Hey all,

I was having a hell of a time trying to start my '07 GS500F w/ 2.6k miles on it this morning.  I got the bike about 4 months ago and absolutely love it, but it has been giving me some grief this morning.  I've had a similar problem once before, but was able to start it up after a while.  Here are some things I tried:

1. Of course, choke was fully on.
2. Tried priming the carbs
3. Tried push starting the bike (in a high gear)
4. Tried jumping the battery with my car

Here is a video so you can hear the symptom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA0C_LI71BQ
It almost sounds as if the battery is low (i.e., starter isn't turning the engine), but trying to start with jumpers had the same effect.

Any ideas as to what could be the problem (and hopefully the solution???)?

Since it is stored outside (under a cover when rain comes), could the change in temperature cause condensation in the carbs?  In other words, should I drain the carbs (using the screws at the bottom, circled in red here: http://faq.f650.com/FAQs/Photos%5CCarbnJetPhotos%5CMixScrewLocn.jpg) and then prime them?

I once went out of town for a weekend and forgot to cover my bike and it so happened to rain like crazy with a cold front. Mine started fine. Mines a 07' with 4600 miles. Did you accidentally leave the bike on "park"? and the battery ran out?

Quote from: Skeets on October 06, 2008, 12:48:19 PM
I once went out of town for a weekend and forgot to cover my bike and it so happened to rain like crazy with a cold front. Mine started fine. Mines a 07' with 4600 miles. Did you accidentally leave the bike on "park"? and the battery ran out?

I've only had mine for about 4 months now (got it late-model, new), so this concerns me for the upcoming winter (I'm in NJ).  The bike was locked (i.e., a click away from park), so the battery should be fine.  As I mentioned in the first post, I did try to jump it with my car battery to no avail.  The sound is distressing though (as if a relay is trying to get the starter motor to turn but just can't get it going).  The engine would turn, but after about 30 minutes of on-and-off again trying to start, the battery could have been a little drained..

Yeah, that sound is not good. My battery died recently, and basically the starter just sounded slower than normal, it didn't make any clicking sounds the way yours does... Perhaps your starter is no good... If you tried jumping it and still got the sound, that points to something like a relay or starter going bad.

Do you still have the warranty? if so WARRANTY IT. I still have mine even though it's a 2007

Charge the battery, check the connections to the terminals and to the solenoid and to the starter...

Somewhere something's loose.

Dan

PS: Can you pop start it by rolling it and dumping the clutch??

your battery is dead/weak

Take it out, charge it up, try it again.

Cold weather and not riding it often tends to allow the battery charge to deteriorate pretty quick.. Do you have a battery tender (trickle charger)? If not, you should get one.
Some ppl take their batterys out and leave it trickle charged during cold weather, whenever they arent riding their bikes.

definately sounds like a dead or weak battery possibly dead cell from jumping it with your car you can check the cells in the battery by using a multimeter putting the negative lead on the negative post remove all the fill caps and dip the positive lead into each hole you may need to use a screw driver to reach the fluid in the battery and touch the pos lead to it. Each cell should read 2.2 or 2.3 volts or something close to it.  so it should basically read a little higher with each additional cell. ie. 2.4.6.8.10.12 or something close to it if it reads something like 2.4.6.6.8.10 then its definately a bad cell. I would try a new battery and do a twice over on all the battery connections both on the battery and the frame, and starter side of the cables. A loose connection can do the same thing and wreak havok on your charging system. And If your trying to start it on full choke try dropping the choke to a 1/4 or 1/2. I also changed to the iridium plugs for $18 and find it helped a little.

Put that battery on a slow charge over night or longer -- Battery Tender is even better.  It may not take a charge if the plates are warped or coated too much, but give it try.  Even if the charger says it is charged, teh battery may be toast (enough volts, but inadequate current).  Check your battery connections and starter connections (grounds too).  Caution RE using a big car battery to jolt through these tiny MC batteries, hydrogen and acid explosion is NO FUN.  More harmonous result if stored out of weather.

prs

clicking is typically the starter relay... try jumping the posts with a screw driver and starting the bike. like an older car

Thanks for all of the replies!  A couple of things that happened over the course of the last couple of days:

1. Later that afternoon (after my class), I came home with the intention of draining the carb bowls (as mentioned here: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=43795.msg491302#msg491302), but the bike started on the first attempt. 
2. Yesterday afternoon I took the bike out and again, no problems at all.

The bike started fine 2 days before "the problem" showed up and fine ever since, but this is the second time I haven't been able to start the bike after a cooler evening (~45-50 F), so I'm afraid to go on any longer excursions for fear of being stranded...

