Topic: Won't kick start with weak battery, true?

[dave500]

the points ignition will run down to lower voltages than the electronic types,some die at 8/9 or 10 volts?points might still fire up at 4/5/6volts?

[Wobbly]

Coming back from a long North African/Sahara trip, my battery was dead. Most chambers did not have any acid left at all. Before the trip, I had checked the battery and all were at max level. Anyhow, even in this poor condition, the bike would always start on the first kick and I made it home just fine.

[MCRider]

Coming back from a long North African/Sahara trip, my battery was dead. Most chambers did not have any acid left at all. Before the trip, I had checked the battery and all were at max level. Anyhow, even in this poor condition, the bike would always start on the first kick and I made it home just fine.

What model bike?

[MCRider]

Am I wrong in sayiing that the CB750 is alone in the externally excited field?

Sorry.  I'm afraid so.

Cb350F, Cb400F Cb500, Cb550, and cb750 all have electrically powered field coils and steel rotors which create a rotating electromagnetic field for the stator windings.
The Cb650 only differs in that the rotor steel also contains windings, fed power via slip rings/brushes.

None of these alternators can produce power without an electromagnetic field, which is initiated with battery power.  Once the alternator RPM rises for it to overcome and exceed the electrical loads, it will self sustain until the RPM and thus output drops below the bike's standard system loading.  The battery acts as a reservoir during idle speeds to supplant the differential during idle, until the battery depletes to a point where the ignition coils cease producing spark.

Some report lower battery voltage operation than others.  But, the design goals are about 9V minimum.

Thanks for setting me straight. A trip to the fishies does indeed show the field coil for the CB500. I'll accept the rest are the same. I must have been thinking of the twins?

[Wobbly]

Coming back from a long North African/Sahara trip, my battery was dead. Most chambers did not have any acid left at all. Before the trip, I had checked the battery and all were at max level. Anyhow, even in this poor condition, the bike would always start on the first kick and I made it home just fine.

What model bike?

My 77 K7.

[MCRider]

Coming back from a long North African/Sahara trip, my battery was dead. Most chambers did not have any acid left at all. Before the trip, I had checked the battery and all were at max level. Anyhow, even in this poor condition, the bike would always start on the first kick and I made it home just fine.

What model bike?

My 77 K7.

Interesting. Your experience is what it is. But I think you were lucky.   

[ofreen]

the points ignition will run down to lower voltages than the electronic types,some die at 8/9 or 10 volts?points might still fire up at 4/5/6volts?

I know my 750 with the Dyna S will fire at 8 volts.  The headlight has to be disconnected for it to start.

[Wobbly]

Interesting. Your experience is what it is. But I think you were lucky.   

I was lucky indeed. This was 1983. I would not recommend trips through the Algerian Sahara today--unless there's a Marine Corps Battalion behind you.
The battery was so dead that you could barely see the neutral/oil light when the ignition was turned on--with the final 500 miles still in front of me. As a side note: the Honda did great otherwise during the trip, despite the heat (July/August) and being terribly overloaded, and carrying my wife as a passenger. I got sick as a dog though, stuck in a place where there was only one hour of running water during the day.

[ct_bobber]

Thanks all for the replies.  The battery and kickstart issue is solved.  It fired right up as soon as I jump it.  Now I have to figure out the Cylinder #1 not firing.  I started a new post so it would be easy to track http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=134497.0

Thank you very much.

[lucky]

i have not charged my battery in 6yrs, and have not had to kick it over yet!

That duel disc brake on that extended and raked bike in your avatar can get you killed.
Be very careful Medyo Bastos.

That is why you do not see duel discs on long choppers.
The duel discs can lock up the wheel and just snap or bend the front forks.