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[ViciousNoob]

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?


I was driving home from work and stopped at a store. Everything was fine. Went in, came out, and CLICK....NOTHING

The battery is a 2003 model, so I figure it was about time for it to die, so I got a new one. Put it in and it made it home fine. No drama.

I went out of town for 3 days. When I got home, it started right up. I drove about 10 miles. Suddenly the headlight dimmed, the speedo went to 0, and the odometer  went blank. I stopped at a convenient store to check it out. Maybe the cable had vibrated loose.. Wouldn't start again. Figured it was a bad battery that I bought, so I walked to Auto Zone and got another (closed cell, no fluid or anything needed). Put it in, and back in business I was.

I get home....FREAKIN DEAD AGAIN.

Won't even jumpstart. I went as far as taking the battery cables off of the battery and going directly to the jumper cables. Nothing. All it does is click like hell from that little box beneath the fuses...


All connections with the battery cables are good and clean.

Any ideas? This is Trent's old 2003 1300R.

[KEBS]

I had a similar situation years ago.  It was the stator (alternator) on the bike. The first battery lasted a month, the second two weeks and the third not even a weekend. Did you charge the new battery fully after putting it on the bike?  I didn't and was told that although the new battery will work right of the bat, it is supposed to charge for like 12 hours.

[murray_61]

Look here:

http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=215426

and are you still headed out this way soon, to The Ranch?

[ViciousNoob]

Gonna buy the stator on Monday if there are no objections....Anyone think I may be off base? The friggin' think is 3 bills, so I hope it's right!!

[murray_61]

It sounds like the alternator.  It ran, drained the battery, and won't go now.  I think these things are tricky to jumps start, I had a lot of trouble working on a buddy's old jet ski...  You may try charging the battery and then run it, disconnect the battery and if it dies it is the alternator (at least that's how it works on my truck).  or if you are near somewhere that can check, or can borrow a tester, check the battery and alternator after charging it, of course it must be running to check the alternator (again at least that's how it was on my truck).

[Crewsn]

if you can get your hands on a voltmeter you can test it yourself. take off the seat so you can have access to the battery terminals. check battery voltage before starting, then start the bike and rev up the bike. the stators(alternators) on bikes don't charge at idle they have to be up in the rpms, they only put out enough voltage to maintain the bikes electronics at idle. anyway, as you increase the rpms, assuming the stator is good, the voltage should increase at the battery. the other component that might be bad as well is the regulator/rectifier. both the regulator/rectifier and stator work together to keep the battery charged.

[TomVTX]

And...you know before I did a lot of buying and changing, you might go back and read about the ground fix. I think you can find the ground fix on the nat'l site or bareass site. I've heard several stories just like yours and one of the first things they were told to do was go do the ground fix.  There are several places on the frame that are supposed to be grounds and the clips were put on right over the painted frame.  The contact is not good and over time it does not make good contact anymore.  All you have to do is have the seat off and possibly the gas tank (can't remember for sure) and undo the places where the cable is bolted to frame and take some sand paper and sad the paint off.  Replace cable using a little grease to keep the connection from corroding or rusting and put it back.  Even if this is not the problem, it will help to eliminate it from being a problem in the future.  I have an 02 and still have original battery...Now watch it go out next time I'm riding.  Hope this wasn't too confusing.

[Crewsn]

  I have an 02 and still have original battery...Now watch it go out next time I'm riding. 

yep tom, shouldn't have said that, it's a gonner for sure now. tom is correct though about the ground issues, good advice for everyone that has not done "the ground fix".

[ViciousNoob]

Here's the deal


Noob is a ViciousDUMBASS


When the first battery died and left me stranded, I got a bit pissed. 3rd time I was down in 2 days (Riser bolt and battery cable). When I ripped out the old battery, I unplugged the rectifier that is bundled up by the front of the battery.

And the second battery I bought from AutoZone was f'ed up. It wouldn't get over 11.2v when "fully charged". I got another and it sits at 13.6v. When I rev it up, the battery goes to 14.3, then stabilizes around 13v at 3000 RPM. I figure she's good to go.

You fellas are free to call me a dumbass for a while. I deserve it. Damn temper.....


Thanks for all of the ideas, guys. Woulda never traced the recitfier w/o the ideas.


-ViciousDUMBASS

[jmdaniel]

You fellas are free to call me a dumbass for a while. I deserve it.

Hell, you bought a bike from Trent. We didn't need another reason to call you a dumbass.... 

[txgaboy]

 

[ViciousNoob]

You fellas are free to call me a dumbass for a while. I deserve it.

Hell, you bought a bike from Trent. We didn't need another reason to call you a dumbass.... 

HAHAHAHAHHA

[VTreX]

Sounds like we will be asking you for answers in notime!!   As far as the RECTIFIER that sounds like Jim---Jeff!!   smell the bumper    ride safe ride long

[TomVTX]

  As far as the RECTIFIER that sounds like Jim---Jeff!!        

rectumifer 

[jmdaniel]

  As far as the RECTIFIER that sounds like Jim---Jeff!!        

rectumifer 

Hey, Kenny had the same process done. Let's hoping we didn't have the same doc... and if we did, I was first!!