Something I learned about FJRs & weak batteries

[double_entendre]

Boy I'm afraid to post here for fear of creating trouble. :blink:

2005 FJR with only 26k miles on her. I've run the battery stone dead more than once and each time just hooked it up to a battery charger and let it charge back up. So far it works like a charm. I've got an Electrosport stator I've yet to use, but will put it on this fall. When I was on a road trip with the heated jacket and grips cranked up plus the PHIDs blasting away, the voltmeter showed me barely keeping even on charging--12 volts and change.

Other than that I've had no issues with faulty anything.

Well. Until the other day when I went to start her in the morning and I had to put her in neutral to start. Trying to start her in gear with the clutch in didn't work. I need to figure that out. Probably poke around tonight and see what comes up.

*insert de rigueur comments of your choice about RH, bustanut, and the others here*

Rancho

 

[JDFlys]

Well, now I'm down right confused.

I have farkled up 04 ABS w/ about 24,000 miles on it. Bought it from a dealership in 06 as new. It was the dealer owner's daily rider. Replaced the battery in 07 because it would go dead after about a week of non use.

New battery started out just fine, but now does the same thing. 3 weeks ago, put it on the tender for couple of days and then went for a ride. Highway speeds (50-65) for about 20 minutes then parked for about 15 minutes. I was worried that it wouldnt start, but she fired right up. Rode about 5 minutes, parked for 20 minutes. Woudln't start.

I followed wfooshee's thread and wonder if that is the path I have to take. I don't mind doing the work, certainly don't want to have to pay for that, but will need a lot more education on the process.

Thanks all for the insight. This forum is great.

JD

 

[Grumpy]

Electricity is magic.
I can't see it...but I know it's there.

Electrical Rule # 1: Electrons, you can't see 'um......you can't trust 'um

Electrical Rule # 2: Electrons, You can't see 'um......but sometimes you can feel 'um

 

[RadioHowie]

Well, now I'm down right confused.
[snip]

FWIW, here's my take on it.....

It was the dealer owner's daily rider. Replaced the battery in 07 because it would go dead after about a week of non use.

"It was the dealer's daily rider." So it was getting charged by regular rides. YOU (slacker) leave it sitting for a week and it goes dead. I'd say the battery had developed a "memory" and was conditioned to a daily charge, much like a cellphone battery does.

Take two.....

New battery started out just fine, but now does the same thing. 3 weeks ago, put it on the tender for couple of days and then went for a ride. Highway speeds (50-65) for about 20 minutes then parked for about 15 minutes. I was worried that it wouldnt start, but she fired right up. Rode about 5 minutes, parked for 20 minutes. Woudln't start.

Battery is either getting a little long in the tooth, or you're not driving it enough to keep it charged. You put it on a tender for a couple of days to top it off, crank it up for your 20 minute drive, which drives the residual charge down enough to crank it a 2nd time, but for the next 20 minutes, even though you're at freeway speeds, the bike is pretty much living off a marginal battery that's getting little charge. You park it, the voltage is already down from running everything off your battery for the past 20 minutes, there's just enough residual charge to fire it up the 2nd time, but the crank sequence drops the charge even further, leaving just enough to keep the bike running on your second, short ride, but not enough to turn over the starter after the second stop of your trip.

I think the key to your dilemma is this: "New battery started out just fine" Doesn't surprise me. It was a new battery. But let's face it...it's a tiny little 12amp hour battery. Plain and simple. Drive it more, or leave it on a tender when it's not being driven. I know I will. I even put an SAE pigtail on my battery the other night JUST for easy hook-up.

 

[JDFlys]

Thanks RH. I suppose I need to get my slacker-ass out and ride more! B)

 

[RadioHowie]

Thanks RH. I suppose I need to get my slacker-ass out and ride more! B)

You better hurry....your riding season is over in about 10 minutes.

 

[TruWrecks]

I've got an SAE pigtail wired to my FJR and Busa. On the FJR I tuck it under the edge of the tank with the end barely visible. It doesn't get in the way, and it's easy to plug it in. I figure it costs me about $4 per year in electricity to leave both bikes on the two Battery Tenders that I leave them on when not riding.

 

[RadioHowie]

I've got an SAE pigtail wired to my FJR and Busa. On the FJR I tuck it under the edge of the tank with the end barely visible. It doesn't get in the way, and it's easy to plug it in. I figure it costs me about $4 per year in electricity to leave both bikes on the two Battery Tenders that I leave them on when not riding.

+1.....just put an SAE pigtail on mine. I plan on it serving double duty....be there to plug in my "tender" when it's parked, then plug it into the Datel I'm gonna install for power monitoring when I'm riding.

 

[dll]

Haven't experienced this, but I did order my battery tender after reading it...thanks for the head's up!

 

[RTSR1/FJR]

I think its funny that I started a thread 2 weeks ago on a different forum about a popular new battery(1 yr. old) taking a dump while on vacation in the cold and being pretty pissed off about it. Was chastised for stating the popular brand was junk. Then it was speculated that there must be something else going on with the bike. Wrong, it was just the battery. Seems like I'm not the only one having problems. I put a new one in and everything is fine! Charging system putting out 14.3v. I mentioned the issue of most replacement batteries only having 135 CCA and YAUSA having 210 CCA and I'm told that it's creative marketing and that all are close to the same. Now it's as simple as just keeping the battery fully charged (which mine was prior to leaving). Fact of the matter is all manufacturers have lemons. Doesn't make it any more palatable when they die at inopportune times! There just seems to be more and more of the popular brand showing up these days, just say'in!

