[fabio]

With the cold spell that has finally descended upon us the Bandit has proven difficult to start at times...typically after it being left overnight in the cold.

Basically I can turn on the bike, turn the choke on, and hit the starter but it seems very weak. As if there's not enough current going to spin the starter. And it becomes weaker the longer you try. The thing is the lights all work and heated grips still work too so the battery has some charge in it. Is it that it just doesn't have enough to turn the starter after lying up in the cold for a few hours?

(Note: I don't leave the lights and grips on when attempting to start it hahaha!)

Some nights I've had to push start it but after a spin along the link road then it will fire up with no problems at all when I stop it and start it again a few minutes later as a test. I suppose this is because the battery has been charged from the spin.

The thing is the battery is relatively new...I only fitted it in the summer...

[Darkcloud]

My car is somewhat the same

[KildareMan]

Sounds like a battery issue. If you can use another battery to prove that would be good. You need to put a meter on the battery and check the voltage;
1. Ignition off
2. Ignition on
3. Engine running

With the engine running you should be getting about 14v or so

[evoblade]

Typical signs of a battery nearing the end of its life

[CBR 46]

It could also be a sticky starter.. put the bike in gear and rock it back and forward and see if that helps.

Many years ago I had a Cortina with a dodgy starter and found that a tap with a ball hammer freed it up.

I've replaced the graphite in a few starters on bikes, electric drills etc. and it does no harm to take the starter apart and make sure that everything's working smoothly (they can get gummed up).

Hope this helps

[fabio]

Thanks guys I'll give those things a try. Voltmeter to the battery tonight so and the rock-a-bye-baby method also if I find myself in this situation again!

[piston broke]

Heated grips draw a lot of power from batteries especially with the lights on all the time, unless its being revved up a bit the battery never really gets a chance to fully recharge for the next morning.The sticky starter motors another possibility as i had to take mine out and clean it a few weeks ago after wasting money on a new battery.Good Luck

[Fr Dougal]

Try the simplest things first. if you have a charger, leave the battery on charge overnight. If it starts okay but then problem returns a few days later, battery not holding charge so probably beeds to be replaced.

This post has been edited by Fr Dougal: 07 December 2011 - 06:05 PM

[Gasman]

Def sounds like battery, had same problem after last winter, put in new battery and could'nt believe the difference it made to bike, it even seemed to have more power if that's possible..

This post has been edited by Gasman: 07 December 2011 - 07:06 PM

[Ziggy]

Just a few suggestions. Any additional electrical stuff puts a serious drain on a battery. So make sure everything is off overnight and not draining the battery. Even if they look switched off maybe they are permanently live and draining current. Also worth bearing in mind a rule of thumb I heard, that to replace the charge used in every start (or attempt to start) takes at least two miles of driving with decent revs. So short journeys or stop start traffic is not really going to get it recharged. Also dampness/cold always make it harder to start so even if your bike is garaged throw an old coat or blanket over it at night. If you keep it in the open put the blanket on before covering it. If you dont cover it at night, well then you're only asking for problems.

[Blade RR]

As above, battery more than likely goin going gone....Get a new one before youy end up stuck someewhere.

If weather gets really bad (hopefully not) take the battery out and leave it in the house so the ice / cold dont get into it.

[KaosTheory]

Ziggy, on 07 December 2011 - 11:46 PM, said:

Just a few suggestions. Any additional electrical stuff puts a serious drain on a battery. So make sure everything is off overnight and not draining the battery. Even if they look switched off maybe they are permanently live and draining current. Also worth bearing in mind a rule of thumb I heard, that to replace the charge used in every start (or attempt to start) takes at least two miles of driving with decent revs. So short journeys or stop start traffic is not really going to get it recharged. Also dampness/cold always make it harder to start so even if your bike is garaged throw an old coat or blanket over it at night. If you keep it in the open put the blanket on before covering it. If you dont cover it at night, well then you're only asking for problems.

