The engine won't start anymore

[Bo]

Hi,
I finally goit the bike working, and rode it half an hour to take it back home. I changed the exhaust last week as it was so rusted that one of the muffler fall on the floor. To test for exhaust leak, I started several time the bike, everything was going fine (but the leaks, so I had to do that quite a lot :-[). Of course, with the week end, the batterie was so weak that it won't start anymore. I charged it (12V, 6amp), and stopped the charge a little bit before the needle reached the "charged" point as bubble were froming in the batterie (I guess some electrical oxydation or reduction was happening in the acid media). I put the batterie back into the bike, turned the key, switch the button on the right part of the handlebar to on, and pressed the start button. All the green light of the "neutral" turned off, with a slight "clic" coming from under the seat. I check (visually only) the fuses, sow nothing wrong, turned it on, the light appeared, and exactly the same happened again. What should I do?
Thank you
Bo

[Bruce]

I ran into a similar problem last season. First, I would check the battery with a volt meter and make sure it is around 12.5 - 13 volts.

Then you could try running a jumper from the positive battery term to the connector on the starter. If the key is on you can actually get it to start. If this gets the engine turning it is a lose/dirty connection on the starter solenoid ( next to the battery) check the connections..

Bruce.

[Rupert]

Sounds like the battery is not charged enough, if there is a click sound and the tachometer jumps up and about then the battery prpably needs a bit more charge.

P.S. take the vent. caps off the battery when it's on a charger that puts out more than 2 amps or the bubbling gas might not escape easily enough increasing pressure inside the battery, which could cause rupturing or leaks.

[Walt_M.]

Your battery probably has a bad cell and the voltage is low. Read the battery volts and you should read over 11.5( really over 12 volts as it has been charged).