Friend's newly purchased 2005 250R: Neglected battery issue

CZroe · February 11th, 2011, 11:39 AM

My friend recently bought a neglected pre-gen and promptly got the battery tested at an auto parts store. They said it was OK, but it still only starts with a jump start. When he tries it without the jumper cables the lights all come on and look bright but all he gets then is a click and they dim. He left the battery at the auto parts store for testing overnight, so I assume it's fully charged like he says that it is. What could cause this if the battery is tested good?

FWIW, I can't look at it directly because we now live on opposite sides of the country.

Edit: I see that he registered as case86 but I'll ask these questions for him anyway. I'm moving stuff from this thread yet again because of the inability to edit the title. Ignore the pics below. I moved those questions to another thread due to inability to edit the thread title.

Also, he just sent me this:

Link to original page on YouTube.

dubojr1 · February 11th, 2011, 11:56 AM

Seems to me that if the bike starts with jumper cables, then the battery is no good. Purchase a quality battery and have him pick a tender to use after that. Problems solved!

CZroe · February 11th, 2011, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubojr1

Seems to me that if the bike starts with jumper cables, then the battery is no good. Purchase a quality battery and have him pick a tender to use after that. Problems solved!

Funny. I had a car battery that they said was bad even though it was still working fine (had it tested when having an unrelated issue). $100 later and I was no closer to finding out why my sister's '96 Taurus wouldn't start. I believe they err on the side of profit, so I'm surprised to hear that they may have been wrong. Obviously, he doesn't want to spend money on a new battery if there is any chance that the old one is OK, so is there anything else he can try to be sure?

dubojr1 · February 11th, 2011, 12:19 PM

An overnight trickle charge has been known to revive some batteries...

If he has one it's worth trying. Not sure I'd invest in one just for this concern though.

Memengkamatis · February 11th, 2011, 01:47 PM

Remove the battery and have it load tested. It might still have 12 volts+ but not enough amperage to crank the starter. Batterymart.com sells agm (maintenacefree) battery for under $36 bucks (ytx14bs).

kkim · February 11th, 2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Memengkamatis

Remove the battery and have it load tested.

bingo!

CZroe · February 11th, 2011, 03:22 PM

Thanks guys.

case86 · February 15th, 2011, 05:54 PM

thanks Czer0 i have found a new thing while the jumper box is connected i can rev the bike but when i take it off it will not let me rev it anymore. also while the jumper box is connected the lights remain bright but when i disconnect it the lights dim down. i'm not sure what to do! also how often should a motorcycle battery be replaced this one is five years old!?

kkim · February 15th, 2011, 08:37 PM

jumper box? exactly what are you referring to?

Cuongism · February 15th, 2011, 08:49 PM

You can bring the battery to any automotive store (autozone, o'reilly's, etc) and they can test it for free. If the battery is still good, they'll charge it up for you as well.

By jumper box, he may be referring to a portable battery that can jumpstart?

CZroe · February 16th, 2011, 05:34 AM

OK, he just sent me this:

Link to original page on YouTube.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuongism

You can bring the battery to any automotive store (autozone, o'reilly's, etc) and they can test it for free. If the battery is still good, they'll charge it up for you as well.

By jumper box, he may be referring to a portable battery that can jumpstart?

Yup. He did have it tested at a store and they said it was good, hence the thread wondering why a "good" battery still won't start his bike when a jumper box can.

dubojr1 · February 16th, 2011, 05:38 AM

He needs to go to another store and have it tested. If I were a gambling man, his battery is garbage... Once we get it where it can be started on its own power, we can address any other concerns.

case86 · February 19th, 2011, 01:44 PM

I just found out theirs no problem with the battery according to a mechanic he said theirs a bad connection so I'm back to needing the carbs cleaned and a wind screen
Posted via Mobile Device

kkim · February 19th, 2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by case86

I just found out theirs no problem with the battery according to a mechanic he said theirs a bad connection so I'm back to needing the carbs cleaned and a wind screen
Posted via Mobile Device

exactly which/what connector/tion is it?

case86 · February 19th, 2011, 02:14 PM

The battery post area
Posted via Mobile Device

case86 · March 16th, 2011, 05:47 PM

I bought a new battery it got rid of the problem so it was just a bad battery still need to clean the carbs

CZroe · March 17th, 2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by case86

I bought a new battery it got rid of the problem so it was just a bad battery still need to clean the carbs

Thanks for the update. Now, I'm curious to see if disconnecting a battery post after starting causes the same thing in other Ninjette's because this did seem pretty weird!

February 11th, 2011, 11:56 AM	#2
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	Seems to me that if the bike starts with jumper cables, then the battery is no good. Purchase a quality battery and have him pick a tender to use after that. Problems solved! __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

February 11th, 2011, 12:19 PM	#4
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	An overnight trickle charge has been known to revive some batteries... If he has one it's worth trying. Not sure I'd invest in one just for this concern though. __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

February 15th, 2011, 05:54 PM	#8
case86 ninjette.org member Name: casey Location: newnan Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): 05 kawasaki ninja 250 Posts: 19	thanks Czer0 i have found a new thing while the jumper box is connected i can rev the bike but when i take it off it will not let me rev it anymore. also while the jumper box is connected the lights remain bright but when i disconnect it the lights dim down. i'm not sure what to do! also how often should a motorcycle battery be replaced this one is five years old!? Last futzed with by case86; February 15th, 2011 at 07:17 PM.

February 16th, 2011, 05:38 AM	#12
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	He needs to go to another store and have it tested. If I were a gambling man, his battery is garbage... Once we get it where it can be started on its own power, we can address any other concerns. __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

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February 11th, 2011, 01:47 PM	#5
Memengkamatis ninjette.org member Name: AL Location: west new york Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): ex250r, vulcan 800b, k1200r Posts: 40	Remove the battery and have it load tested. It might still have 12 volts+ but not enough amperage to crank the starter. Batterymart.com sells agm (maintenacefree) battery for under $36 bucks (ytx14bs).

February 11th, 2011, 03:22 PM	#7
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	Thanks guys.

February 15th, 2011, 08:37 PM	#9
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	jumper box? exactly what are you referring to?

February 15th, 2011, 08:49 PM	#10
Cuongism ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Cuong Location: San Diego Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r, 2007 Daytona 675 Posts: A lot.	You can bring the battery to any automotive store (autozone, o'reilly's, etc) and they can test it for free. If the battery is still good, they'll charge it up for you as well. By jumper box, he may be referring to a portable battery that can jumpstart?

February 19th, 2011, 01:44 PM	#13
case86 ninjette.org member Name: casey Location: newnan Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): 05 kawasaki ninja 250 Posts: 19	I just found out theirs no problem with the battery according to a mechanic he said theirs a bad connection so I'm back to needing the carbs cleaned and a wind screen Posted via Mobile Device

February 19th, 2011, 02:14 PM	#15
case86 ninjette.org member Name: casey Location: newnan Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): 05 kawasaki ninja 250 Posts: 19	The battery post area Posted via Mobile Device

March 16th, 2011, 05:47 PM	#16
case86 ninjette.org member Name: casey Location: newnan Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): 05 kawasaki ninja 250 Posts: 19	I bought a new battery it got rid of the problem so it was just a bad battery still need to clean the carbs