 

[highcountry]

Great thread! But all of this battery/charging talk brings back fond memories of my '60 something Triumph Bonneville. It was a TT model which was a racing version of the Bonneville. It had been jury-rigged to be street legal. It didn't come stock with any lights or charging system. It had been wired to use the magneto to run the lights. It had no battery. When riding down the street, it probably put out 20 candlepower and at idle, probably 1 candlepower. Ahhh, those were the days - - NOT! :lol:

 

[old Pilot]

...Never owned a bike with anything except a magneto until I bought my BSA Victor 441 Special.....

BSA Victor 441

 

[jhedges]

why we are on this topic, what is a good voltmeter to buy? I think installing one this winter will be a good idea along with the Tender.

 

[Zorlac]

why we are on this topic, what is a good voltmeter to buy? I think installing one this winter will be a good idea along with the Tender.

https://www.cyclemaxohio.com/inc/sdetail/4231

 

[Big-D]

Very useful piece of information to keep for future reference to possibly avoid assumptions of suspecting problems not associated with a weak or failing battery.

Like Don stated about magnetos, perhaps manufacturers could have thought about something could be installed to mimic new dirt bike technology that now utilize EFI.

I was on a ride a few years back with a friend riding a Yamaha STAR that experienced a dead battery at Hoover Dam. The bike was dead, could not push start, so had to ride to a bike shop to buy a new battery. A sudden and unexpected death of a battery can leave you along side the road.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Like Don stated about magnetos, perhaps manufacturers could have thought about something could be installed to mimic new dirt bike technology that now utilize EFI.

Magneto CDI has been a reality for decades (no battery needed) and I'm sure a magneto-sourced electrical supply can be used for other purposes (especially with an accumulator/electrolytic capacitor/?, etc.) -- all except one thing: the electric starter motor (it needs a larger, longer duration, source of electrons).

The FJR's alternator is permanent magnet powered -- so: if the crank turns, it generates.

With regard to battery-related problems (problems, in general): one of the first trouble-shooting items listed (if not the first...) is check battery voltage to be at 12.5V or greater -- before you go any further....(if it's not there? -- make it so...).

So far (AFAIK), if you want 'leccy-start' -- you're gonna need a battery (or, an extension cord...).

 

[RZ350]

Battery only showing 9.7 volts on the DIAG screen.

Can you display the system voltage on the LCD? How? Will it work on a Gen II? I have a voltmeter installed but it would be nice to check it against actual voltage without accessing the battery box.

 

[RadioHowie]

Battery only showing 9.7 volts on the DIAG screen.

Can you display the system voltage on the LCD? How? Will it work on a Gen II? I have a voltmeter installed but it would be nice to check it against actual voltage without accessing the battery box.

Yes you can display on the LCD, but not while the bike's running, at least not on my Gen I.

To enter the DIAG mode, turn the key off, press and hold the 'set' and 'reset' buttons on the LCD and turn key on. Hold for at least 10 seconds until "DIAG" is displayed on the LCD.

Release buttons. Then press and hold both buttons AGAIN for 10 seconds until you see "D1" on the screen. Now, press the either button until you get to "D9".

That's the system voltage display. With the kill switch off, you'll read 0. Turn the kill switch on and you'll see system voltage. If it's below 12.3-12.4 volts, you need to charge that battery. Oh, when you turn the kill switch on to get a voltage reading, you'll hear your fuel pump run.

 

[Big-D]

Like Don stated about magnetos, perhaps manufacturers could have thought about something could be installed to mimic new dirt bike technology that now utilize EFI.

Magneto CDI has been a reality for decades (no battery needed) and I'm sure a magneto-sourced electrical supply can be used for other purposes (especially with an accumulator/electrolytic capacitor/?, etc.) -- all except one thing: the electric starter motor (it needs a larger, longer duration, source of electrons).

The FJR's alternator is permanent magnet powered -- so: if the crank turns, it generates.

With regard to battery-related problems (problems, in general): one of the first trouble-shooting items listed (if not the first...) is check battery voltage to be at 12.5V or greater -- before you go any further....(if it's not there? -- make it so...).

So far (AFAIK), if you want 'leccy-start' -- you're gonna need a battery (or, an extension cord...).

I'm aware the CDI has been around for a very long time, what hasn't is the battery-less EFI. Like the new YZ450F, which allows the EFI to work with the smallest amount of movement of the crank, simply a kick-start. The problems described prior in this post seems to be related to the FI not functioning due to not enough voltage, which would also explain the comments on the display. Not knowing what technology Yamaha is using to achieve this, whether it is by magneto or some other function. Unless the magneto has been drastically improved over the years, I don't think it would suffice. Years back, my Yamaha DT-250 had both a magneto and a battery. Of course it also came with lights, until I took them off.

 

[jhedges]

thank you Zorlac!