Starting Problem

[Steve]

Well it loooks like both of the batteries I was using were on the way out.

As I suspected. The fact that they dropped to 8 volts while cranking can tell you a couple of things, including "bad battery" or "bad starter", but it was that return to only 9 volts that told me "bad battery".

.

[pete]

Glad you got it sorted without having to do the starter Don!

PS: don't listen to me when Steve and Jim are around, you know who's likely to be right now

And let us know how the Motobatt goes, contemplating one of those for when my cheapy in the 450 dies...

[koolaid_kid]

Pete, I have been running MotoBatt AGM batteries for 3 years now. Fantastic batteries IMHO.
And, they are YELLOW to match my plug wires.

[pete]

Cheers George, have heard good reports from a few sources now... yellow should fit with my gold-ish chain and shouldn't clash with the paint

[Suzuki_Don]

Cheers George, have heard good reports from a few sources now... yellow should fit with my gold-ish chain and shouldn't clash with the paint

Pete MotoBatt is the only battery I know of that gives a 2-year warranty. Most of the others are 6 or 12 months only.

It is a bit dearer than what I could get it for on-line, but I believe in keeping the smaller bike shops viable by supporting them with my purchases whenever I can.

This small Honda dealer also carries an open face style helmet that has a screen that closes down over your face to act like a full face, but when pushed up gives you the freedon of an open face. It is much lighter than a full face as well from all reports (one of my mates has one) and with my crook neck that will make riding a bit more enjoyable. So I will check one of those out for size as well while I am in there picking the battery up.

This is one of those shops where you walk through the workshop to get to the sales counter. Looks like it is out of the '60s.

[Steve]

Pete MotoBatt is the only battery I know of that gives a 2-year warranty. Most of the others are 6 or 12 months only.

Not sure what all you have available there, but here on the other side of the world, the X2 series AGM battery from Batteries Plus also has a 2-year warranty.

.

[posplayr]

Glad you got it sorted without having to do the starter Don!

PS: don't listen to me when Steve and Jim are around, you know who's likely to be right now

And let us know how the Motobatt goes, contemplating one of those for when my cheapy in the 450 dies...

Pete,
I just reread the first post and think that there was nothing wrong with the advice based on what was presented. I do think Don needs to review battery load testing or perhaps just the first couple of steps of the "Quick Test".

Don,
Well I do hope you did not have to pull the starter, but if you did the load test brush up should be more memorable.

Steve,
As a general rule, I tend to ignore voltage readings people take during starter cranking; there are just too many variables. Unless I'm doing the measurement I always take them with a grain of salt.

Jim

[Steve]

Steve,
As a general rule, I tend to ignore voltage readings people take during starter cranking; there are just too many variables. Unless I'm doing the measurement I always take them with a grain of salt.

I agree, but it was that part that said "Volts returned to 9.2v again." that got my attention.

A dragging starter could have taken the cranking voltage low, but it should have come back up to over 12 volts with a decent battery.
Because it stayed low, I was pushing the "Bad Battery" button.

.

[posplayr]

I agree, but it was that part that said "Volts returned to 9.2v again." that got my attention.

A dragging starter could have taken the cranking voltage low, but it should have come back up to over 12 volts with a decent battery.
Because it stayed low, I was pushing the "Bad Battery" button.

.

Yes, if the battery is a rest and only 9.2V it is not a good battery which I have to say is obvious but also in direct conflict with the initial assessment that the both batteries were good

[Steve]

... but also in direct conflict with the initial assumption that the both batteries were good

There, I fixed it for you.

.

[Suzuki_Don]

Thanks guys for all the input. As usual I get to where I want to be in the end even though I usually take a zig zag detour to get there. I will now bin the two bad batteries.

Pete thanks for your input/advice. It was appreciated and would have been put into practise if I had to pull the starter. As Jim said, "there was nothing wrong with your advice" given the symptoms I verbalised.

Thanks all -- Steve included.

[pete]

Good stuff guys, glad there was some sense to my comments

The weather has warmed up significantly up in Brissie so my battery has started playing nice... see how long before I'm looking for my own Motobatt