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1978 GS550 starting issue

  • Thread starter Thread starter DamKevinBoyd
  • Start date Start date
D

DamKevinBoyd

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So my bike has been sitting in the garage on a trickle charger for a couple months now. Every now and then i'd go out and check that the charger was still on, and it always was. Today the temperature was up to about 28 and the roads were dry so i figured i should go ride since i haven't in so long.

I pull the bike out of the garage, put the key in and hit the lights, choke it and hit the starter button..

all i get are some very slow starting noises, like a couple of "chugs" a second. Not the normal instant start i'm used to.

The last time this happened was before i put it on the charger and i rode around the block and the bike died with the lights on, so i turned them off and it ran and i took it home and charged it.

So i figured something like that happened again, i kicked it over and it fired up. I rode around again assuming it would die, but it didn't. I ended up riding about 10 miles to my girlfriends house with no problem.

I went to leave and hit the starter thinking the ride over may have charged it or something, and it didn't even try to start. It just clicked. No turning over or anything. So i kicked it over and it fired up and ran fine for another probably 30 miles today. I stopped and started it this way a couple times in between before i got it home and it never started with the ignition switch.

But i had my lights on all day and the bike didn't die..so i'm just confused.

If anyone has any insight to what has happened since the bike has been sitting i would appreciate it. If you need any more information let me know.

Thanks!
 
Dang, i was told to keep it on a charger so it doesn't go bad.

I just went out and checked it with a voltage meter and it was putting out 11 or 12 ish with the bike off. Too late to start it up and check
 
Charging it up once a month or so for a few hours is enough to keep the battery fully charged up. Any more is just cooking it. Is there any water in it or did it boil dry?
 
I'm not sure if there is any water left or not. I'll check that out tomorrow. I had to top a little of it off before winter came.

The bike is between a car and a wall now, and it's too much work to go move it around this late. If it is empty, could i fill it back up? Or would it be better/more worth it to go buy a new one?
 
Are those batteries gonna fit in my bike, or were those just like brand options? Sorry for a bunch of questions, i'm still learning this bike. Do the batteries go on the basis of you get what you pay for?
 
All three of those are for your bike according to those sites. (check with them before ordering) All three are also the AGM type that do not require adding water/acid to them and are preferred by most on this site as well as others. You can get cheaper batteries that leak acid and fail sooner if you want to save a few bucks. The yellow one puts out more CCA's and has a longer warranty. I use all of those depending on how long I plan to keep the bike. The "keepers" (forever :D ) get the yellow ones. ;)
 
Awesome. That's what i wanted to hear, i want the best for my baby, within reason hah. Yellow it is. Thanks for the help, i appreciate it a lot! :D
 
Whatever battery you get, don't leave it on the charger. It accomplishes nothing but ruin the battery.
 
I'll second Tom on that as I went through two AGM batteries doing it - course my charger also died on me but still.
 
Okay thanks. I feel like a dummy hah, but at least it's an easy fix. And it won't hurt to upgrade from an old water battery. Thanks everyone
 
It's a common misconception. They promote the idea that bike batteries don't last very long, so you need a special charger, you leave it on the charger and it cooks the battery, you buy another battery, and then another and the myth continues. Meanwhile the guys who don't overcharge them continue to get six or eight years out of every battery.
 
Just a quick update, i pulled the battery and it was dry. I refilled it and charged it for about 15 minutes and it fired right up with just a touch of the ignition. i'm gonna charge it for 30 minutes and then take it off.
 
I still plan to get a new one, i just don't want to do it in the winter. i'd rather wait til it's gonna be used often rather than sitting. Thanks again for the help
 
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