Do I have a bad alternator?

[tussey]

Bought my 92 500e uses and it came with a bad battery so I bought a new one. Bike worked like a charm since. Except today. Here is what happened.

So I making a turn and I'm in second gear the bike starts sputtering, it's unresponsive to my throttle and won't go faster than 25-mph before the bike finally cuts out. I pull over and flip my petcock thinking I'm probably outta gas (How am I outta gas?! I just filled up 10 days ago and I do NOT drive that much). Bike starts right up. I head straight to gas station and the bike cuts out a few times during the trip and refuses to start several times. I finally get it the gas station, check the gas tank (I can see gas). I fill it up nonetheless (it takes 3gallons). Switch off my petcock and drive home (bikes seems really slow and unresponsive but doesn't stall anymore) then 24 hours later my bike refuses to start and it sounds like a dead battery which is impossible (unless I have a dark current  ) So the bike is at my friends house and I'm taking the cage now. Thoughts anyone?

[starwalt]

In this you wrote:

I want to buy a new bike, but there are the problems with it. I'm not familiar with bike repair so I have no idea how much this will cost. I need an idea. Also could someone explain what it means when the carbs are running rich, the floats stick and the bowl needs to be cleaned?
The carbs. need to be rebuilt as it is running rich right now. I believe the floats are sticking and it may just need the bowls cleaned out which is a fairly easy fix....

If this is the same bike, I believe your fuel system is more suspect than the electrical.

Bad batteries usually give you the "click-click-click" symptom when you attempt to start. This sound is the starter relay pulling in, but there is insufficient current in the battery to turn over the starter motor. This leads to a drop in the battery voltage below the holding point of the starter relay. The relay drops out. The cycle continues until you release the starter button.

There are several things that could cause what you are describing. The simplest is fuel starvation due to vapor lock (tank cap not venting), or fuel switch/petcock diaphragm failure. Trash (debris, rust particles, etc.) in the lines can also cause this.

Electrical problems cannot be ruled out until you are able to provide more information. The fact that is starts just about rules out the battery.

Time to start inspecting and troubleshooting.  
You could also take a trip to your nearest GSTwin member that has wrenched more. They are usually nice people and are often more than happy to help.

[tussey]

In this you wrote:

I want to buy a new bike, but there are the problems with it. I'm not familiar with bike repair so I have no idea how much this will cost. I need an idea. Also could someone explain what it means when the carbs are running rich, the floats stick and the bowl needs to be cleaned?
The carbs. need to be rebuilt as it is running rich right now. I believe the floats are sticking and it may just need the bowls cleaned out which is a fairly easy fix....

If this is the same bike, I believe your fuel system is more suspect than the electrical.

Bad batteries usually give you the "click-click-click" symptom when you attempt to start. This sound is the starter relay pulling in, but there is insufficient current in the battery to turn over the starter motor. This leads to a drop in the battery voltage below the holding point of the starter relay. The relay drops out. The cycle continues until you release the starter button.

There are several things that could cause what you are describing. The simplest is fuel starvation due to vapor lock (tank cap not venting), or fuel switch/petcock diaphragm failure. Trash (debris, rust particles, etc.) in the lines can also cause this.

Electrical problems cannot be ruled out until you are able to provide more information. The fact that is starts just about rules out the battery.

Time to start inspecting and troubleshooting.  
You could also take a trip to your nearest GSTwin member that has wrenched more. They are usually nice people and are often more than happy to help.

The thing is the bike is dead now. It doesn't start. But the bike pulling was just a symptom leading up to this I think. I'm gonna take a multimeter to my battery and then try to pop the clutch to start the bike.

[starwalt]

The thing is the bike is dead now. It doesn't start. But the bike pulling was just a symptom leading up to this I think. I'm gonna take a multimeter to my battery and then try to pop the clutch to start the bike.

Well, that 's different then, isn't it?

The Battery Basics:
-> Check all the connections to the battery to make sure there is not loose, dirty, or corroded connections.
->Check to make sure you have the proper level of water in the battery.
->The voltage of the battery should stay above 12.5 volts during starting. If not it needs charging or needs to be replaced.

Consider a battery tender type of auxiallary charger for down time on the bike. With cold weather, it could use the extra "feeding."

Do a search for RR , regulator rectifier, or R/R. We have discussed the correct output of the charging system several times here.

Good luck and bring us some more information.  

[ukchickenlover]

Have you checked battery voltage yet.

[JamesG]

If you've had start or try to start alot that can drain the battery quickly with no time for the running engine to recharge the battery.

From your description it does sound more like a fuel/carb problem than electrical.  Could aslo be that you might have a short in the ignition system, but usually its an on off type thing, not sputtering.

[snowhownd]

Definetly check the battery connections first as noted above.  I had similar symptoms (well, bike would cut out randomly and not start sometimes).  I, right off the bat, thought it was fuel system problems, so I spent HOURS and HOURS ruling fuel system items out only to realize my half-a$$ battery terminal check was not sufficient enough to find a loose negative cable... screw was tight, but cable wiggled underneath.  SOB!!!!  But in any case I learned alot about the bike while tracking it down.  An easy way to see if it is a loose connection when it doesn't start - do the warning lights/headlight come on when you turn the key on?  Does it 'click-click' as discussed above (obviously lights would be on in that case).  Give us some more detailed symptoms.