Hi everyone, I just joined the GS500 club, (noob to bikes).  I bought a 04 gs500f last week, and I am already having starting up problems.  I have never owned a motorcycle before and I dont know much about how to fix anything on them.  So here goes some explanation of the problem, hopefully someone can help. 

Usually when i hit the start I would hear clicking and then it would normally start, but the other day I drove to my gym and when I was getting ready to leave my bike would not start.  I thought it was a battery problem, but I got someone to try to jump start me but it would not start.  I also noticed that the sound was different when i hit the ignition button.  It would not make any clicking noises, It would only have a buzzing noise without any clicks instead.  All the lights turn on and the oil and neutral lights come on, But it wont crank up.  I checked to see if there is gas and there is.  So i am stuck in the parking lot for a while, until I asked someone if they could push start me in 2nd gear.  Push starting did turn it on.  So i got it on and drove it home, but when I got close to my place the lights started dimming when I was in a lower gear, and It felt like it was going to cut off, and sure enough it cut off as I was close to my apartment.  I tried to start it up again and would hear the same faint buzzing noise instead of any clicks. 

I am not sure where to begin to fix this problem.  Could anyone help?  Thanks.

Serious question, was your kickstand up when you were trying to start the bike?

Yea, My kickstand was up.

The starter solenoid wont even click if the side stand is down.

I'd put money on a bad battery?  It could also be a charging system problem...but I'd guess the battery is shot.

-Turd.

Hmm I didnt think it would be the battery, because I could not even start it up while having it jumpstarted with a car battery.  But, could that happen?  Sorry for the noob questions.

Yeah, it can happen. Always always eliminate the simple and obvious things first, give the battery a good long charge and see what happens. If after a 24 hour charge you still have this problem come back. Don't ever worry about "noob" questions, a stupid question is the one you didn't ask. Good ridin'

How rude of me!  I forgot the warm welcome.  I dig this place, I hope you do too.  Stick around and post often!

Oh, and don't feel shy about posting questions!  We all ask each other dumb questions on a regular basis.

-Turd.

yep i'd say check the battery fisrt

are you sure you can jump a bike from a car battery? this might be a stupid question but I know a car battery isn't 12volts. I would jump it from a bike or with a battery charger that regulates voltage.


welcome. this site is great. everyone here has a ton to offer. they've walked me through a lot of noob issues when my bike wasn't running right and now it runs great so use the resource.

safe rides

Quote from: dchrist on October 16, 2006, 11:19:37 AM
are you sure you can jump a bike from a car battery? this might be a stupid question but I know a car battery isn't 12volts. I would jump it from a bike or with a battery charger that regulates voltage.


welcome. this site is great. everyone here has a ton to offer. they've walked me through a lot of noob issues when my bike wasn't running right and now it runs great so use the resource.

safe rides

Yes.. bikes can be jumped from car batteries. It's been done thousands of times (all by people on this board!)

Quote from: dchrist on October 16, 2006, 11:19:37 AM
but I know a car battery isn't 12volts.

Someone lied to you.  Cars are indeed 12 volts.

-Turd.

I learn something new everyday. thanks for the correct info


not sure where I got the impression that wouldn't work

Car batteries are nominally 12 V.  Actual voltage is about 13.8 (2.3 V per cell), just like your motorcycle battery.

Welcome!

Quote from: Egaeus on October 16, 2006, 12:10:01 PM
Car batteries are nominally 12 V.  Actual voltage is about 13.8 (2.3 V per cell), just like your motorcycle battery.

I thought they were 13.8 when the charging system was active, and 12 by themselves?

IIRC, the charging system runs at about 14.1 V.

Heres the story as I have come to understand it:
This issue isn't voltage regulation with car batterys, A car battery will be close enough to 12 volts with a proper charge. The issue is the available current.  You wont get much more than an amp or two out of a motorcycle battery but with a car battery you can get tens of amps for a short period of time. This means that if something in the bikes  electrical system is close to failing (i.e. shorting) the extra available current can fry it much more quickly (or immediately).  A component in good shape will not draw more current than it needs so as long as your electical system is in good shape you shouldn't see any problem jumping from a car battery if you don't have any kind of AC charger as an alternative.

After I killed my battery trying to get it my bike started when it had some issues I just jumpered it to my car until I got the bike to run long enough to recharge its self.  Just don't have the car running, that way the available juice is reduced and so is your chance of frying an already failing compenent. I'm willing to bet it would take a while to drain your car battery this way, but still, I'm sure its possible.

So everyone thinks its a battery problem from the situation i described? Are all 04 gs500's  batteries 12v? On my charger it has a 6v option and a 12v option. I wasnt sure which to set it on since i did not see any voltage indications on the battery itself. 

I am going to look into it a little bit more once i get off work, but I have a feeling like its not the battery.  Maybe I can explain it a little better for you guys to understand what happened. Because when there was low battery issues when i hit the ignition it would make clicking noises still but not fire up, and I could hear it like it was just dieing.  Now never even does that.

So i got to the gym and parked it and it died on me.  This is right when I got to the gym. I tried to start it back up and It started making the weird buzz noise and would never start up again.  Its the soleinoids that make the clicking noise right?

Could the battery just be completely unusable now, but still turns on lights, but just not enough juice to start the solenoids to get the engine started? 

I am still unsure of how it all works.  But thanks for all inputs.

Welcome to the club! 

Quote from: dle319 on October 16, 2006, 12:41:44 PM
Are all 04 gs500's  batteries 12v?

Yes.

Quote from: dle319 on October 16, 2006, 12:41:44 PM
Maybe I can explain it a little better for you guys to understand what happened.  Because when there was low battery issues when i hit the ignition it would make clicking noises still but not fire up, and I could hear it like it was just dieing.  Now never even does that.

The battery just doesn't have enough amperage to make the starter solenoid click.

Quote from: dle319 on October 16, 2006, 12:41:44 PM
I tried to start it back up and It started making the weird buzz noise and would never start up again.  Its the soleinoids that make the clicking noise right?

Yes.  The buzzing is the sound of electricity, almost enough but not quite enough to actuate the starter solenoid.

Quote from: dle319 on October 16, 2006, 12:41:44 PM
Could the battery just be completely unusable now, but still turns on lights, but just not enough juice to start the solenoids to get the engine started?

Yes.  It has the voltage (12v), but not enough amperage to start the bike.

Quote from: dle319 on October 16, 2006, 12:41:44 PM
I am still unsure of how it all works.  But thanks for all inputs.

Electrical is a great mystery.