pgman
Junior Member
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Posts: 54
Central Florida
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I am going to chime in here - mostly because I want to elaborate on some of the points already mentioned.
If your bike will not start, but it cranks over well when you hit the start button, the battery is not likely the problem. If the motor won't crank at all, if it cranks very slowly, or if it stops suddenly while you're trying to start it, I would check all the connections and electrical components - especially those that may have taken a hit when you dropped the bike.
It is possible, by the way, to destroy a battery by jarring / dropping it. Though it would be rather difficult to do, measuring the Voltage while you crank the bike over would tell you a lot. If it drops way down then it is likely your battery is bad. Also, knowing the battery Voltage when the bike is running would also provide good information as to the state of the electrical system (alternator / rectifier and regulator). On the LS650, the regulator / rectifier module is mounted under the pillion seat if I remember correctly. Though it is not real common, these modules do fail. One of the ways they can be damaged is by running the bike with a battery that is not fully charged (or at least pretty well charged). The alternator is not really designed to rejuvinate and old, tired battery. It is meant to provide enough power to keep the bike running and provide a (relatively) small amount of current to keep the battery fully charged.
A lot of low-speed operation (as is what often happens with a beginner) can also cause a battery to drain - especially if it is old. Since beginners are often re-starting the motor a lot and, when they are running, are riding at slow speeds over short distances, the alternator never has a good chance to catch up to the drain on the battery. In that case, a good slow-charger will be worth its weight in gold - especially if you have an "off season". I didn't see in your post where you live but, if you have to put the bike away for a while each year, you will really benefit from having a battery tender.
Finally, (or maybe this should have been first) batteries are not un-safe but they are dangerous (there is a difference). You should always keep fire and sparks away from lead / acid batteries because they create and vent Hydrogen gas when they are charging. This can linger for a long time in and around batteries so that is why it is never a good idea to work around this type of battery when you are smoking. However, even power tools (like drills, grinders and other such things) have electric motors which create very small sparks internally. These are enough to set off a battery so be careful with those as well. Best rule of thumb - always wear protective eyawear and rubber gloves when you are working on a MC (or automotive) battery and only do so in a well-ventilated area - use a box fan to circulate fresh air if you have to. Also, always remove the negative battery terminal first and replace it last. This will drastically reduce the chance of sparks and fire. Motorcycle batteries are not nearly as bad as car batteries, but they are still capable of burning you very badly if you are ignorant to the risks. Good luck, and be safe - especially after you get your baby running!
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