Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge don't know whether to scream, cry, swear...

well, already did the swearing part...

got myself all geared up for a pre sunrise run. get the bike all checked and ready. i am psyched for this.
i rolled the bike out of the garage, down to the street to start it up rther than rumbling the close neighbors out of bed(mind you this was 0445EST)get the bike out to the road and it won't start.

straight from rumble rumble to clackclackclack.

now i'm blocking the entrance to the driveway, which leads to a multi bayed garage, the lip of the drive is canted toward the road; so backing it up the lip and back to the garage requires a bit more strength and leg length than i have.

i did manage to push it out into the road and back to my house, which is down the street a bit from where i live. 5 houses worth, actually.

guess i have to pull the battery and put it on the charger. the battery is only a few months old. what gives?

so much for my sunrise run...it's already starting to get light. i'd really like to expunge this experience from my day

...and don't go saying it's because of this:

My guess and my hope are that it is something minor and by the time you read this you have been on your way and returned. Since the battery is relatively new - I'd get that charger crancking and check for loose connections that may have occurred during the bat. change. Be sure that you didn't bump the kill switch. Think of any cause that may have led to bat. drain - hot wired accessory left on, ingnition left on - stuff like that. If not any of the simple stuff - Check charging system, test battery, ect. Maybe even jump start it one time and see what happens. Then scream, cry, & swear...
Good luck

Sorry to hear about your trouble. Maybe check the coil wires, plug wires? Battery cable might be loose? Is it showing signs of a bad battery(lights dim or nonexistant?)

connections were all fine, ignition was off, and the lights worked.
my old battery had been sitting on the charger for a couple of months. put the old battery on the bike and it started right up. new battery(if it was new when i bought it, was purchased on 4/13/06)has been on the charger for almost 2 hours. still showing "charging" on the indicator lamp.

I'm going to pack up the new battery and head over to the dealer/shop for a 'what gives' inquiry...not the best place to be on a summer holiday weekend, but rather there then stuck on the road somewhere...

thanks for the input guys.

holding off on the swearing and crying for now...

mert

, well kind of .

JH

go the dealer check it out!!!! had some problem with mine in the past was thinking battery weak, but sprag cluch gone better check it now than to do bigger damage!!!
hope I'm wrong and this is minor problem

You coulda gotten the short end of the battery stick. Sometimes even new ones are bad.

I'm also surprised nobody picked up on the transformation

FYI a really flat battery will take up to 8 hours to charge, so still charging after 2's not so bad.

Let us know what happens

Matt

It's probably those wheels.... Without the proper spokes to scatter the electrons in the air, the free electrons gather on your battery and laugh at all the captive ones inside. Then they get depressed and won't work anymore...

Done all of the above (screamed, cried, and sweared) at my wifes Honda. Has had all new parts, stator, rotor, harness brushes, regulator, 3 batteries, and she still won't charge. Time to upgrade to another TBA for her, as she has become quite attached to mine, she rides it quite often....

Hey Shari
You already know what I think of the new look ... great lookin' bike friend.

Is it a Sperica or an Amerister ??

Did you sort the problem in the end?
Was it just the battery as it started using the old battery?

BTW, in reply to your thread heading, did you try all three??
Usually works for me!

I also find, thumping, throwing and stompin' works well too.

You're bike looks kick a$$!! Are those both Speedmaster wheels?

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You're bike looks kick a$$!! Are those both Speedmaster wheels?

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yup, speedmaster on both wheels.

Blasphemer!! HERETIC!!! She's a witch I tell you!! Ye who doth conspire against the designs and machinations of Lord Master Bloor willst surely invoke the wrath of the Druid Spirits of the Machine and bring upon oneself such misery as you have!!! OOORRRR... it could just be a bum battery.... Nice wheels too!

yeah yeah yeah...and she who always rides with forked braid dreams of roads less traveled. man, greg that was a hefty slur if i ever saw one .

anyway, the old battery is in the bike and running fine. there was a little corrosion on the terminals; wire brushed that off, the new battery sat on the charger for another 5 hours or so.

it took a full charge and load meter indicated everything is all right with the new battery, as well. really don't know what to make of the whole ordeal other than it was a waste of my morning and i finally decided to let ya'll see the conversion(blasphemous or not )

thanks for helping me keep my chin up everyone.

mert

Oh yeah, Ade, I am tossed between SpAmerica, BlueMaster, Mutt or...

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Would that be Spam Erica?

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last i heard Erica had given up Spam in favor of Deviled Ham...from a can...

Did you make sure the alternator is charging? You should have 14 volts or a little more across the battery when the engine is running about twice idle speed.

actually...the alternator ws checked, but i don't recall the #'s. should probably check that again.

thanks Greybeard.

Amerimaster (or perhaps Amerispeed) gets my vote, after all, it was an America FIRST and so should get top billing, right?

and hey, I never slur before 9am, you know what the neighbors would say!!

or Americasp...or nothing or...Blue. Just Blue.

Mert,

That is one beautiful bike, I would push it anywhere for you.

Mert, take your battery, fully charged to your dealer, or, a place which sells batteries, and have them load test it. That'll tell the tale.

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or Americasp...or nothing or...Blue. Just Blue.

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"Speedica" would work for me, but don't let the Blue Beauty suffer an identity crisis. That will definitely drain a new battery.... the old battery adjusted well, but throw in a new one and it will be confused. It may even lead to irreversible psychosis with overtones of schizophrenia.

I like Bluemaster.

Whatever name you decide to give it (Blue is a great name), your bike looks absolutley fantabulous!!

Soren

Sorry about you ride being ruined Mert. It couldn't be because of your sweet looking ride. Must be a bad battery. Did you put Speedmaster wheels on your bike? They look really good.

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absolutley fantabulous!!

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soren,
fantabulous is absolutely one of my favorite words. thanks!

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Did you put Speedmaster wheels on your bike? They look really good.

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yup. speedmaster wheels, bars, risers and front brake assembly.
i'm diggin' it big time.

i am not really a fan of naming or picking gender for my cars or guitars...though there have been a few over the years...a 1976, green, toyota corolla wagon: Flounder. definitely male. a 1975 dark blue, Volvo Sedan:Esmeralda or Esme for short. female. the telecaster had a name for a brief time--but liked it better nameless...

so for all that babble and mumble when it comes right down to 'naming' the bike. Blue feels good...really good. so be it then; when name calling is appropriate...Blue it will be.

"You're my boy Blue!"
-Will Ferrell, Old School.

Blue.... yeah, that sounds right.

Good name for your Amerimaster!

Was putting some pics of the old thing on, and saw a pic of what looks like a bicycle bell. Then I see a light blue thing on the bars of your bike....the same colour as the bell.

Please tell me I'm seeing things...

Or I'm running away screaming my head off with the madness of it!!!! (Says the girl who rides with a sheep on her back.... )

Your eyes do not decieve you.

I'm running away then!!!!