So my Savage has NO power going to it.  I finally took the battery out of the bike and hooked it up to my trikle charger.  The charger is saying that the battery is fully charged and the charger won't turn on to charge the battery.  I put a multi-meter (which I really don't know how to use very well at all) on the battery and when it is NOT hooked up to the charger, it shows 10 volts.  When it IS hooked up to the charger, it shows 12V.  The water level in the battery is fine, not TOTALLY full, but well above the add line and almost at the top.  When the battery is in the bike, there isn't even enough power going to the bike to even faintly turn on the tail light.

I am getting ready to take the battery to Advance Auto to have it tested.  My real question is this:  If the battery were trashed, could that affect the throttle response problem that I listed here:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=RubberSideDown;action=display;n...

Thanks.

Th bike is a '96 Savage.  The batery was put into the bike in 2002 and bike was never started after the battery was installed.  They (bike and battery) sat in storage for 5 1/2 years until I bought the bike to restore it.  When I got the bike in November, the first thing I did was take the battery out and charge it.  The battery has been used in the bike for the last 1500 miles and haven't had any problems, other than me leaving the key turned on and the battery dying and needing to be charged again a few times.

The day that the throttle and engine problems started, the bike had a weak battery from me leaving the key on for 20 minutes just beore we left for the ride.  I had to push start the bike that time.  1/2 mile away from the start is when the engine problems started.  

Could they be related?

When I got to the auto parts store, the machine said that the battery needed to be charged, even though my trickle charger said that it didn't.  they charged it and tested it and the results said to replace battery.

I know the battery is dead and I am replaceing it.  

My question is if the battery being dead can affect the throttle and engine.

Thanks for the info Thumperclone.  I'll check that when I get the battery.  Local auto store had only one battery that would fit the bike and they wanted $65  for it.  I'm sure I can get a much better price in the city somewhere.  I'll prolly check Batteries Plus first then go from there.

here's where I got my Big Crank, Shipping was pretty quick (within a week if I remember right).

http://www.batterymart.com/c-suzuki-l650-savage-all-1986-2002.html

Eh, screw that noise.

Cut a notch in the battery box for the vent tube, and then use your standard Wallyworld motorcycle battery.  Much more help when you burn one out, and way quicker to repair.