Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Starting problem Help

Hi all
Have my bike connected to a trickle charger (Datatool,same as optimate 3)but still she wont start simetimes when battery is fully charged. Battery is good showing 13.1v fully charged. Just to confuse things occasionally when I dont connect the charger and leave her to stand for a week she fires up no problem.
It seems like the charger is discharging the battery sometimes,could this be the case or does anyone have any other suggestions. The triumph clock is the only item using power when ignition is off. Any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks

What does your bike sound like when it doesn't start? From what you wrote, it sounds like a battery issue to me. Did you have it checked?

I'm with Beanache, sounds like a battery problem. Yank the battery and take it to your local autoparts or battery store to check the volts under load, only takes a few minutes and is usually free (at Autozone, etc.)

Make sure the positive/negative leads are installed correctly. My Battery Tender charger won't work if installed incorrectly, but not sure about your Datamate.

My '02 battery is still going strong, but it's had a winter maintenance charger since new. (hope that didn't curse me!)

If the battery checks out, might want to replace the starter relay under the tank. They're only $11 and mine went bad last year. My bike wouldn't start about 50% of the time, no turn over or clicking, just dead. The tech at my local dealership said it was the starter solenoid, they ordered a relay by mistake. I went home put the relay in and the problem has never returned. (they never did call to tell me my solenoid was in!)

I have the clock as well on my bike, they must not use much juice as my charger hardly ever lights the green "charging" light.

Thanks for the replies.
When she doesn't start all you can hear is the solonoid clicking so I guess this stills points to the battery being the problem.As I said earlier the battery is reading 13.1v fully charged of the bike, as I have know one near by to check the battery I have decided to leave the battery of the bike overnight and check the voltage in the morning. I am guessing that if the voltage drops that means the battery is not holding its charge.

Wubba,
The clicking solenoid is a dead giveaway. I had this problem and replaced the battery. I haven't had the problem since. My battery tender would fully charge the battery but after a lot of riding around town the bike sometimes would just click. I would almost guarantee that if you replace the battery, you won't have this problem anymore.

Or a bad connection. A loose connection will also give you the clicking problem.

or a corroded connection. Replacing the battery may supply enough juice to arc thru the corrosion, but the problem can return in a short time.

clip voltmeter leads directly on the battery posts (not the cables) and hit the starter button while watching battery voltage readout. if the voltage stays roughly the same the battery is fine and the issue is farther along; next move the voltmeter leads to the battery cable ends and try again. if it reads different than at the posts themselves you've got a poor connection at the cable ends. A really quick way to eliminate battery or cable connections. Any further down the line you'd just have to follow the positive cable end through the solenoid, then the starter motor lead. Any help???

Mike

Mine clicked when the relay went bad but checking the battery is obviously the best place to start. That failing, try a new relay, its only $11 versus a $60 starter solenoid. I have the number on my maintenance spreadsheet if you need it.

I was haveing trouble starting my 02 BA recently and replaced the battery ,problem solved, then 0ne week later i had the seat off to check on doing an airbox mod and found that I had a set of melted wires, now i'm wondering if the melted wires were the cause of my battery failure.

just a thought, it my pay to check on this just in case!

Oh the melted plug was the one with the three yallow wires on one side and three black with blue stripes on the other.It might pay to check this whole circuit.