Dead battery from normal use?

[fmscott2]

Hey all,

I just got my first bike, the FZ6, on Saturday. I've been practicing the last few days in parking lots for about one hour each day. This evening I went to start my bike and the engine wouldn't fire. After a few more attempts at starting it, the battery was dead. I put the battery on a trickle charger and the bike fired back up.

What could be the cause of my battery going dead? Is it because I'm not running the bike enough right now to keep the battery charged?

Also, is there a mod I can do to make charging the battery with a trickle charger easier than having to lift up the tank?

Thanks

 

[lytehouse]

Also, is there a mod I can do to make charging the battery with a trickle charger easier than having to lift up the tank?

Thanks

Battery pigtails....probably find something thru google.

 

[outasight20]

Sounds like you have an old worn out battery. Look at the date code on the battery and email the manufacturer inquiring about the date of manufacture. If it is more than three years old it probably needs to be replaced. And having a new battery is always nice for the peace of mind it gives.

 

[Motogiro]

Probably not running it enough at it's intended speed. The FZ6 needs to be at at least 2000-3000 rpm for significant charging. If your doing a lot of low rpm parking lot stuff it'll get discharged. I have a 3 year old battery and it's in excellent condition. Depends on battery quality and how a battery is maintained. The only way to really know about the battery is to charge it and have it load tested to see if it's depth of charge/amp hr rating is on spec.

You can get a battery tender/charger at a pretty economical price (Check out Cycle Gear) and as Brenda stated you get a set of pigtails with a plug to plug your charger into.

 

[fb40dash5]

If it's dying on you without good reason, I'd just replace it while you've got the tank up to add Tender pigtails. Replace your battery on your schedule, or you'll replace it on its schedule... which might conflict with yours. At least if it fails you can usually bump start easily enough, though sometimes there's not even enough juice to fire the ignition for that.

I shoehorned a Deka AGM into mine when I bought it in May '11. I think I might have had to bump start it the first time last spring, but that's it. I just fired it up yesterday after leaving it (no charger) since about November, and it didn't give me any trouble.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

As posted above, charge the battery fully and have it load tested, its likely toast.



I have one of these BT's, works well:
Battery Tender Plus - Batterytender.com

The battery pigtail alone:
Ring Terminal Harness - Batterytender.com, comes with the charger too.

 

[CanadianFZ6]

Check your charging system first... Start the bike and let it idle... Use a voltmeter across the battery teminals... You should be seeing (with no electrical accessories on) about 13.4V ~ Little more or less is ok...