My first thought as well, Fabio, when you start the bike in the morning do you switch the lights and heated grips on straight away? Might be worth knocking off the heated grips a few minutes before you get to your destination (leave your lights on though) I can't imagine they'd lose heat too quick & it give the battery a chance to recover a bit more of a charge?

[piston broke]

Thing is...he replaced the battery during the summer and you should get at least 2 years from a battery...

[KaosTheory]

piston broke, on 08 December 2011 - 10:48 AM, said:

Thing is...he replaced the battery during the summer and you should get at least 2 years from a battery...

Agreed, but if he's running the grips from the moment he starts the bike until the moment he switches it off, its possible its not getting enough of a charge to top it it up and its been prematurely run down.

[piston broke]

KaosTheory, on 08 December 2011 - 11:26 AM, said:

Agreed, but if he's running the grips from the moment he starts the bike until the moment he switches it off, its possible its not getting enough of a charge to top it it up and its been prematurely run down.

Fair nuff, maybe a good long charge overnight might sort it, but hes gotta cut back on the heated grip use or it will be back to square 1 again, or at least keep em on a lower setting for town use?

[FatFergie]

fabio, on 07 December 2011 - 12:26 PM, said:

The thing is the battery is relatively new...I only fitted it in the summer...

A possibility, just a possibility is that you have a poor connection somewhere in the system that limits the ability of the alternator to charge the battery. A good start is to give the main terminals a really good clean and reconnect. Another thing to look at is your electrolyte level ( if you have a normal ie: not sealed type).
I would think that a good battery and a charging system in good order would easily cope with lights and grip heaters.

Hope you get it sorted. Nasty getting stuck without power.

[evoblade]

What make is the battery? Usually they are quite reliable for years but occasionally there are duds and they fail prematurely...alot of the ebay batterys are crap by the way,they are cheap for a good reason! In saying that i've come across Yuasa,Varta and others that die an early death.Charge up the battery and stick a multimeter across the terminals,turn the ignition on and hit the starter and watch how low the volts drop with a load on it,if it goes below 10v it's probably toasted.Either that or your starter is drawing too much...feel the cable going to the starter and see if it gets too hot

This post has been edited by evoblade: 09 December 2011 - 03:03 PM

[fabio]

Small update on this one guys (with voltage figures)...

Went to start it last night after a house party in the School of History here in college (and it was a proper rocking party in there too till security had to lock up) but it went limp again. I fecked off for a while to chat to a few people and then decided to go and get a loan of a voltmeter to check the battery. It read as 12.32 volts so all seemed well. I hit the starter button while keeping he voltmeter on the battery and the bike fired up fine and the batter immediately jumped to 14 volts as it should do on a fast tickover (choke was on now!).

This leads me to think it must be the starter motor because in the mean time I did move it a few feet and the initial weak attempt at starting it maybe freed up the motor a bit.

As regards the heated grips and lights. I keep those off until I have my arse in the saddle and am releasing the clutch to go for the reasons people have said above. Makes sense!

[piston broke]

fabio, on 09 December 2011 - 06:56 PM, said:

Small update on this one guys (with voltage figures)...

Went to start it last night after a house party in the School of History here in college (and it was a proper rocking party in there too till security had to lock up) but it went limp again. I fecked off for a while to chat to a few people and then decided to go and get a loan of a voltmeter to check the battery. It read as 12.32 volts so all seemed well. I hit the starter button while keeping he voltmeter on the battery and the bike fired up fine and the batter immediately jumped to 14 volts as it should do on a fast tickover (choke was on now!).

This leads me to think it must be the starter motor because in the mean time I did move it a few feet and the initial weak attempt at starting it maybe freed up the motor a bit.

As regards the heated grips and lights. I keep those off until I have my arse in the saddle and am releasing the clutch to go for the reasons people have said above. Makes sense!

id give the battery a good overnite charge before stripping out stater motors, battery may just need a good boost

[Fr Dougal]

piston broke, on 09 December 2011 - 07:15 PM, said:

id give the battery a good overnite charge before stripping out stater motors, battery may just need a good boost

Agreed