Topic: Do batteries just give out?

[zoo mob]

Took my first overnight trip on my 73 750K3 over the weekend, and it went great until I was 50 miles from home. This morning the bike took quite a while to start, and I ran the battery down a bit. Rode about 70 miles with the light on, and the bike suddenly refused to go....it didn't stall, but the throttle just wouldn't do anything. Turned bike off, started, and rode another 12 miles before it died again, got it running, turned on the light, and it killed the bike immediately. Wound up having to go to autozone and get a new one. Threw it in, rode 50 miles home, and no problem yet. I suppose all I have to do is hook up a volt meter to see if its charging, but I'm just wondering if a battery will just give up like that if the chrging system is working, keep in mind that its a year and a half old, and has been run completely out probably seven or eight times. Lastly, I know that you're supposed to hook a new battery to a trickle charge when you first get it, but that wasn't an option for me, I rode it for 50 miles w/o the light on, should I still charge it? Thanks.

[jbailey]

Check the charging voltage when runing.  It should be about 14.2 volts.  You may have to rev the engine up to 2500 or more RPM to get that voltage.  These old Hondas do not have a very high powered charging system.

Once you run a small battery down, it is possible that it will not charge back up fully.  Try to get a Maintenance Free battery next time.  They are much more resilient.

[Buber]

They do. Had it once, with Exide Battery which simply died on me after serving only 1 year. I just went for a ride (charging was OK, is still OK) and after good 50 miles (so, constant charge) I wasn't able to turn the starter. Even push starting was difficult. As it turned out, it was batter. Just died. Like that.

So, just check charging, and if it;s OK, just carry on with riding! 

[KingCustomCycles.com]

Honda charging systems are "trickle" chargers. 

[bryanj]

short answer Yup

[kghost]

short answer Yup

And you'll know the answer after you check the charging system. 

[BobbyR]

Back in the old days with car batteries and MC batteries they gave you some warning that they were dying. They a fewer and thicker plates and much less cranking amps. Today's batteries have more and thinner plates with a higher antimony content which gives you more amperage and less water use. The plates are more brittle and they break. I have had car batteries that were fine in the morning and dead on the next start.