bike from a car - I thought the difference in voltage would fry the battery. Is it ok to do this?

[GeFeldz]

...most bikes and cars run a "12v" system, meaning about 10-14.4 real volts are involved. Yes you can jump start from a car, unless your bike features a 6v system.

[wendigo]

As batterys get older, the plates inside them distort. Eventually the warped plates get close enough together so that while not actually short circuiting, they do discharge themselves a lot quicker than they would when they are new. Hence when the bike is left up for a few days, the battery discharges & when you hit that little red button, there's not enough oomph left in the battery to both turn the engine over & provide sparks.

Do bear in mind though, that if you are doing only short trips, the sytem may not have to fullly recharge the battery before you reach the end of the trip. Hence over time you gradually empty the battery.

I found on the CBR, two years was the average lifespan of the battery (sealed unit so no maintenance). After that, using the battery charger was just putting of the inevitable for a couple of months. I'd eventually crack and be shamed into buying a new battery by stalling at traffic lights, or worse hopping on me bike in front of some inevitably tasty ladeez, with the eye on making a flamboyant exit and being unable to start the fucker...