Date: 28-03-24  Time: 15:25 pm

Author Topic: Battery Life  (Read 6496 times)

sure2ride

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Battery Life
« on: 27 April 2015, 05:04:55 pm »
Hi Folks, been a while since I was here.

The Fazer 8 has been in the Garage all winter resting (knackered my back so been off bikes for nearly 6 months). It's been on an Optimate all the time, but I didn't stert her up till about 3 weeks ago.
First time I just heard a "click" sound and nothing else, so "switched off then on again" (where have I heard that before) I had to do that a couple of times before she fired up. On the next 3 or 4 trips when I started her from cold, same thing happened.
Seems ok now, but I am off to France in about 4 weeks, so I was wondering if these symptoms were signs of a failing battery?
I don't really want to be stuck and unable to get off the Ferry !, but equally I don't want to waste my hard earned dosh...sooo does anyone know how long the original batteries last on average?  or is that a stupid question?
Thanks for any views, much apreciated.
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Phil

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #1 on: 27 April 2015, 05:18:37 pm »
Mine is still on it's original battery, I bought it in July 2010 and have done 45,000 miles. It was on the optimate all winter and it 2 weeks ago started first prod of the button. I haven't used it since last October when we were on BST as I didn't need to change the time on the clock.

The clicking does sound electrical, I've had that before but I cant remember what I did to fix it. Are all the wires to the battery still tight? I had a problem with them not being tight once but cant remember the exact symptoms, apart from not starting. Other non starting causes have been a the 2 contacts on the alarm system under the pillion seat not making a decent contact as I had squashed too much under the pillion seat and the alarm system thought the pillion seat wasn't on.

sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #2 on: 27 April 2015, 05:59:08 pm »
Thanks Phil, I forgot to say mine is an Oct 2010, but only done 10K.
I have checked the wires and they seem ok.
I have just taken it off the optimate, I think I'll leave it for a week and see how it starts.
I seem to remember a similar "clicking" and non-starting on one of my other bikes, but like you, can't remember what it was. I did wonder whether something was just sticking after not being used for so long, as it's just an electrical clic sound, but can't remember. Did I just say that....Oh dear  :(
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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #3 on: 28 April 2015, 09:47:28 am »
In my experience the "clicking" noise is typically the starter motor having insufficient juice to turn over (for whatever reason or another). However, it could also be a sticking relay.

It may be that your battery has recovered its charge sufficiently and will now perform without issue. You might never find out!!
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esetest

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #4 on: 28 April 2015, 03:21:24 pm »
If you have home start , call them out , they will test it for you , and advise whether you need a new battery.

noggythenog

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #5 on: 28 April 2015, 04:29:09 pm »
in my 600 I took the battery out and stored it inside in my cupboard at room temp and when I fitted it back on the bike 6 months later it started the bike no problem....I understand that it's the cold....not the duration that effects the batteries most...so to test it out:-

im trying this with my mottobat which I took out and stored last year so i'll wait with baited breath to see whether it works again on the thou.
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Grayo

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #6 on: 28 April 2015, 04:52:09 pm »
I thought it was recommended by manufacturers (car and bike) that the battery was changed every five years anyway. Mine was just five years old when it started giving me grief. The engine management light was staying on, changed the battery, sorted.
I could change my opinion, but then we'd both be wrong.

taylor

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #7 on: 28 April 2015, 07:24:35 pm »
my mottobat lasted 1 winter, :( only done 200. miles on it. gone back to yuassa and a  optimizer,
sent from my carafan in tenby, ;)

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #8 on: 29 April 2015, 10:50:55 am »
Have you got an alarm? I went to start my newly purchased bike after who knows how long without being started and the dash wouldn't even light up! 9 hours on charge later and the dash lights up but clicks when I fire it up. All I can think of is it's been sitting a while and has a thirsty alarm. For the record it's a 2011 with 5k on the clock and the original battery :(
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sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #9 on: 30 April 2015, 03:51:01 pm »
Thanks for the replies guys.  I still have it off the optimate, and the alarm light is still flashing and headlights come on ok, but I have not fired it up yet. I'll do it over the BH wekend and see how it starts.  I guess it will be 5 years old in October so maybe to be on the safe side I'll put a new battery in before I go to France in 4 weeks time, and that will enable me to see if it is still "clicking" occassionally which may be a starter relay problem. ( I think). I'll let you know how it goes in due course, and thanks again for the replies. :)
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sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #10 on: 14 May 2015, 02:20:08 pm »
Well, I've left it off the optimate for nearly a couple of weeks and it is firing uo ok.
Question is, am I going to worry about it not starting while in France...Answer, probably.
I might get a new one to be on the safe side, I know Yausa are good but they are flipping expensive.
Any suggestions for a cheaper, but stll reliable make?
I see Lion do one, any good? or any other recommendations?
Thanks

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #11 on: 14 May 2015, 03:18:24 pm »
Best way is stick a multi meter on the battery
you want to see 12.2 v ish no ignition on
13.8 v running rising to 14.4 v ish when you hold the revs



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taylor

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #12 on: 14 May 2015, 03:27:17 pm »
my yussa was only 50 pound, about a month ago, not bad I thought,.
sent from my carafan in tenby, ;)

sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #13 on: 14 May 2015, 06:56:48 pm »
Where did you get that from ?  thats a very good price from what I have seen so far.
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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #14 on: 14 May 2015, 07:25:48 pm »
Im pretty sure i got a mottobatt for my thou for about £40....id have to ransack my ebay history to find out though & wouldnt it be the same battery as the FZ8 perhaps?
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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #15 on: 17 May 2015, 10:49:12 am »
Im pretty sure i got a mottobatt for my thou for about £40....id have to ransack my ebay history to find out though & wouldnt it be the same battery as the FZ8 perhaps?


