non-starting bike

stargirl · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Karma :

My lil CBR125R 2005 decided it didn't want to start today...again...it always happens on a weekend! I took it in 2.5 weeks ago for the same problem, and they re-chraged the battery for me. (Last time I had to push it 3 miles to the dealer, this time I was lucky and could get the battery out).

Took my battery in to the dealer today- and he checked it out. Said the battery is fine so it is my bike that has the problem :''''(

What might be wrong with it?? I am hoping it won't cost too much to fix...

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

is it turning over?

Wafer_Thin_Ham · Super Spammer Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :

Dead regulator rectifier not charging the battery.

It's a common Honda fault. Thumbs Up

____________________
My Flickr

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

stargirl · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Karma :

The dealer charged the battery for me...

And yep, I think it might be turning over....it is trying so so hard to start. So hopefully, with battery charged, I can get it to the dealer tomorrow and they can check it out on Monday...

Would have been nice if they had checked all this in the first place. But I guess I am lucky it's not when I am on my way to work or home.

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

try taking your spark plug out. touch it onto the frame and then press the starter. see if you can see a spark.

edit:

sorry wasnt clear. keep it connected to the ht lead. lol

Wafer_Thin_Ham · Super Spammer Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :

tutton · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Karma :

Try bump starting it,
Stick it in 2nd gear clutch in run along, jump on and dump clutch out with the ignition on and see if it starts.
That will disprove whether its a electrical fault which it sounds to be. Although the battery getting recharged by a dealer sounds like the battery's kacked from the off.
____________________
Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

NiteMare · Spanner Monkey Joined: 12 Sep 2008 Karma :

have you got a multimeter ??

have you got a battery charger ??

once the battery is charged use the multimeter to check the output of your bikes charging system, it'd be a good idea to use the values/revs in the manual to eliminate that as the problem ...

do you only do short journeys with the lights on ?? minimal chance for the charging system to recover the used capacity of the battery

does your battery hold a charge well ? once below 11.5volts batteries usually start to struggle, a good charged battery should indicate 12.5-13.5volts 24 hours after being removed from any charging appliance...

also the cold weather we've had recently will show up any weak batteries especially if the bike is kept outside
____________________
it ain't broke...

i ain't fixed it enough

stargirl · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Karma :

No multimeter...

No much of anything really. Been in the country for 5 months.

Journey to work is 8.5 miles.

Bike is kept outside- not too much choice here.

It's just really weird. When I got the bike it lasted from Oct - Jan. When I got home from 2 weeks of not riding- that's when it wouldn't start. 2.5 weeks later and the same thing. So, I think the bike is broken.

Graprilia · Brolly Dolly Joined: 02 May 2007 Karma :

change the spark plug , that worked for me
____________________
Piaggo liberty 125 SOLD - CBR 125 - SOLD Aprilia RS 125 - SOLD CBR 400 NC29 - SOLD ZX6R currently own https://bikepics.com/members/Graprilia/

stargirl · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Karma :

Well it looked like the problem was the screws attaching all the battery bits together weren't actually screws- as it was fairly loose. They just pushed in, rather than screw in. Embarassed

Hoping that was the problem! *fingers crossed*

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

yep sounds like thats your problem. Fingers crossed you have sorted it now.

Damo

Finglonga · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Karma :

stargirl · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Karma :

well, that wasn't it.

Bike died on me...

Left work ok. Went shops, started ok.

Filled petrol. Would not start.

RAC guy came out, and he said my battery was screwed. Bike not on, it was like 5 volts or something.

Took to dealer. Bike started fine. They didn't believe me!

But I told them I wasn't taking it home. So they are going to check it out tomorrow and maybe replace the battery.

Hope it is all sorted! I feel like I am becoming too well known there.

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

I have a feeling the charging system is at fault and is wrecking the batteries.

Damo

stargirl · Derestricted Danger Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Karma :

This girl needs help.

Apparently it is 'me' that is the problem.

I was informed that everything is OK with bike and battery. I have been asked to come in and show them how I start the bike.

Bike went fine from 18 oct- 18 dec.

Didn't ride for 2 weeks over holiday. Bike would not start.

Battery charge.
2.5 weeks later battery dead.

Battery charge.
1 day later battery dead. Need to call in RAC as not at home.

Over Christmas I must have somehow forgotten how to start my bike. How silly of me! Shocked

Irezumi aka Reuben · Carrot Top Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Karma :

What area do you live in(I beleive it's somehwere in London if so whereabouts)? It sounds as though your current mechanic is no good and perhaps a better one can be reccomended.

Sounds like a charging problem and as mentioned Honda's commonly have problems with their regulator/rectifiers. Should be the first thing that any Honda dealer should check if there is not a problem with that particular battery.

Either way sounds like you now need a new battery.

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

finpos · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Karma :

May be a charging problem, but looks like that may have been checked. Most likely your battery is on it's way out. Amazingly* a lot of mechanics don't have the knowledge or the equipment to properly test batteries, and their testing can be somewhat subjective, so you will be told that you they are ok even when they need to be changed.

f.

* Even more amazingly, this seems to happen very frequently when said battery is still covered by a free replacement warranty.