Symptoms of Dying Battery or Something Different?

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harfooz

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Went on a day trip to Aiken yesterday, and had some symptoms that got us both concerned about getting stranded. We were on the bike for about 90 minutes, and I ran the OEM grip heaters for the whole trip down. After stopping to ask for some directions to the restaurant (no wonder we couldn't find it -- it's in an alley), got back on the bike, and it was really difficult to get it turned over. The LCD clock and trip odometer reset. Once the bike started, we just came straight back home. I didn't run the grip heaters.

We didn't shut it down until getting home. After shutting it down, and trying to re-crank it, it fired right up, as though nothing had happened.

The FJR is a 2005 year model with the original battery. I broke my tibia and fibula back in December, and had the bike on a battery tender for the first time for around 3 months, until last week, where I got to ride it to work again every day.

I've got an OEM replacement battery on its way to me, but wanted to check with the forum to see if these symptoms sound consistent with a battery that is going dead. It seemed weird to me that it fired back up without a problem when we got home.

Is there anything else that I need to check into for a problem?

Thanks,

'fooz

 
Went on a day trip to Aiken yesterday, and had some symptoms that got us both concerned about getting stranded. We were on the bike for about 90 minutes, and I ran the OEM grip heaters for the whole trip down. After stopping to ask for some directions to the restaurant (no wonder we couldn't find it -- it's in an alley), got back on the bike, and it was really difficult to get it turned over. The LCD clock and trip odometer reset. Once the bike started, we just came straight back home. I didn't run the grip heaters.

We didn't shut it down until getting home. After shutting it down, and trying to re-crank it, it fired right up, as though nothing had happened.

The FJR is a 2005 year model with the original battery. I broke my tibia and fibula back in December, and had the bike on a battery tender for the first time for around 3 months, until last week, where I got to ride it to work again every day.

I've got an OEM replacement battery on its way to me, but wanted to check with the forum to see if these symptoms sound consistent with a battery that is going dead. It seemed weird to me that it fired back up without a problem when we got home.

Is there anything else that I need to check into for a problem?

Thanks,

'fooz
I've had similar experiences with one or more cars. Yes the battery was bad in both cases ... and the charging system as well. I think installing a new battery may not be absolutely necessary, but is likely required. But do consider getting the charging system checked out.

 
You don't think a 6 year old battery could be going bad do you??
I get that the battery is old (which is why I ordered a replacement) -- but the way it fired up immediately later on that day made me wonder if there was something in addition to the battery that needed inspecting.

'fooz

 
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You don't think a 6 year old battery could be going bad do you??
I get that the battery is old (which is why I ordered a replacement) -- but the way it fired up immediately later on that day made me wonder if there was something in addition to the battery that needed inspecting.

'fooz
I think everything you wrote in your original post explains it all.....

We were on the bike for about 90 minutes, and I ran the OEM grip heaters for the whole trip down.
Once the bike started, we just came straight back home. I didn't run the grip heaters.

We didn't shut it down until getting home. After shutting it down, and trying to re-crank it, it fired right up, as though nothing had happened.
Don't forget, you're on a Gen I, which doesn't have that great a charging system, trying to maintain a six year old battery.

Were you slabbing it on your initial 90 minute ride? Or cruising back roads? If you're only putting along around 2500-3000rpm, you're not putting a whole lot of juice back into your battery, that's being sucked dry by your headlights and grip heaters.

 
You don't think a 6 year old battery could be going bad do you??
I get that the battery is old (which is why I ordered a replacement) -- but the way it fired up immediately later on that day made me wonder if there was something in addition to the battery that needed inspecting.

'fooz
I think everything you wrote in your original post explains it all.....

We were on the bike for about 90 minutes, and I ran the OEM grip heaters for the whole trip down.
Once the bike started, we just came straight back home. I didn't run the grip heaters.

We didn't shut it down until getting home. After shutting it down, and trying to re-crank it, it fired right up, as though nothing had happened.
Don't forget, you're on a Gen I, which doesn't have that great a charging system, trying to maintain a six year old battery.

Were you slabbing it on your initial 90 minute ride? Or cruising back roads? If you're only putting along around 2500-3000rpm, you're not putting a whole lot of juice back into your battery, that's being sucked dry by your headlights and grip heaters.
Definitely the latter type of ride on the trip down to Aiken. Just cruising along at 50-55 mph and had the grip heaters on. On the trip back home, however, that's a different story. We hammered a good bit on the trip back, and the grip heaters were turned off. Your explanation helps make sense of this to me. I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to electrical-related stuff.