Quote from: Skeets
Do you still have the warranty? if so WARRANTY IT. I still have mine even though it's a 2007

I was thinking of taking the bike to my local shop, showing them the video, and having them take care of it (I still have 6 months left on the warranty), but I was hoping to find & fix the problem myself.

Quote from: Skeets
PS: Can you pop start it by rolling it and dumping the clutch?Huh?

I tried, but could not start it.  I was used to pop starting my old car (Manual '91 Honda Civic Station Wagon), but was not successful with the bike.  I tried to follow the recommendations of posts on the forum (i.e., use higher gears, etc.) but to no avail.

Quote from: yosh69
Cold weather and not riding it often tends to allow the battery charge to deteriorate pretty quick.. Do you have a battery tender (trickle charger)? If not, you should get one.
Some ppl take their batterys out and leave it trickle charged during cold weather, whenever they arent riding their bikes.

The weather is getting cooler, but I have been riding every other day (at least) for a minimum of 20 miles/ride, so I was surprised that the battery may have been degraded that much in such a short period of time.  I don't have a battery tender (yet), but I was hoping to put it off until I could not take out the bike for a week or so between rides.

Quote from: Chanse
definately sounds like a dead or weak battery possibly dead cell from jumping it with your car ... And If your trying to start it on full choke try dropping the choke to a 1/4 or 1/2. I also changed to the iridium plugs for $18 and find it helped a little.

I'll try checking the cells tomorrow (I'm going to be away this evening) and hopefully get to the bottom of it..  I should have put my multimeter on the terminals before trying to jump it, but desperation made me try the (seemingly) logical steps to diagnose the problem.

Quote from: Pigeonroost
Caution RE using a big car battery to jolt through these tiny MC batteries, hydrogen and acid explosion is NO FUN.

Thanks for the warning, I should have checked before trying.... Theoretically, however, shouldn't the bike have started anyway while it was being jumped? (If it was a low/dead battery issue)

one more thing that needs to be mentioned. How many miles do you ride to work? (one way only)
If it's only few miles each way you may drain the battery more starting the bike, than you charge the battery riding the bike.

than after some period of time your battery will become undercharged. Just take your bike for a longer spin or use battery charger/tender.

cheers
Kamil

Quote from: Pigeonroost
Caution RE using a big car battery to jolt through these tiny MC batteries, hydrogen and acid explosion is NO FUN.

Thanks for the warning, I should have checked before trying.... Theoretically, however, shouldn't the bike have started anyway while it was being jumped? (If it was a low/dead battery issue)

IF the jumpers are good and if you hooked the + to the battery post and the - to the frame, then the good battery should have by passed the disabled battery and started the engine.  If you hooked the jumpers to each respective post of the suspect battery, then all bets are off.  Since it all of a sudden worked, a bad ground is suspect as well as a weak battery.

prs

Quote from: Pigeonroost on October 08, 2008, 02:28:29 PM
Since it all of a sudden worked, a bad ground is suspect as well as a weak battery.

prs

I also suspect bad ground (or other connection).  Check those wires 

Had the same problem with my 06. most of the time it would start strong then randomly crap out on my and make that exact same noise. Battery failed a load test so switched it out with a new one and problem went away. Also, get your self a battery tender for those cold nights or if its sitting for a few days.

I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM>    it took me 2 weeks to figure out.   It isnt the battery, or plugs, or carbs.

On the left of your handle bars, underneith the hi beam low beam switch, there are two small wires wihich vertically hook 'up' onto the handlebar. ( at least 5oof model).

I had the same clicking,  yet was getting clear ingnition on a spark test.  I finally found this, literally plugged it in, and she ran like new.  these  plactis clips are a bad design in my opinion becasue each time i wreck i find myself checking those yet again.

hope this helps....

Quote from: 500F-3crashes2date on October 08, 2008, 06:53:28 PMthese  plactis clips are a bad design in my opinion becasue each time i wreck i find myself checking those yet again.

Maybe the "bad design" isn't the real problem here... Have you checked to see if there's a loose nut behind the handlebars?

That was a low voltage problem.  Probably a weak battery.  Do you have a short commute to work?  Buy a trickle charger and charge your battery once a week or so. 


Never jump start a bike!  You can fry your regulator/rectifier that way.  Always charge your battery.

Best of luck to you.  If it continues, look for a short in the wiring, or loose connections  (I assume the battery terminals were firmly attached?)

Agreed.....I would say the problem is down to your riding style.....NOT the design