Someone doesn't want to go on my trip around France...

[Warthog]

My ferry leaves in 10 days time and after the clutch, headrace bearings and front brake disc all needing fixing, problem #342 has sauntered onto the scene and, frankly, I'm getting ever so slightly p!ssed off with this ever-growing list of fixes....

OK, so last Sunday I flew to Spain for a week, which meant that I parked the my 93 TA600 in the garage and went for a well-deserved break.

Today, I went down there to pick it up. Pushed the starter button and ......nothing. Battery as flat as a pancake, dead as a dodo....

Not even a solenoid click and only the thinnest glimmer from the front headlight when I switched on to assess volts....

Managed to bump start the bike by pushing in down the road. Rode around for an hour or so. Stopped, ran an errand and came back: bike started straight away...great, I thought...

Rode it some more on the open rode to top up the battery.
Then every so often, the engine died as I rode: no more than a second or so, in top gear, 70mph. Felt like water in the carbs almost, or as if I'd flicked the kill switch on and off quickly.

It did it a number of times, but bike idled OK at the lights...

So what WTF is it this time?!
The only things I thought of was the CDI or Reg/Rec, but I don't actually know in which way they would give me these symptoms.

I have not had these symptoms before, ie prior to leaving for Spain...

This trip to France is one of the few longer periods of time I can spend with my Dad now that I live here in Estonia and I have a very important engagement here 2 days after I get back, so I really don't want any hassles, worries or worse, delays.

If there is anything I need to buy, carry or replace I'd really like some pointers as the clokc is ticking

[BobA]

I'd be looking at the following suspects...

Battery

Master fuse and the connectors it slides in to (under the rec/reg connector)

Earth connection to frame and battery


Good Luck

[Warthog]

Thanks Bob.

I will look at the connectors, but the master fuse should be OK.

When I had the handlebarsdangling around when I tried adjusting the head races, I think the ignition switch contacts must have shorted out on the frame as the main fuse had blown. It has been fine since. I greased it up when I replaced it.

All of those seem relatively easy to check. I'll also check the coil earths although I greased those up too a while back.

The only one I don't know how to check is the battery.

I will check the fluid level and the voltage, but how else can one check the condition of a battery?

Is it just a case of replace and hope that is what the problem was?

PS: good to see the avatar's back: like seeing an old friend (who happens to be a good looking young woman!!)

[BobA]

You can check the voltage on the battery terminals (make sure it's atleast 12v), but unfortunately this is not a true indication of a healthy battery, as it's the amps you draw from the battery when you're trying to start that's important. A good garage should have a proper battery checker.

Avatar girlies were called back into action by a couple of moaning members. It's okay for them, but they just don't realise how difficult it is for me with them all living in my little house.

[Warthog]

You can check the voltage on the battery terminals (make sure it's atleast 12v), but unfortunately this is not a true indication of a healthy battery, as it's the amps you draw from the battery when you're trying to start that's important. A good garage should have a proper battery checker.

My multimeter can check Amps (max 10, I think), only I'd need to know where to connect the two terminals and what reading I should be hoping for....

Battery reads 12.26v. Drops to 10v when the starter is run, but recovers to the same ish, slowly: 0.1v per second or so.

Electrolyte levels still within range.

[Jacqueslemac]

Avatar girlies were called back into action by a couple of moaning members. It's okay for them, but they just don't realise how difficult it is for me with them all living in my little house.

Talking of which, I can't believe how discreet everyone's been about your confession in France...

[Warthog]

Estonie: douze points à BobA!

Well done that man!

It was the battery according to all my checks and those (more importantly) of the mechanic I asked to have a look at it.

I now own an Exide battery that shall be stuffed into the frame tomorrow and hopefully that will be the last of my maintenance purchases until long after a successful return home from Le Pays du Pinard!!

[Cabby]

Talking of which, I can't believe how discreet everyone's been about your confession in France...

Behave yerself !!!..........

[sean]

Behave yerself !!!..........

No dont!!!! share with us James......

[BobA]

Talking of which, I can't believe how discreet everyone's been about your confession in France...

Ssshshhhhhhhhhh


I told you, it was terrible case of mistaken identity.


I was wandering home from a fancy dress party in the Kings Cross area of London, when a nice gentleman saw me tottering in my costume (a tight minidress and high heels) and offered me a lift in his car. Well, anyway, like I say, it was all a big mistake!!!