clunk starting super cold bike?

[gs500fromnb]

Yeah this morning I woke up to -3C and went to start tthe bike... it started hard since the battery was far from full charge... but I heard a clunk when it was turning over... almost like a spark knock or something but it allmost sounded like metal.

The question is, I'm pretty sure its related to the battery because it only happens when I try to start it in cool weather and its allways then that it wont start... it just keeps turning slower and slower with the starter until I finaly kill the battery. I never see or hear it when I jump start it or charge the battery... anybody know?

Now im planning on going to get a battery charger with trickle charge in it too for the winter. Should I bring the battery inside and charge it on cold nights? how often should I put her full charge. I ride in cold weather alot.

THanks.

[scratch]

Maybe one of these:

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/search.php?mode=results

Won't hurt to bring the battery in for a little juice.

[Jace009]

well I would let the battery trickle charge over night and see if hold a charge before buying another battery...if id dies out while trying to start then ya your battery is toast. Usually you want to store the battery during a cold winter in a semi warm place like in a garage where it's above 50* or so.

That metal clanking sounds is the starter motor struggling  the battery dosn't have enough juice to turn it over so the endcap of the starter grunts as the brushed make contact with the comma

Geez -3C??? I hope your oil didn't freze

[Kerry]

Geez -3C??? I hope your oil didn't freze

That's still 27F.  Not too bad.

[Richard UK]

Lead-acid battery capacity is quoted at a nominal 20 degrees C.  It drops by roughly half for every fall of 10 degrees C, so the GS's 10AH battery is only able to deliver less than a 2AH battery at -5 degree C, even when fully charged!  

Give it a 10 or 15 minute charge at 1 Amp before you use it.  It may be full already so cannot actually take any more charge, but the charging process will warm it up and it will then be able to deliver the required oomph.

It may not be dead, just cold ("It's life Jim, but not as we know it").

[Jace009]

Geez -3C??? I hope your oil didn't freze

That's still 27F.  Not too bad.

O my bad