FXR starter problems

[JBJB]

Bought an FXR late last year after motorbyclist had a look at it and is running fine once I get it going. I'm having some problems starting it and wondered if anyone could offer some advice.

Because I don't commute on the bike often, it only gets ridden once every 5-6 days. When I try to use the electric starter the engine will turn over a couple of times and then the starter won't do anything (I assume the starter has drained what little juice is left in the battery). After I turn the key on the first time the headlights and dash come on. After a few goes with the electric start the headlights turn off and I think the dash might turn off as well.

Then I proceed to the kickstart department and it can take many kicks (I'm talking 15-20ish) to actually get it going. This is probably not helped by the fact that I recently busted my ankle and can't put quite as much force as I'd like into the kickstart, but I don't think the ankle problem is causing a marked difference in force exerted.

Once the bike has been running a while (say 15-20 min) and I turn it off I can start it again with the electric start first time.

So I'm wondering if my battery is poked. But I also wonder whether something in the kickstart department is not 100%.

Any help or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

[Squiggles]

Battery is probably poked, Kickstarter will be fine.

[JBJB]

Battery is probably poked, Kickstarter will be fine.

Cheers mate. Poked as in 'charge it and it should be fine' or 'buy a new one'. Apparently if you don't ride your bike much, batteries die fairly quickly.

I've been looking at buying a battery charger. The battery on the FXR is a "12V 14.4kC (4Ah)/10 HR" according to the specs. I know next to nothing about charging batteries. Would this do the job?:

http://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/automo...d=40&orderby=1

Is there a difference between a trickle charger and a normal battery charger?

[Squiggles]

Trickle chargers are better, they'll charge it up slowly, then turn onto maintenance mode and keep it fully charged. Whereas that charger just boosts it full of juice, and if you leave it too long will overcharge and toast the batt. 4A is higher than you want for a bike battery, i have a 2Amp version of that charger, although even its not ideal.

You're better off getting a new batt and an oxford maximiser (I've used the 360T version, was good) from cycletreads. I think they do a deal if you buy both battery & charger. It will work on cars, bikes, and deep cycle batteries, plus you can get a cable thing to leave on the bike, then just hook it up whenever you're not going to use it.

[sil3nt]

Surely if it wont hold charge after a ride it would be better to get a new one rather than continuously charging it?

[Slyer]

Ride it more!

[motorbyclist]

...it only gets ridden once every 5-6 days....
Then I proceed to the kickstart department and it can take many kicks (I'm talking 15-20ish) to actually get it going.

firstly, a new battery is what you need, or some moar riding!

The kickstart is pretty hard to break, but it must be said the kickstart on that bike is horrible to use, and many bikes have a 'knack' to starting them; maybe try giving a slight flick of the wrist at the bottom of your kick.

I found with my first FXR that if I left it for more than 2 days (ie, over the weekend) without riding, water would accumulate in the bowls and it would become a mission to start. this was due largely to where i kept it combined with where I was buying my fuel from and the long gaps between actually needing fuel.

My suggestion would be to either drain the bowls before attempting to start it, or leave it with the fuel off and give it a good shake before turning it back on.


Good to hear it's still running well

[motorbyclist]

Surely if it wont hold charge after a ride it would be better to get a new one rather than continuously charging it?

if you don't ride often the new battery will die too, so a charger is required to keep the new one healthy

[JBJB]

I'll try and buy one of those oxford chargers. I'd rather pay a bit for a charger that will keep even a wasted battery alive than buy another battery that will just die due to how little I happen to be riding at the mo.

[FROSTY:Me]

Your battery is poked. Whats happening is that its draining down so far that theres not enough charge in it to start the bike.
For the moment I'd suggest that INSTEAD of trying to start it with the starter first thing start it with the kick starter. It should start second kick.
You do need to buy a new battery though.

[3lemental]

I have an fxr that had similar issues when i first got it - i agree if it isn't holding charge after riding it, it's probably better to get a new battery.

In terms of the kick start, what i find with mine is that the best way to start is to open out the lever, then rest your foot on it til it stops moving downward (applying virtually no pressure - just feel the right point). Then kick down and forwards in an "L" shaped motion. The key is to be even with your kick rather than just hard.

Hope this helps.

[phoenixgtr]

If you're not already doing it, turn off the fuel tap between rides. My old FXR used to be a prick to start if I didn't. You're battery's poked by the sounds of it, but you should be able to kick start it relatively easily. How much choke do you use? Mine used to love full choke/no throttle and then give it some throttle when it catches and drop the choke back to half for a few mins.

[JBJB]

I try to remember to turn off the fuel tap each time. I normally use about half choke. But sometimes it seems to struggle with any choke so I try starting it with none. The choke seems to be exponential though. Half choke seems to raise revs only slightly above idle with 3/4 or full being way higher than idle.

So no one seems too concerned that it can take me many attempts with the kickstart. It sounds like it is either my technique, the amount of choke used, or the fact that I try to use the electric start first. I have read in a few places that one or two kicks should do hence the concern that I'm stuffing up my kickstart.

[Squiggles]

So no one seems too concerned that it can take me many attempts with the kickstart. It sounds like it is either my technique, the amount of choke used, or the fact that I try to use the electric start first. I have read in a few places that one or two kicks should do hence the concern that I'm stuffing up my kickstart.

Your first few kicks end up going into putting some charge into the battery, so when you then kick it, theres some charge to create a solid spark and get it running. Thus as frosty says, you're better off giving it a kick first rather than using all the juice with the electric start, then having to do a few recharge kicks, then finally a starting kick

[zzzbang]

The kickstart is pretty hard to break

Well a bit off topic, but my dad broke his yzf450's kickstarter in the middle of nowhere in the dunes, was pretty funny. It broke in the middle where it hits the footpeg, had to push him to an open space to roll start it.