Topic: What's the most common cause of a weak starter?

[Alan F.]

I'll ride with ya Frank.

[Deltarider]

There's nothing against the Yuasa battery. On the contrary: its' a direct fit, so it is not possible to make a mistake with the terminals. Every Yuasa I had, has served me six years and although they require some maintenance, I'm used to that and I don't mind it. Some may warn for the danger of corrosion by acid spil but all those years I have had the vent tube in place. I had never bothered before, but last time I have also replaced this 43 yeard old tube that had become somewhat stiff. BTW, these tubes do also well for bleeding the front brake. The original 12N12A-4A now has an alternative: the YB12A-A. Yuasa specifies this type offers more CCA than the 12N12A-4A and althought that may sound like a plus, it's of minor importance. If your bike doesn't start within 8 seconds, you might as well start looking for the problem, because there is one. To increase CCA the YB12A-A has some more plates, but they're thinner than the plates in the 12N12A-4A, so it's a guess which of the two will live longer. What else is different? On the case it says: 'Sulfate Stop' and 'Retards Sulfation'. Thanks for the bla, but my charger already takes care of that. What I still regret however, is Yuasa doesn't have these transparent cases anymore so one could see the plates and the sulfation develop. Price is unbeatable. I paid € 37,- and that includes acid in two smart containers, a new vent tube, bolts and nuts and shipping. In the advertisements that I have seen, the older type always cost a few euro's more...

[Scott S]

 Buy a battery tender and put a pig tail on the battery. ALL of my bikes get a pig tail on the battery. Keep it on the trickle charger when you're not riding it. And start it every few weeks to keep gas moving through the small passages of the carbs.

[juntjoo]

There's nothing against the Yuasa battery. On the contrary: its' a direct fit, so it is not possible to make a mistake with the terminals. Every Yuasa I had, has served me six years and although they require some maintenance, I'm used to that and I don't mind it. Some may warn for the danger of corrosion by acid spil but all those years I have had the vent tube in place. I had never bothered before, but last time I have also replaced this 43 yeard old tube that had become somewhat stiff. BTW, these tubes do also well for bleeding the front brake. The original 12N12A-4A now has an alternative: the YB12A-A. Yuasa specifies this type offers more CCA than the 12N12A-4A and althought that may sound like a plus, it's of minor importance. If your bike doesn't start within 8 seconds, you might as well start looking for the problem, because there is one. To increase CCA the YB12A-A has some more plates, but they're thinner than the plates in the 12N12A-4A, so it's a guess which of the two will live longer. What else is different? On the case it says: 'Sulfate Stop' and 'Retards Sulfation'. Thanks for the bla, but my charger already takes care of that. What I still regret however, is Yuasa doesn't have these transparent cases anymore so one could see the plates and the sulfation develop. Price is unbeatable. I paid € 37,- and that includes acid in two smart containers, a new vent tube, bolts and nuts and shipping. In the advertisements that I have seen, the older type always cost a few euro's more...

Oh cool. I think that's cheap in us dollars. And stock. I wasn't aware there was a "stock" battery. I'll ride this one out and order a better one then

[juntjoo]

Buy a battery tender and put a pig tail on the battery. ALL of my bikes get a pig tail on the battery. Keep it on the trickle charger when you're not riding it. And start it every few weeks to keep gas moving through the small passages of the carbs.

A tail? Yeah, I have something I threw in there to connect "peripherals". I got my grip warmers you guys laughed at me for. Haven't used em yet but it just turned winter. And I have "tail" I connected for a smaller cigarette lighter connection that has a small alligator clips connector I can connect to my battery charger. I wasn't sure if that would be safe. It's a harbor Freight one. Has 2amp and 6amo. I assume it trickle charges at 2amp. Just leave it on there? And do you mean as in to maintain battery health or just avoid battery draining over time? Cuz if it's just to avoid it draining I'll wait til it ages cuz it's brand new. But if you mean it's good for its health ill start doing that. My kit I hooked up to it has a solar charger part I had been using in my truck(before I blew its engine not paying attention to the broken oil gauge or check engine light hence my return to my bike) which I'd like to use. I could get an extension and put it through under my garage door. I can also strap it to my seat. So is this good for overall battery health? I'm crossing my fingers that my new rotor will solve all the electrical problems I'd been having since getting this bike.

