Embarassing moment on my 06

[smokeFJR06]

Today I'm on a ride with 21 fellow bikers. After our ride is completed, a few of us hung around to chat and when I went to start my 06 FJR up, it does nothing but make this loud repeatedly chatter sound. I have no clue what is going on. It flat out will not crank over.

Let me explain a little more and maybe y'all can give me some input on what it could have been. It was extremely hot here in central Illinois today. I can't remember now but I think I could have left the key on when we finished the ride. So, the time from when I got off the bike to going back to start it back up may have been 45 minutes. When I looked at the LCD screen, it was blank instead of showing the normal information. After the first attempt of starting didn't work, I turned the key of for a few seconds and turned it back on and the LCD screen came up normally. Everything looked fine and I pushed the start button and same thing....continuous chatter sound from the front. I thought, surely the battery wasn't dead because the gauges and LCD screen was fine. I was at a lost. So, I had to have my Harley buddies push me to start the bike. Talk about embarassing! I have had to help push them several times and gave them grief for it. Guess paybacks are hell, right?

Anyhow, I rode the bike home which is about 5 miles, pulled the bike in the garage, shut it off, and it started right back up again. I did it twice and it was fine. Later tonight I went back out and it turned over fine. Could the battery have gone down enough not to turn the engine over in that short amount of time. I have nothing connected to the bike like GPS, Radio or anything. It's stock.

Could it have been the heat? My air temp gauge read 115 when I was trying to start it. The engine temp was only 3 bars. It was setting on blacktop so that was affecting the air temp gauge. I'm at a loss as to what it could have been but don't want to get out alone and get stranded.

Any thoughts?

 

[Rogue]

Leaving the key on will drain the battery fast, you have 2 55w headlight plus everything else on.

 

[Bike Effects]

I have nothing connected to the bike like GPS, Radio or anything. It's stock.
Any thoughts?

45 minutes with the headlights on would be my thought. The lights don't come on when you turn the key on, but they stay on after the engines stops unless you stop it with the key.

 

[SkooterG]

No, it was not the heat.

It was you leaving the key/lights on! Don't blame the bike for your oopsie.

It's been 110+ here for most of the last 6 weeks. I ride my FJR daily, and it has its original almost 3 year old battery with 79,000 miles on it. Never any problems starting.

Of course I make sure I turn off the key...........

 

[SoCalFJR]

If it was hot and you left the key on the fan may have been running also...that will kill the battery quickly. I notice that on a hot day when I park my bike for a short time, when I get back on the fan will often come on as soon as I turn the key on (because of the build up of heat in the stationary cooling system).

 

[Bounce]

Been 100°+ for more than a month at a time every summer since I got my 2003. Never a problem like that. Mainly because I don't leave the key on. I did that once or twice on Wings over the years and it "larned me good!"

The bike needs a minimum voltage to start. That minimum is much higher than what the guages need to light up.

1 - Get a volt meter

2 - Remember to put the key in the OFF position instead of ON or PARK

 

[Bluestreek]

You drained the battery by leaving the key on and the ride home charged it back up enough to restart it

 

[chickey191]

as others have said - you killed the battery with the lights.

two things -

1. heat is just a stressful to a battery as cold. different stress, but the result is the same

2. I have had only 1 dealer EVER - properly service a new battery - even on a new bike. The best thing you can do for your battery is to slow trickle charge it - BEFORE YOU EVER HOOK IT UP - certainly before you ride it. You will peak the battery from the beginning.

most dealers - if you are lucky will put a quick surface charge on the battery and let you charge it up by running it on the way home. This is not as good as maxing it out before use.

if you buy a new battery - slow charge it FIRST.

It will last longer and give you a better service life.

 

[Shinden]

I think I could have left the key on when we finished the ride.

My wife did the ONCE with her 2004 GL1800A :blush2: , she has no intention of repeating it.

Fortunately, it occured in our driveway while we we waiting on some friends to show up for a ride. The bike has an "accessory" position for the key, like a car; she thought that was were it was set.

All the "stuff" on that thing drains the battery very well.

The bike would not start, I boosted it off a charged, older battery.

Usually a person isn't lucky enough to have this happen in their own driveway.

 

[smokeFJR06]

Thanks for all the comments. Yeah, I've pretty much determined it was the battery being drained down to far. Actually, I'm glad that's it. Stupid me. I've learned my lesson for sure and will never do that again. At least I can tell my Harley Buddies it wasn't the bike, just a user problem. :blink: Whew!

 

[odot]

Don't worry about us harley riders....we're used to it. Crappy design from engine to regulator design. First rebuild on my engine I hardwired my stator to regulator line. Saved me all kinds of grief.