I'm jinxed! New bike, flat battery...

[Nicola756]

Well, I collected my 2 year old burgman on Thursday 21st. Had a good long (and cold!) ride home from the dealer with it and got home about 5.30pm. By 9pm it was snowing and in the morning there was 10inches sat on top of the bike cover
No chance of getting to know my new bike now...

Fast forward nearly 2 weeks and my first chance to get out on the scoot. Took a moment to start up and I thought that was down to sitting in the cold having affected the battery, but it started so should be okay now. Another 20miler and then stopped for an hour for some shopping and a cuppa, get back to the bike and yes you've guessed....flat battery

After cursing a lot, got the breakdown guys out and the burgie started fine with a jump but I'm paranoid about it happening again. I've now got an optimate and it seemed to be flashing the right lights to show poor battery, then charging and now okay. Obviously I'll be onto the dealer to check the battery is in decent nick, but won't be able to get across there for a week or so.

Have any of you got any tips to help look after a poorly battery? I don't want it conking out on me again!

And thumbs up to H&R breakdown cover (add-on to the insurance) - very helpful and got the local firm out to me quickly, knowing it was a motorcycle so had appropriate kit and phoned me a few times to keep me updated whilst waiting

[Steve_D]

?.......and in the morning there was 10inches sat on top of the bike cover

Some people would pay good money to wake up to 10 inches in the morning.

[Nicola756]

Funnily enough, the kids down the road produced a rather lifelike snow 'sculpture'
Was a whole 4foot high, quite impressive, although the old lady next door nearly had a seizure when she looked out )

[Turisu]

Sounds like the battery's shot. My advice would be don't ride it unless you have to. The first bike I had with a dying battery used to let me down at the worst possible moments and I spent many a cold night walking home before I finally got fed up and replaced it.

My Tmax used to have trouble starting in the cold and so I'd keep the battery topped up with a trickle charger if I wasn't going to be riding it for a while, but it never failed after a ride and in so short a time as yours, so I reckon yours is past that point. Now I've got an L0 Burgman and it's never failed to fire up instantly, regardless of the weather so yours certainly shouldn't be having these problems if the battery is healthy.

Hope you get it sorted.

[TmaX9]

Do a voltage measurement across the battery with the engine running and revved a bit. The voltage should rise to around 14V and settle at 12.5V at tickover. If it doesn't rise with the revs, or goes way over 15V then the regulator is dud. If all seems OK then it is just a dying battery. If you have a proper charger not an optimate, leave it on charge overnight and if that doesn't fettle it then replace it.
No point in getting a new battery to find the bike just isn't charging it.

[Mr Angry]

Never bought a used bike or scoot where I didn't have to replace the battery, if people find it difficult to get at (Had to remove the seat on my VN) why don't they replace it with a maintenance free one.

[Nicola756]

Thanks guys.

I've run the voltmeter across and it's reading a constant 14.4v, no change tickover/ revving.
I've sorted the afternoon off work and will go see the dealer, he said he'll check it's charging up okay (but battery was fine when it left them, honest gov!) so we'll see. If all okay there, think I will just get a new battery in anyway.

This is why I was going to get a new bike, not used- I'm not mechanically minded and didn't want this kind of hassle. At least I'm learning some useful tips as I go!

[Bluebottle]

Wether your battery is dodgy or not, you didn't happen to put the stearing lock on when you stopped did you?

The last key position on the stearing lock turns on the parking lights and kills your battery PDQ
Its an old favourite on the Burgman and we've probably all done it at some time

[Dave Weller]

If the scoots been standing around a long time (ask dealer), the battery will discharge of course. Charge it up and it will probably hold the charge. Keep the voltmeter across the terminals and see if it drops down slowly. That should not happen if the battery is storing power correctly.
I think it will be fine now.

[Nicola756]

Back from the dealer now and all solved
The controller for the heated grips was faulty and not switching off. They tested it and it was draining the battery in about 20 mins, so they've changed the control unit and rewired it to go via ignition and all seems okay now.

Bluebottle- I'd heard about the parking lights thing so its one of the things I double check when parking! Dealer initially suggested it was that too...

Was a very pleasant ride out in the sunshine too, think I like my burger after all