Oh, and I hear ya on the carbs recommendation. Lol. I rather not ever clean these carbs again. Next time I plan on  it riding it, I should drain the bowls and what? Throw some carb cleaner down the inlet tube? Or also run it on straight cleaner a bit to pull it through the circuits? I guess the term is "winterize" right?

Another funny thing about carbs is each time I've returned to the bike to revive it the carbs overflow, then once I get it going it doesn't. Is that just the sensitive float needles not setting in flush from gunk? I used to like the smell of gas. Not anymore

[Scott S]

 Something like this: https://www.harborfreight.com/12v-deluxe-battery-maintainer-and-float-charger-62813.html?cid=paid_google|||62813&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIltzMiqPk7QIVCjiGCh2y6wwkEAQYByABEgKz1_D_BwE

 The pigtail is the part on the right. It attaches to your battery. Route the wires neatly and zip tie it to the frame with only a bit of the plug showing.

 Once you have the charger, you can get the pigtails separately for just a few bucks.
 If you're riding regularly, you won't need it. If it sits for any length of time, plug it in and keep the battery happy.

[juntjoo]

Something like this: https://www.harborfreight.com/12v-deluxe-battery-maintainer-and-float-charger-62813.html?cid=paid_google|||62813&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIltzMiqPk7QIVCjiGCh2y6wwkEAQYByABEgKz1_D_BwE

 The pigtail is the part on the right. It attaches to your battery. Route the wires neatly and zip tie it to the frame with only a bit of the plug showing.

 Once you have the charger, you can get the pigtails separately for just a few bucks.
 If you're riding regularly, you won't need it. If it sits for any length of time, plug it in and keep the battery happy.

Yeah, that's what I got basically without the charger as I'd already had the previous version of this one :

https://www.harborfreight.com/10250a-12v-manual-charger-with-engine-start-60581.html

Anything wrong or inferior with this guy? Mine has maybe one less function. Lemme look at it again...

And my kit came with a bunch of accessories like I mentioned the solar charger pad and cigarette lighter connector and I got the alligator clips too.

[juntjoo]

What do ya do to keep your battery healthy. Like you know how with rechargeable batteries for electronics they say to drain em for memory or something. What do you do with  automotive batteries to maintain good health. How do you keep em from leaking for ex. And how do you keep em strong if there's anything

My paint job is ruined underneath it

[juntjoo]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Lead-Acid-PowerSport-Battery-Group-Size-ES-14LA2-12-Volt-190-CCA/16795223

This is my battery. Almost perfect fit. I had to install it turned around and had to rearrange the cables and furnish a new longer one. Shabby reviews. I'll probably add my own once this one dies

[bryanj]

All wet batteries will let acid vapour out the vent, its an inherant part of charging---have you not noticed the bubbling when on charge? and the gas will always carry some acid.
Thats why Honda fitted stickers with elaborate routing for the vent cable.
AGM batteries are better
LiPo cant take the savage charging changes of old Hondas

[Alan F.]

+1 for AGM batteries, for not much more money than a quality wet cell battery you can get an AGM that arrives fully charged and will require no maintenance and possibly no maintenance charging. Bolt it in and go.

[juntjoo]

Yeah, mine have leaked through the caps I guess as I've always had the drain tube connected. I didn't realize that was during charging

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Guys, thanks so much. It was the battery after all. Who do I owe a million dollars to? I'll have to get ya later on that.

She's to start up fine too. Might return the plugs. Runs awesome.

FINALLY!!!! LOL. Look what you put us through........... And I thought I was hard headed..

