GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

I commute on my GS every Tues & Thurs because I have to go into center city and it is THE vehicle of choice. I had off this Thursday because it was Thanksgiving, so instead I worked Friday. I went to start the GS and it would barely turnover and never started. I am guessing it's a drained battery but I don't understand why it would be. It has been cold & rainy here, but I just drove the bike on Tuesday without issue.  :dunno: I attempted to push-start it but I just couldn't gather enough speed on my own to do so.  :roll:

Anyone? I am going to go pull the battery and put it on trickle charge to see if I can get her to start up, but I am curious if I have a short or something.

Suggestions or helpful comments gladly accepted.  :mrgreen:

That happens when the battery is low.

Take off the caps, is there water to the top?

Add water and try it again.

If still no-go, buy a new battery.

I too have had issues with my bike not starting. I always keep it garaged and was commuting everyday with it (20-25 min each way). You would think this would keep it charged up, right? Wrong. I first noticed the lights started to dim and the bike wouldn't startup right away. Well, one day it decided it didn't want to start. Took a couple of trys. I should have heeded the warning. Next time it happened I was at work and it was starting to rain. It had plenty of gas so I knew it was battery related. I tried starting it so much it drained the battery real quick. Luckily, our parking lot had an incline. Push started it in 3rd gear no problem. Rode it home and connected it to my battery tender. Now, I always connect it to my battery tender when I'm not riding it. Never had a problem since. I probably need to change the battery though.

battery loses charge as the temp's drop.. i know my bike needs charging everytime i have to do ride it after a while.. im still on the stock battery it came with, and frankly this batt has given trouble from day one. Its no biggie that i have to charge it to get riding, it holds charge if i ride about 10 miles a day. However if temp goes into teh 40F it starts loosing juice plenty fast.

Quote from: joerockerTake off the caps, is there water to the top?
Add water and try it again.

By "to the top" Joe means between the MIN and MAX lines (if your battery has them.)



You probably already know this, but it's a really good idea to add only distilled water to your battery.  If you're a conscientious clothes iron owner, you already have a gallon of distilled water around the house.  If not, you can buy the stuff at the grocery store for even less (I think) than drinking water.





PS - Did you know about the font color capabilities of this message board system?  You could make good use of it in your signature block:
     - Orange 1998 GS500E  :)

PPS - Yes, that's a DEAD battery in the first photo.

Quote from: KerryIf you're a conscientious clothes iron owner

PPS - Yes, that's a DEAD battery in the first photo.

What is a "conscientious clothes iron owner"?

I was about to say, I hope that isn't the battery you're currently using, looks a tad bit corroded  :lol:

Quote from: 70 Cam GuyWhat is a "conscientious clothes iron owner"?

Sorry - my term for someone who adds only distilled water to their iron (when they want it to make steam).  If you add tap water you'll eventually build up some mineral deposits down inside there....

Kerry, I've always admired your use of pics.  Visual reference is always helpful.

However, the pic of the distilled bottle of water was priceless. :lol:

Quote from: Flashthe pic of the distilled bottle of water was priceless. :lol:

I only hope my wife doesn't mind me posting a pic of one of the ... ah ... less organized parts of the house.  :roll:

Okay, I want to pitch in on this one too. I made the boneheaded mistake of leaving my key in my ignition while I worked on the bike, then wandering off to do something (i think I went to grab some shop rags) and got distracted... came back, oh... 20 minutes later to a dead battery. DOH.

Now it wont hold a charge for the life of it. Ive never had a single electrical problem before this, so I think I just drained the battery too deeply. I've read about the possibility of sulfination in an older (poorly maintained) battery, wherein during a deep discharge, the lead plates of the battery combine with the sulfur ions in battery acid to form lead sulfide crystals... at which point the battery a) wont hold a charge, and b) is toast.

Any safe/easy way to check for that, or will the crystals be plainly visable?

I haven't pulled the battery out yet. It has been raining anytime I have been home from work since Friday.  :roll:  I have to get it done today or tomorrow because I need the bike for center city work on Tuesday again. I was thinking I could back my car up to the bike and put a tarp up to cover me while I take the battery out.  :dunno: I get nervous around wet & electricity. :o


Kerry, nice pics!  :mrgreen: Very helpful, as usual. I wouldn't have thought to use distilled water, so I guess I better get a gallon to have on hand. Thanks!

And YEAH! I love the orange text!! Booyah :cheers:

Quote from: ghettorigged

I wouldn't have thought to use distilled water, so I guess I better get a gallon to have on hand.

I have only had smaller, sealed batteries so this is kinda new to me.   :P  

Also, the guy said he reaplaced the battery just before I picked up the bike July 2nd, so I feel reluctant to purchase a new battery. Is there any way I can tell if he indeed bought a new one vs. just cleaned up the old one? I mean, it's only been 4k+ miles since then so I don't think it should die so fast unless something is wrong.  :dunno:

I need to install the kick starter off one of my old dirt bikes for 'emergency situations' like this  8)  hehe

Quote from: ghettorigged

Quote from: ghettorigged
I wouldn't have thought to use distilled water, so I guess I better get a gallon to have on hand.

I have only had smaller, sealed batteries so this is kinda new to me.   :P

In that case, allow me to recycle a couple of pics showing the bottle I use to drip the distilled water into the battery cells.  (It's kinda hard to work with a full gallon!)  You could use an eyedropper or a test tube or any of a hundred things - this happens to be what I have arrived at.  I wish I could remember where I got it!

use an old contact solution bottle.... or go buy a small bottle of saline solution (like a buck or two..) and use that

Quote from: se7enty7use an old contact solution bottle.... or go buy a small bottle of saline solution (like a buck or two..) and use that

Perfect!

Anything that you can fill with a "big stream" and will then squirt a "small stream" is ideal.  I suppose you could even use a mustard bottle, only don't give it a mighty squeeze!  :roll:

ok, the rain stopped, the battery is out, and it's trickle charging as I type. The cells are full so I think maybe just some juice is all it needs to get running again. Full update to come!  :mrgreen:

Kerry, that bottle looks a lot like part of a bleed kit for (bicycle) hydraulic brakes.

Quote from: ghettoriggedok, the rain stopped, the battery is out, and it's trickle charging ...........

Are you really using a trickle charger on a discharged battery?  :roll:  I hope not.  A trickle charger won't do the job. :(

A one amp charger is optimum. :thumb:   Two to two and a half amps max.  :mrgreen:

Battery out, checked fluids, put on charge for about 10hrs, replaced into bike, and *BLING* she's runs better than ever!  :thumb:  w00t

Thanks all.  :kiss:


Oh, and John, the charger does both.  :cheers:

Well for the bottle ... I use a turkey baster ... long enough to reach into bottom of gallon bottle ... Or a syringe ... if I need a lot less ...
Cool.
Srinath.