 
I don't wait for batteries to go dead and leave me stranded. I'm on my second with an 06. The first batt now serves Mowie-Mowie, my Sears riding lawn mower :rolleyes:

Batteries are consumables.

 
I've got a near new battery that on a tender whenever the bike is in the garage.

I've occassionally had this happen...it's only when the engine is hot, like if I stalled the bike or turned it off for just a few minutes to have a conversation or fetch something out of the trunk. And I think it's more prevalent if I'm not careful to stab the starter button until it starts. A couple of times, I half pay attention while standing on the left side of the bike, and push the button accidently sliding my thumb off before starting.

Those times above, I have to stab the starter, hear it labor, and then it "grabs" and starts. Never left me stranded, but does increase the sincerity of my praying and there's a stabbing worry it'll happen on a trip or something and scares me every time. Also, it's a pain in the arsh to reset the clock, and my OCD kicks in as I obsess over the wrong time showing.

And since I ride and tour a lot (26k in 2010), I figure I wear out my batteries faster than most, and do consider it a maintenance item. I replace them every third winter just because.

Best of luck and personally, I'm a Westco Battery fan

 
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Howie's got it right on by pointing out the grip heaters. Gen-I does not have a lot of excess charging current available.

There is also a difference between restarting immediately and restarting after 5, 10, or even 30 minutes, as temperatures settle in the parked bike. Mine will fire like crazy except after a 10 minute shutdown on a hot day. After 15, it's good. 10, it'll crank slow, finally start, and I see the clock showing 1:00.

My problem is my shortened ride to work since my office moved; it's only 3 miles to work, and if that's all I do, I don't even recover enough charge to make up for starting it up in the first place. So riding to work is not just straight there, but finding routes through traffic is a chore sometimes.

 
Your not alone! I too, have encountered the same symptoms on my 05 despite having replaced the battery with a gel cell type. I encounter it most when stopping for fuel after my thirty-seven mile commute each way. If I get off the start button quick enough after noting it is rolling over hard, I can save the clock settings. Immediately press the start button again and it typically starts without any sign of a problem. I'm quite certain I can rule out a low battery. I suspect it is a compression issue. :huh:

 
Your not alone! I too, have encountered the same symptoms on my 05 despite having replaced the battery with a gel cell type. I encounter it most when stopping for fuel after my thirty-seven mile commute each way. If I get off the start button quick enough after noting it is rolling over hard, I can save the clock settings. Immediately press the start button again and it typically starts without any sign of a problem. I'm quite certain I can rule out a low battery. I suspect it is a compression issue. :huh:
First of 6yr old battery, change it.

Next, over the course of the 3 years I've had my FJR (has it been that long already? Seems like just yesterday!) mine will occasionally be very hard to turn over, resetting the odometers 'n such. It only has ever done this however when it is in Full Hot mode. That is, 4 bars on the temp gauge, fan running on shut off and the immediately trying to restart after getting gas or something. New battery/old battery, it makes no diff.

Hasn't done it any other time. I figure good old fashioned heat soaking.

 
At the end of its 4+ year life my OE battery had problems after brief hot shutdowns (gas stops, etc.). Yet, when I measured the voltage before a cold start it always measured fully charged.

When I installed a new battery the problem disappeared. So, it was the battery. Don't think the problem is related to hard cranking when hot, etc. Don't think the problem was a function of the battery being heat soaked. When you're underway at a reasonable pace the battery is not being heated all that much from radiator heat. When you briefly stop, the battery can't absorb all that much heat in 10 minutes. It's a 10 or 11 lb. mass of lead, electrolyte, and case. It won't change temperature all that much in 10 minutes.

 
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Got the new battery in the bike, and it's been fine since. I figure it was a combination of hot engine, traffic, low rpm's, and old battery that was the problem, as you all suggested.

'fooz

 
If the fan's running when you go to restart, just let the fan run for a minute or two until it stops or you're down to 3 bars.

 
I know it's way after the fact, but were the connections on the battery good and tight when you took them off. I had a loose positive cable on my '03 that gave me symptoms of a dying battery. It didn't seem loose enough to be an issue until i took a wrench to it and got a good 1/4-1/2 turn out of it. Tightened it up, topped it off with a charge and it worked fine for years.

Idling with fans or heaters on for long periods drains the shite out of them too, cuz there's really no charging going on until you get a bit above idle.

 
When you are not riding your bike put in on Optimate/Ctek electronic charger, especially if you have an alarm fitted. A battery that is kept in top condition is less likely to fail for many years. I have friends who have 8-9 year old bikes on the original battery because of using a good electronic charger.

 
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