Now, for the chorus of all...... buy an inexpensive battery maintainer and keep it plugged in. It will save you from buying a new battery every year and that makes it MUCH cheaper too. Maybe you'll listen for once but....

Just glad you finally figured it out.

[Alan F.]

Yup, about $25 will get you a Battery Tender Junior and a pigtail to connect to your battery. It's an automatic charger. Works like a drill battery charger, plug your battery in and it turns itself off when charged, can't overcharge your battery. Money well spent.

[juntjoo]

Hold on, so this battery "maintaining" business keeps a battery healthy OR it just keeps it charged(when your weak Honda motorcycle charging system won't)? Important distinction I wanna get to the bottom of.

[bryanj]

Hondas do not have weak charging systems as delivered from factory but owners fit extra lights and brighter bulbs then do only short journeys with multiple starts and blame the bike, a battery tender does exactly what it says and tends the battery keeping it charged

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

It "MAINTAINS" your battery health and is NOT a charger per se but it charges it and maintains it at that level to preserve your battery. No battery will last forever but this is as close as it gets.

Just go buy one!!!!!!

[Alan F.]

No bikes were designed to sit long periods between rides, they're all made to be ridden hard and often. When we do less than that they 'act up'.

A battery tender will keep your battery charged between rides, not everyone needs one on their bike, some do.

[juntjoo]

It "MAINTAINS" your battery health and is NOT a charger per se but it charges it and maintains it at that level to preserve your battery. No battery will last forever but this is as close as it gets.

Just go buy one!!!!!!

I got one of these already.

https://www.harborfreight.com/10250a-12v-manual-charger-with-engine-start-60581.html

Does it not serve the same or good enough purpose? I got a "pigtail" of sorts that make it easy enough

[Alan F.]

That device is not the same.

It is essentially a large hammer when a small hammer is needed.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Leave that plugged up all the time and see what happens!!!!!

LISTEN.......  M-A-I-N-T-A-I-N-E-R

NOT charger. I repeat NOT CHARGER

Plug in your MAINTAINER and forget about the battery until spring and it will work

[Bodi]

Battery Tender is a charger and storage maintainer. I recommend periodic use, like connect for a day or two a month - until the "Storage" light is on all the time and "Charge" isn't flashing on at all. I don't know if the "Junior" ones have LEDs.
I've found that if left on all winter (in my somewhat heated shed - thermostat set to 10C) the acid level drops quite a bit over the Canadian winter. Using it periodically does not reduce acid level much. Used once a month the tender usually comes on flashing between charge and storage, so the battery hasn't lost much charge.

[Alan F.]

Junior has LEDs to indicate what's going on.

[RAFster122s]

I bought an Oxford Oximiser 900 from RevZilla. It is a battery management system and will maintain a battery as well as charge or recover a battery and is designed to keep a battery from sulfating yielding longer life. It has an issue with the plastic being tacky to the touch, apparently a manufacturer defect
. In the plastic  formula and it is actually common for Chinese plasticw that are designed to be more "grippable"will often fail to remain with grip but the plastic outer layer becomes tacky to the touch. I don't handle it much so,  it didn't bother me. I have skills and can make a new case for it if I need to do so.
Electronically if it doesn't fail in first year, so many pieces of Electronics fail these days either quickly or a year or two out...
I paid $40 for it whereas regular price on a Battery Tender Jr is around 35 these days.
My last Battery Tender Jr died and took the gel AGM battery with it. So, I decided it was time to try another brand...

[juntjoo]

So I've been starting up almost flawlessly. Don't have a maintainer yet, which I may get later for other batteries but for now waiting on an extension ion cable for my solar trickle charger which I plan on using here and there to maintain my bike's battery but my digital voltage meter on my bike is giving me 11.9v before starting bike, which it does with little struggle. Not as good as if it were 12.4v. So I need to keep it at above 12 for best "health", longest battery life?