I just wanted to post this experience for others to consider when their bike battery acts up and the bike won't start.

In November I bought a used Honda ST1100.  The bike has run and started like a Honda.....hit the button and it goes....no problem.

Yesterday I rode up to the hardware store and got some grass seed, then rode down to the Circle K to put some gas in the bike and get a gallon for the mower.  After fueling up I turned on the key....and nothing happened.  The lights were just barely a glimmer...and as soon as I hit the starter button the glimmer of the lights went out.  I checked all the fuses...and they were fine.  I got a battery jump from a fellow at the station and the bike fired right up....and all the lights were working fine.  I took a long ride home so the battery could charge.

When I got home I turned the bike off, and then turned the key back on....and nothin'.  I put a Battery Tender on....and it showed the battery was fully charged.

I then tried a battery charger....and it showed the bike fully charged.

I put a volt meter on the battery and it showed 12.3 volts - but when you turned the key to "ON" the battery instantly dropped to 4 volts as it tried to power the headlight and instrument lights.  With the key OFF I hooked the battery up to an old charger that does not have all the fancy maintainer circuitry....and it never showed any current going to the battery.  With the bike running the charging circuit is working fine, and I never could get the battery to take a charge from any battery charger that I own.  I removed the battery and was surprised to see a Honda logo on it, and when I contacted the previous owner I found out this was an original 2000 model year battery!  I ordered a new Yuasa battery from Bike Bandit this morning.

Some things I have read on this forum that I have now experienced first hand:

Never assume your battery is good and not worthy of being tested since it worked yesterday.....or for the last 14 years!  A battery can go from working to not working in as little as 3 miles and 5 minutes.  Even a new battery can fail, the first one I bought for my Savage went bad in 2 weeks and would not hold a charge.
A Battery Tender will not charge a dead battery, or give any indication that a battery has gone from working to being junk.
A battery can show good voltage when not under load - but fail miserably when it comes time to start the bike or power the ignition.
An onboard voltmeter on the bike would have instanly identified the dead battery issue....and I would not have spent 10 minutes checking fuses.  Not sure is that is a worthwhile accessory when the bike went for 14 years without an issue..........


Dave
 

Ohh, DANG!! I just read that & went for a shower,, I had a good look in the mirror,, I think Im a sealed unit!

Dave wrote on 04/07/14 at 11:54:36:



Yeah and that's why "sealed units" go bad and their sides bulge...they can never "outgas"

Off topic replies have been moved to this thread.

Boofer wrote on 04/21/14 at 20:18:42:


Don't know the reason....but I went from having an intimate riding affair to an inanimate riding affair in the span of 3 minutes and 1 stop for gas.  The battery never showed any symptoms prior to that event......even though it was the original 13 year old battery.  I just bought the bike in December, and had no idea it was sportin' the original battery!