Remove battery on 1980 GS250T

[PruneTracy]

Hello all,
New rider, brand new to GSresource. This looks like an awesome forum and I look forward to picking your brains!

First thing- my 1980 GS250T is my first bike, after 8 years my wife finally gave in.

As with all of them, the stator is bad, but spending $300-500 right now to get that repaired and fixed is a little out of budget, and more importantly I have a COMPLETELY dead battery. This battery is only about 3 months old (I had a new one installed by a local shop a few months back) and it's already dead. Sounds like the charging system.

I want to charge the battery to full so that I can ride it back DOWN to the shop to have them do a temporary fix. My problem is, how the hell do I get the battery out?! I can get the negative NO problem. But how to I get access to the positive? I've taken both side panels off, I've removed the turn signals and seat, but just can't seem to get to it.

I searched all over the forums and couldn't find anything about this on this particular bike. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot!

[bwringer]

As it happens, I just did quite a bit of work on one of these lil' boogers...

If it has a very short positive cable, you will need to remove the positive cable from the solenoid terminal on the left side of the bike. This was the case on the bike I worked on, although I'm pretty sure the stock cable should be longer than that.

I made a new battery cable that's long enough to slide the battery out the right side far enough to remove the battery bolt.


Also, I learned that the same stator is used in many different GS models, including the 1980+ GS850 and the GS500. You can easily find GS500 stators on fleaBay cheap. The connectors are different, but that's irrelevant because it's best to solder these direct anyway.


Just curious -- what on earth could be a "temporary fix" for a dead stator? That shop is probably feeding you a line of hooey -- read the stator papers and fix it yerdamself.

[Killer2600]

Just curious -- what on earth could be a "temporary fix" for a dead stator? That shop is probably feeding you a line of hooey -- read the stator papers and fix it yerdamself.

The stator papers for someone who can't get their battery out, really?

I gotta say if your just trying to charge the battery, you can do it with it on the bike. You don't have to take it off the bike. Just hook it up proper and it your worried about burning your regulator from the charger disconnect the battery negative or pull the main fuse (not sure how their fuses are setup but the goal is to disconnect the regulator from the battery).

[mike_of_bbg]

First, welcome.

Not all that many 250's around, so you might not find a lot of familiarity with that model. If you post some pics of the battery area (and the bike in general) then we might be able to see why it's so difficult. But agreed, you don't need to take the battery out to charge it if you can get clamps on the terminals. Use a float charger or similar. Do not charge any motorcycle battery at more than 2A current! Do not jump it from a running car!

New stators run around $100 or so, plus a few bucks for the gasket. A used Shindengen R/R off ebay should be like $40. Post in the parts wanted section and you might be able to find a good used stator from a trusted member for less. Also, making sure all of your electrical connections are good and tight, clean, and corrosion-free is the way to charging system happiness. Like Mr. Bwringer, I'm not sure what a "temp" fix for a bad stator would be. But there's no need to spend $300-500.

If you post up a location (hint - click on "User CP" and you can add that info to your profile, so it will show up on every post), maybe there's a GSRer nearby which would be willing to come out and help you.

[Guest]

Firstly, welcome!

If your charging system is knackered, then yeah, good chance it's killed your battery.

If the 250 is like my 450 was when stock, then you take the negative terminal off first, and then you can leave the positive battery terminal attached. Unplug the bullet connector from the main fuse and remove the battery connection from the starter solenoid. That will let you take the battery out with the positive terminal still attached.

I just did my stator recently and it's a very simple operation. About $120 for a brand new stator here in Oz and I did it myself.

[PruneTracy]

Hi guys,
Thanks so much for your replies
A couple of things to touch on-

the "temporary fix" is a used stator/ at a heavily discounted price, probably won't last more than a year I'm told, but I would only be charged labor.

Second, I'd LOVE to be able to work on a lot of this myself, but I live in San Francisco, and don't have a garage, so I'd be laying in the middle of the street working on it- not the easiest/safest thing to do.

Third, I did read the stator papers and am pretty sure I get what's happening- Suzuki cheaped out on the charging system, and we all suffer decades later

The stock positive cable is VERY short- like 3 inches short- and I'm not entirely sure I can remove it easily. From what I'm gathering, I'll just detach the positive from the solenoid terminal and just fish the whole thing through?

Thanks so much for your help on all this!

Ryan

[bwringer]

Hi guys,
Thanks so much for your replies
A couple of things to touch on-

the "temporary fix" is a used stator/ at a heavily discounted price, probably won't last more than a year I'm told, but I would only be charged labor.

Second, I'd LOVE to be able to work on a lot of this myself, but I live in San Francisco, and don't have a garage, so I'd be laying in the middle of the street working on it- not the easiest/safest thing to do.

Third, I did read the stator papers and am pretty sure I get what's happening- Suzuki cheaped out on the charging system, and we all suffer decades later

The stock positive cable is VERY short- like 3 inches short- and I'm not entirely sure I can remove it easily. From what I'm gathering, I'll just detach the positive from the solenoid terminal and just fish the whole thing through?

Thanks so much for your help on all this!

Ryan

Nothing wrong with a good used stator -- many of us here have been running "used" stators for years and years. My GS850 has been wearing a Honda R/R (from an early '80s CX500, I think) for at least 10-12 years, and a stator from a 2001 GS500 for the past two years.

And yes, that's right -- just disconnect the negative cable, then the other end of the positive cable and pull the whole thing out. I guess that short pos cable really is the stock setup. Huh.

For those playing along at home, the two fiddy's battery sits just above the swingarm and slides in horizontally. It's impossible to reach the positive terminal with anything, let alone a charger clamp or wrench. You could attach a charger to the solenoid terminal, but it will be easier to just add a charging lead when you replace the battery.

[mike_of_bbg]

Sounds like a plan. A used stator can last for a long time (heck, many of ours are "used" and have lasted for decades). THAT having been said, you'll want to make sure your R/R is up to snuff and that your wiring is all clean and solid. First thing on the list for any GS I'd acquire would be to (if you don't have a headlamp on/off switch) remove the useless loop and take the third leg of the stator directly to the R/R, and to replace the R/R, if stock, to something a bit more robust. If you think the charging system can be expensive, just you wait until that original R/R putting out 15.5V (still in-spec according to Suzuki) cooks your igniter...

[Guest]

Nothing wrong with a good used stator -- many of us here have been running "used" stators for years and years. My GS850 has been wearing a Honda R/R (from an early '80s CX500, I think) for at least 10-12 years, and a stator from a 2001 GS500 for the past two years.

And yes, that's right -- just disconnect the negative cable, then the other end of the positive cable and pull the whole thing out. I guess that short pos cable really is the stock setup. Huh.

For those playing along at home, the two fiddy's battery sits just above the swingarm and slides in horizontally. It's impossible to reach the positive terminal with anything, let alone a charger clamp or wrench. You could attach a charger to the solenoid terminal, but it will be easier to just add a charging lead when you replace the battery.

The 450's have the same setup stock, have to remove the positive terminal at the starter solenoid to be able to slide it out, then bob's your aunty and away you go...