Yep. £43.99 from M&P. Free postage.
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farmer giles

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #16 on: 19 May 2015, 06:09:35 pm »
Breakdown recovery or buying the first battery you can get hold of in France will be alot more than £50.

Buy a new battery, fit it, forget about it and enjoy your trip...

2p

sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #17 on: 22 May 2015, 02:33:51 pm »
Tested it again yestarday after putting hazard lights on for a few minutes (without engine running) the voltage dropped from 12.5 to 11.5, and resulted in solenoid clicking on first attempt to fire up. It did start after this but obviously on its way out, so as Farmer Giles says, French battery would cost a lot more.
So I have just bought one from Europarts, a Lion battery, £46.00 so will fit it tommorrow.  (The cheapest Yausa I could get was £70 on the internet, but didn't want hassle of delivery over BH weekend)
Roll on France next Friday ..yipeee  :)
Thanks for all the posts guys, much appreciated.

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #18 on: 26 May 2015, 02:48:29 pm »
Hey hope you're all sorted with this but I've litterally only just sorted this exact problem with my bike. After a lengthy battle with the dealer I managed to get it diagnosed as a starter solinoid problem. Mine is a 2013 plate and I eventually got it replaced under warranty.

The problem started of like yours, occasionaly hearing the odd click before a good start but soon it became click on multiple presses of the starter switch. This is not your starter or solenoid but the switch within the starter relay under your seat (working as it should). After testing the battery and altanator as described above and (for good measure) reconditioning the battery with a ctek charger I began to suspect either the starter or solenoid.

At this point the dealer had already fobbed me off multiple times saying it would almost certainly be a weak battery rather than mechanical with a bike of this age but I knew it could not be after confirming this with a multimeter.

At this point I knew I had to prove it for them to look at it (two weeks left on warranty at this point). So by luck more than anything I clicked the starter switch with my head close to the block and could hear a very quiet electrical noise, the type you might here if you gripped the end of a cordless drill very tight and preventing it from turning. So I put it in gear with clutch in and feathered it rolling forward at the same time as trying to start it and hey presto I managed to get it to start every time using this method. This allows a weak solenoid to engage by aligning the teeth on the starter motor sprocket with the engine which in turn allows the starter motor to spin.

Armed with this knowledge I took the bike to the dealer who agreed to strip it and sure enough the solenoid was faulty. I'm glad I persevered as a new starter would have been a lot more expensive down the line out of warrenty and probably after I'd replaced a perfectly good battery.

Anyway I hope you are sorted with your trip to France but should you run into the same issue you can always use the method above to get it running. Alternativly it will bump start on a hill or with a push but this does piss off the ABS system.

ATB

Rich

sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #19 on: 27 May 2015, 05:05:51 pm »
Thanks for the post Rich, very timely.
I fitted the new battery on Saturday and took it for a 15 mile spin to make sure it was charged up, as i think it was a bit low when i got it.
I left it OFF the optimate for 4 days till to-day, and when I tried to start it, first time it just clicked, same the second time, then it fired up on the third.
I stopped it, and when I fired it up again it went first time, no clicking.
I have put it on the optimate and it has taken about 3 hours to get to full charge, so I guess it must have been very low when I fitted it. I know ithe bike is chargeing ok because I put the voltmeter on it when I had the old battery and it went from 12.2V to 13.8 v as soon as the bike was running, so it must be chargeing ok.
So that means, either the new battery i fitted had a very low charge and didn't get to full charge after a 15 mile ride, or, I guess it's a sticky or faulty solenoid.
I have a friend coming to have a look tonight, but i don't think there will be much i can do before I go to France on friday, I guess i may have to push start it!
I have taken a print of you comments above and will take them to france in case i get stuck and need to try your suggestion, so thanks very much for taking the time to write.
If I find out anything interesting tonight, I'll post it here.
Thanks again to all, keeping my fingers crossed.
Clive :\
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sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #20 on: 27 May 2015, 07:47:56 pm »
Had a look at the bike again this evening, now battery fully charged via optimate.
Started first time, and following four times. On one occassion heard a loudish "click" a fraction before it fired up, but it started ok.
I think I had better just leave it now, and hope it works ok, doesn't seem much else I can do in the time.
If it comes to it I'll just have to push start it or try what Rich suggests. At least I'll have some mates with me who can give me a push, so hopefully I'll still enjoy the holiday.
Fflipping ignomony of it though, after all the times I've told them what a pile of poo they ride compared to my Fazer !! Oh well.  :o

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sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #21 on: 28 May 2015, 09:30:09 am »
Spoke to my local dealer this morning who are pretty good.
Thay said sounds like the starter solenoid, , but it doesn't ususally fail outright, mormally gets progressively worse.
They said not t hold the starter button "on" as it may burn out wiring, just give it a short "fire" until it engages.
No idea how long it will last before it finally fails, but at least I hope I'll be able to start it up to get off the Ferry, and who knows, may not even finally fail till I get back !!  :rolleyes
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sure2ride

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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #22 on: 15 June 2015, 03:28:46 pm »
Just a quick update.
Great time in France, clocked up 1000 miles, not a single issue with starting.!
Maybe it just got a bit sticky after a long lay -up because it fired up first time every time.
Long live the Fazer. (no matter what model!) :)
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Re: Battery Life
« Reply #23 on: 28 June 2015, 04:32:09 pm »
Long live the Fazer. (no matter what model!) :)
Especially the Ultra Fast Blue colour  :D
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