HELP! Battery?

[Rob S.]

My 11E was last started and ridden 17 days ago without incident. It's battery was last charged 2 days ago, and rather quickly at that (hour or so).

I just tried to start it and the battery sounded dead. Slowly cranked two or three times, then no more (lights seemed fine). I expected just the opposite - quick, healthy cranking that might take a while for it to actually start. It's back on the charger.

I'm not a DIYer. If I could locate and access a large ground wire, the most I could do would be disconnect, clean with Emory paper and reconnect. I'm freaking out.

Do AGMs (new in July) sometimes fail this quickly?

As soon as the charger goes from steady orange (charging) to pulsing green (charged), I disconnect it. Any reason to leave it longer in maintenance mode? Garage is heated to low 60s Fahrenheit.

[Rob S.]

Just checked it. The charger very quickly showed fully charged, but a single anemic crank.

Lights seem bright, blinkers blink full speed, horn sounds. Bad starter or relay, or poor connection somewhere. My question is this: do you think it will bump start? Because I believe however I get it to the shop, it's going to be, "oh, such and such was loose, we fixed it, no charge."

No voltage meter tests or numbers, please, I don't do that. I'm guessing that since the battery seems good, cable starting it off another vehicle is pointless. All I can really do is try bump starting, or remove the battery and take it back to mechanic. After that, it's flat bed city.

Guesses as to whether it will bump start?

[posplayr]

Just checked it. The charger very quickly showed fully charged, but a single anemic crank.

If it ain't broke why fix it?

[Rob S.]

If it ain't broke why fix it?

I will assume the position, you guys stand ready with the paddles. After every whack, I will obediently state, "Thank you, sir. May I have another?"

[hank2]

I'll take a guess. I think that the relay, starter or connection you mentioned is the likely problem. BUT, the AGM's and their distant cousin, the true gell battery can do some very strange things when they start to go off course. The AGM batteries are said to have some peculiar charging requirements. There's a lot of differing info on the web for ages as to what that is. I don't know what sort of charger you have, but supposedly a regular slosh battery charger is not a good idea for AGM's and can damage them. People used to say that they need a fairly higher voltage charge at first ( maybe 15+v), than taken down low and very slow charging. Others say that slow and low all the way. All at low amperages, which just about all bike chargers are. Another old proverb is/was that an AGM taken down to 50 or 60 % level would never take anything close to a full charge again. That one I believe.

The sort of trouble you are having is the same I had quite some years ago with a real gell battery from BMW ( Exide). After a few months, it all seemed to work fine and fully charge, but would no longer spin a starter. After going crazy for a few months with lots of kickstarting and bump starting and diagnosing I got rid of the 6 month old gell battery. It was the problem. Very erratic behavior. I did use the proper special gell only type battery charger ( Battery tender plus gell, 1.25A max to start). Never again. I've had perfect life from AGM's in bikes with Panasonic standby batteries and Deka's ( East Penn). I even use my old gell only ( 13 v range) battery charger on all the AGM's that I have, which is supposed to be bad. It's on almost all the time I'm not riding and all Winter. Never a problem, although I usually change out bike batteries at 4 to 5 years proactively. I have an 13 yr. old Panasonic standby battery in the garage that will still take and hold a full charge for many months. Had all good luck with bike AGM's, none at all with a couple of auto AGM's, which I will never buy again.

As for bump starting, not sure what your bike needs as a minimum voltage to fire. If you have someone check battery voltage that would be huge help. With electronic ignition and R/R, it may be a good bit, but no EFI troubles. When I made the first step in rehabbing a long neglected '72 BMW /5, I actually got it to kick start and run with an ancient battery that only held 8.5 volts. That was with points and mechanical VR. I later learned that BMW claimed they would kick on a minimum of 7 volts!

Wait! Did this GS newb just get suckered in to a gag post?

[Rob S.]

Nothing gag here on my end, I can assure you that.

[Gorminrider]

As soon as the charger goes from steady orange (charging) to pulsing green (charged), I disconnect it.

That's all you can do, I'm afraid.

Do AGMs (new in July) sometimes fail this quickly?

any abused or defective battery can fail that quickly. Check your warranty, but often, when you buy a battery, it's noted in the "catalogue" that they are specific as to use....

For instance, My 400: A flooded battery is the catalogue choice. AGM is contra-indicated.

BUT, the AGM's and their distant cousin, the true gell battery can do some very strange things when they start to go off course

Indeed. If you read the actual data printed on them per charge rate,and voltage, it gives pause.

[Baatfam]

Ya know what? A simple $4 test light, and a little help from here....

Should be all you need to get close...

[fastbysuzuki]

cable starting it off another vehicle is pointless. .

Guesses as to whether it will bump start?

got to ask why cable starting from another vehicle is pointless? (engine on doner vehicle not running)

it may well bump start, there is only one way to find out, being your not into meters and diy it's quite difficult to suggest anything else.

[posplayr]

Rob, the first thing to determine is if the battery is holding a charge. If you don't Know or want to know how to do that then remove the battery and take it to an auto parts store to be checked.

if it is ok, you could try shorting the solenoid to see if the bike cranks faster.
is not then might be you starter dragging.

i Would not push start it unless you know you have enough charge to get to your mechanic.

[Rob S.]

I don't see how this could be related, but in the interest of full disclosure, I did do one thing differently before my first failed attempt. First, I sat on it and held it upright so as to equalize oil settling on the right side of the engine.

Then I actually tilted it toward the right. Then I noticed, that because of the way the front wheel was chained to my other bike, I could actually get off, hands off, and the 11E was held in a rightward tilt. I let her sit that way for maybe a minute. Related?

[Baatfam]

Related?

Nope......................

[posplayr]

Check the tire pressure

[rphillips]

I'd think, if your batt. is the problem, when you hit the start button & the bike just barely turns, the headlight should go way dim or off. If the headlight stays bright, the batt. still has power. I've never had a problem with jumper cables. Try jump starting, if you get the same symptoms, It should be something other than the batt., as the cables will be insuring plenty of current. Would probably be a good idea to clean all connections on large cables, neg. side of batt., & grounded end of neg. cable, pos. side of batt., both big cable connections on solenoid, & cable connection at starter. You have a newer charger that kicks off when batt. is fully charged. charger showing complete charged indicates, probably not the batt. I'll say this, you won't know till you find out.

[rphillips]

Yep, what he said, the tire pressure. Be sure to check all four.