VTR1000 battery and speedo q's

[Filter_nz]

Brought a second hand 2000 Honda VTR1000 ....has the factory battery it came with in 2000, as a result unless I ride it at least twice a week the battery goes flat. I've had it the bike checked to make sure it's charging.
The local bike shop said $80 for a chineese battery, does that sound right?

1) What type of battery do I need to by and where is cheap?

2) The bike has been geared down and the speedo is off. I have a gps to test it but have not been bothered yet however can the speedo be adjusted / fixed or will I need to compensate all the time?

[imdying]

unless I ride it at least twice a week the battery goes flat

Zee answer here is obvious!

Any bike shop can get you a battery, hell these days even Repco or Supercheap can do.

If it's an electronic speedo (i.e. no cable) then you want a speedohealer.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

1) What type of battery do I need to by and where is cheap?

Aftermarket battery for $90 (may last for 2 years) or factory for $300 (should last 3 to 5 years

2) The bike has been geared down and the speedo is off.

Most bike speedos are out anyway, VTR is out by abou 6-7kph wouldn't bother getting fix as long as you know your speedo is actually out... Like you I use a GPS to get correct speed

[vifferman]

Hi - Hope you enjoy the VTR. I had one for a couple of years before I traded it on the VFR. Still miss that v-twin....
$80 sounds about right for a battery. Just be aware that there are Chinese batteries and other Chinese batteries. F'rexample, I've been told (but can't confirm it) that Yuasa are made in China now. I wanted to buy one when mine recently died, and was dismayed when I went to pick it up to find that it was some wog Chinese brand I'd never heard of. I was reassured that it would be fine/reliable/last the distance, and so it has proved to be.

A cheap alternative (about a tenth of the price, or thereabouts) to the expensive Speedohealer if you are good with soldering (or know someone who is) is to buy a speedo corrector kit from Jaycar Electronics. I've had one in my bike for a couple of years now, and it's behaved perfectly. Unlike the Speedohealer, it's not "Plug'n'play", and I had to splice it into the appropriate wire behind the speedo, but that was very easy to do.

[vifferman]

Most bike speedos are out anyway, VTR is out by about 6-7kph

That's true.
I've lowered the gearing on the last three bikes I've owned (VFR750, VTR1000 and VFR800) because most of the riding I do is commuting, plus the VTR1000 was WAAAAY overgeared at 100km/h, pulling only 2600rpm.
I fitted one to the VFR because I was planning on keeping it long term, and didn't want another ticket, and the speedo was about 12% optomistic. Of course, now the odometer under-reads by about 6%.

[stormy1]

How have you got on with your battery? I have just purchased a 2000 VTR this week. I am just getting back into bikes having riden them for years when I was younger, but not for years now! I am also having trouble with the battery on my VTR. The day that I picked the bike up, that battery was all but dead when I went to leave the gym in the evening. The bike shop sent a mechanic out to jump it, and the next day, after having to jump it again, it when into the shop and had a new battery fitted. Fine that day/night, then crapped out the next day. Back to the shop, where they fully charged the battery, tested the charging circuit, output from the rectifier etc and reckoned that it all checks out. Did a lot of local running the next day then failed to crank when I left work Friday nite. Had some passerbyes push start me (no mean feat) and then back to the shop. They have lent me a GSR600 in the meantime while thay try again with it! More than happy with the attitude and commitment from the bike shop, less that happy with the reliablity of my new purchase though! Any help/suggestions most welcome!

Cheers
Dale.

(PS wanted my name to be Stormy1 and mispelt it - doh. How can I check if used and get it changed?)

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

(PS wanted my name to be Stormy1 and mispelt it - doh. How can I check if used and get it changed?)

Contact one of the senior mods...

[Fatjim]

How have you got on with your battery? I have just purchased a 2000 VTR this week. I am just getting back into bikes having riden them for years when I was younger, but not for years now! I am also having trouble with the battery on my VTR. The day that I picked the bike up, that battery was all but dead when I went to leave the gym in the evening. The bike shop sent a mechanic out to jump it, and the next day, after having to jump it again, it when into the shop and had a new battery fitted. Fine that day/night, then crapped out the next day. Back to the shop, where they fully charged the battery, tested the charging circuit, output from the rectifier etc and reckoned that it all checks out. Did a lot of local running the next day then failed to crank when I left work Friday nite. Had some passerbyes push start me (no mean feat) and then back to the shop. They have lent me a GSR600 in the meantime while thay try again with it! More than happy with the attitude and commitment from the bike shop, less that happy with the reliablity of my new purchase though! Any help/suggestions most welcome!

Cheers
Dale.

(PS wanted my name to be Stormy1 and mispelt it - doh. How can I check if used and get it changed?)

Well, could be anumber of things that I'm sure the shop will check.

1. Faulty reg/rect. Although these tend to over charge the battery, from what I've heard.
2. Faulty battery. Yes I know its new, but batteries have a high failure rate from new.
3. Dodgy earth? maybe the return path from the solenoid, or the starter moter is dodgy?
4. dodgy solenoid/ starter motor.

[stormy1]

Well, could be anumber of things that I'm sure the shop will check.

1. Faulty reg/rect. Although these tend to over charge the battery, from what I've heard.
2. Faulty battery. Yes I know its new, but batteries have a high failure rate from new.
3. Dodgy earth? maybe the return path from the solenoid, or the starter moter is dodgy?
4. dodgy solenoid/ starter motor.

Update: Traced to a faulty rectifier/regulator not putting out enough charge. The old original one (with no cooling fins) has been replaced with a new one, twice the size (does size matter i hope so ) and large cooling fins. So far so good, bike starting great ... evrytime!

Cheers
Dale

[bungbung]

An indicated 255km/h was measured to be 233km/h on my vtr.

Being electronic, I'd hope the error would be linear. i.e. real 100km/h indicates at 109km/h

[bungbung]

An indicated 255km/h was measured to be 233km/h on my vtr.

Being electronic, I'd hope the error would be linear. i.e. real 100km/h indicates at 109km/h

You will need a healer, or just remember the conversion at the 50 and 100 marks.

[Cajun]

An indicated 255km/h was measured to be 233km/h on my vtr.

Being electronic, I'd hope the error would be linear. i.e. real 100km/h indicates at 109km/h

works our right most speeds read high by 8-10% on average

[vifferman]

Update: Traced to a faulty rectifier/regulator not putting out enough charge. The old original one (with no cooling fins) has been replaced with a new one, twice the size (does size matter i hope so ) and large cooling fins. So far so good, bike starting great ... evrytime!

Cheers
Dale

Yeah, they do that (common fault on VTRs). When I replaced mine, I mounted it on a thick (4mm) aluminium plate, and shifted it so it wasn't under the cowling any more, so it could get some cooling air.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...6&d=1115352302

If I hadn't been through the whole process a few months earlier on my VFR, I would've rewired the whole charging system, so that there were no plugs, the wire runs were as short as possible, and the wire a heavier gauge (as I did on the VFR).

[honda929]

yuasa are still made in japan, nest best one is made in tailand forget the name, put one in my vfr, cost $170 no problems (18 months), as for the chinese ones you only get what you pay for and id hate to be stranded because i skimped.