Ok, so my KTM has decided it wants to be a Ducati...

[Buggles]

Since it conked out this morning...

I pushed it 3 miles back to the house...

Does the battery charge when the engine is running, or only when the bike is moving?

I think it's the battery, but I've been riding the bike for two weeks back & forth to the office without any problems. Admittedly it's a short ride (about 15-20 mins, and just 5 miles), but the bike always started without a hitch.

This time, I was riding with the GPS on (which was the same thing that happened when the battery gave out last time, we started it with jumper cables then).

Does this sound like a battery problem, or could it be the alternator?

I've ordered an optimate, just need to figure out how to get a plug socket into the garage (all i've got is a light fixture).

Any info is welcome!

JB

[Snaphappy]

Back in the good old days of sharing a 40 man room with only 6 power sockets we all used to run small appliances from a Light bulb socket plug
if you can get one you will not have to tamper with any fitted electrics

[rgarrioch]

Sounds a little like a problem I had with my TL1000s - battery seemed to drain of any charge overnight (even with optimate on it); if I could get it started (bumping down a steep hill) it would keep running, but very difficult to start again. Stuck a new battery in & all was well again. The original battery was 3 or 4 years old when I replaced it, only £20 or so for a new one (worth more for peace of mind that you weren't gonna be stuck trying to bump start a large capacity v-twin!)

[stanbloke]

Dont Panic !!!.

It's the battery JB, mine does the same occasionaly. the ktm battery is pretty pants ( mine live on an optimate at all times) and any battery will suffer with only short journeys.

Use the optimate and leave the gps in the cupboard ( dont you know your way to work then ??.).

[Buggles]

Dont Panic !!!.

It's the battery JB, mine does the same occasionaly. the ktm battery is pretty pants ( mine live on an optimate at all times) and any battery will suffer with only short journeys.

Use the optimate and leave the gps in the cupboard ( dont you know your way to work then ??.).

I'm not panicking... Pushing a KTM for 3 miles has a suprisingly calming effect on me

I figured it would be the battery. Optimate is ordered... I don't need the GPS to get to work, but I was planning on a long ride out to Oxford yesterday and that would've been much better with the GPS on, I would have actually made it home

I'll look in to those light socket plugs (although I have a fluorescent bar in the garage) and see what we can do... Alternatively, I can run the power off the wiring for the light and install a second switch for that...

Thanks for the feedback guys!

JB

[Wee Jack]

Sorry to hear about your woes JB - it's the battery deffo !!!

The KTM forum is full of battery issues on ADV and Super Dukes.

A 999cc high compression V twin takes a bit of cranking power.

As far as powering an optimate , just take a feed from the live side of your light switch and put it on to a socket. 10 minute job for a sparkie, about an hour max for someone like me.

PS still not packaged up the goodies yet - sorry - but it's in the plan honest !!!!!

[Buggles]

Sorry to hear about your woes JB - it's the battery deffo !!!

The KTM forum is full of battery issues on ADV and Super Dukes.

A 999cc high compression V twin takes a bit of cranking power.

As far as powering an optimate , just take a feed from the live side of your light switch and put it on to a socket. 10 minute job for a sparkie, about an hour max for someone like me.

PS still not packaged up the goodies yet - sorry - but it's in the plan honest !!!!!

No worries, the optimate will be here tomorrow

Should be able to wire a socket together (I wired most of my own house in the Netherlands). Was a bit suprised that they don't sell dual socket/switches here though... All I've been able to find at B&Q and Homebase are switched sockets (where the switch operates the socket), but no socket with a separate light switch...

Looking forward to receiving the goodies, no rush though as the season is winding down anyway. Getting them in will be a good excuse to take the bike apart, do some cleaning and ACF50 application

JB

[africajim]

Oh thank the lord for Honda! My Vara, like all my @T's, sits for a couple of weeks at a time and never lets me down, even in winter when might sit for a month, never needed a charger or optimate!
I'm just curious as I have a mate, Craig the Brummie, his CBR600 suffered from a poor battery. He asked me what might be the problem? I advised him to buy a new battery. Spoke to him a month later and asked if sorted? He said yes, I bought an optimate!
Next day we're bump starting the bike in the car park,,, yet again! I told him GET A NEW BATTERY! Problem solved!
He then went on to buy an @T, wise choice

You don't mention if there's anything causing the drain? Alarm? Immobiliser? If so, yes I would advise an optimate for periods the bike's laid up. If no, a new battery may be the answer. The socket for your shed? Well, I'd recommend you check the feed into your garage, wouldn't want you to overload the wiring and cause a fire!

Oh, don't try bumping your Tiger with a flat battery, the ECU doesn't like low voltage! (Been there, done that!)

[Buggles]

There's an alarm/immobiliser on the bike, and the GPS is wired onto the bike as well (although it's not actually on the bike when it's parked up).

The optimate came in today, and I'll get a multimeter and measure the current into the battery this weekend to make sure it's not the regulator that's gone...

Now all I need to do is wire a socket into the garage in such a way I can easily remove it when I move house (don't want to lose my deposit).

JB

[boboneleg]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I leave my 950 for a week or more plenty of times and it always has enough battery power to start it.

Am I just lucky