trouble starting... help!

[hot_lava]

My little GZ sits for a week or two at a time sometimes, depending on the weather and my schedule...so I know to turn the fuel valve to the "PRI" setting just to start it then putting it back to "ON" when it's been sitting...

This time though, it's not working! I always have to turn the choke up when I start it after sitting for a while (even a couple of days)...and I did that too! The engine tries to turn but just won't get there...I'm guessing maybe a dead battery? A bike riding friend of mine said if the horn still works the battery isn't dead, and the horn did work when I tried it...so I'm just not sure what to think now. I know a pretty fair amount about car engines and am still learning about bikes. I just bought my GZ in June.

The bike is a 2001 model and I know it sat a lot with the previous owner (only had 1800 miles when I bought it)... so who knows if the battery has ever been replaced. I have a charger and he showed me how to use it, should I try that? (I've been hesitant since there's no outlet outside of my house and I'm afraid of using an extension cord with the charger)

Also, and maybe I should have mentioned this earlier...but I didn't get the cover on it in time for a pretty big downpour we had here recently...it was out in the rain for a day or so...could this have done permanent damage? On that note, is it ever ok to leave your bike out in the rain? I mean, it happens, right?

It's a perfect weekend for riding, I'm frustrated!!! Any tips are appreciated :roll:

Ava

[music man]

First of all, I am scared of your friends advice if he thinks that just because the horn honks that the battery isn't too dead to start your bike. It takes a very minimal amount of energy to honk the horn on anything, especially the little roadrunner horn on the GZ, BEEP BEEP!.


Second, no the rain should not permanently damage your bike, not only does mine get rained on, I ride it in the rain sometimes. I am not saying that water can't get into to things and have a bad effect on them but normally occasionally getting rained on shouldn't harm your bike, (you wash it with water right?) That being said you could have gotten a contact or something wet that is affecting the electrical system, but I doubt it.

And yes your battery might be dead, if your engine just won't turn over. you could take the battery out and hook it up to a charger closer to the house, you could jump start it, you could push start it, you could get a heavy gauge extension cord for your charger, or you could take the battery out and take it and have it tested. My suggestion would be to either try and charge it or take it and have it tested.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by hot_lava

1) so I know to turn the fuel valve to the "PRI" setting just to start it then putting it back to "ON" when it's been sitting...

2) The engine tries to turn but just won't get there...I'm guessing maybe a dead battery?

3) I have a charger and he showed me how to use it, should I try that?

A classic worn out battery story if there ever was one.
It is probably the original and is WELL beyond it's useful life.

1) Actually, you should set the valve to PRI and leave it there for at least a few minutes BEFORE you try to start it.

2) The "horn" test is ...mmmm...BS, at best. You appear to have more savy than your "friend". :roll:

3) What capacity is the charger? It's likely that it will draw no more than a large light bulb and would be safe to use with all but the cheapest and thinest extension cords. If the charger capacity is 3 amps or more, a couple of hours should be enough to get it going; if you are really in a pinch, a half hour might be barely enough.

Charge it and ride it to the nearest "real" battery store, where they can test the battery and your charging system, probably for free. Take about $90 with you. GZ batteries are not cheap!!

[5th_bike]

Originally Posted by hot_lava

My little GZ sits for a week or two at a time sometimes, depending on the weather and my schedule...so I know to turn the fuel valve to the "PRI" setting just to start it then putting it back to "ON" when it's been sitting...

I don't thimk it is necessary to put it to "pri" after it has been sitting for two weeks. I used mine quite regularly every two weeks last winter, and never had to switch the petcock to "pri".

To keep the battery up and running I think you should ride it for at least half an hour, te recharge the load that starting cost you. Just having it sit and idle for a bit will not recharge your battery sufficiently.

[Dupo]

1. Put that battery on a charger. NOT a car charger. Make sure it is one made to charge motorcycle batteries. A trickle charger is best. If you are going to let it sit, put it on the trickle charger. Best one to get is the kind that shuts itself off when its done charging. Running an extension cord is fine. It wont hurt anything as long as you are using a orange heavy duty one. Dont use some crappy household extension cord.

2. Putting it to PRI prior to starting does nothing. PRI is for when you run out of fuel. What PRI does is it lets the fuel free flow into the carb. Putting it to PRI for any other reason is not necessary. Pulling out the choke and starting it is all you need to do.

3. musicman is correct. It take VERY little to make a horn beep. Your friend dont know what he's talking about. The battery needs enough juice to start the bike. If its not there .. its not going to start. Ever have a dead battery in a car ... the lights would go on but the battery just made the starter click click click? Now, see #1 and put it on a charger.

4. Rain ... pfff. Mine sits in the rain way too much. Only thing its gonna damage is your chrome.

Bikes for the most part, are just like your car. you said you are familiar with cars ... apply that knowledge to your bike. Carb, pistons, battery, electrical system. Its all basic stuff. Bikes arent much different.

Just remember the most important thing ... get a GOOD charger thats made for bikes. (see link below)

http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L ... 3&tier2=38

The Deltran Battery Tender Junior is much more than a trickle charger. It has a brain.

Lightweight, compact, and fully automatic, the Battery Tender Junior is very easy to use, especially in small spaces. The Junior 12V will keep your battery fully charged so that it's ready to go when you are!

Features and Benefits

    * Perfect for all lead-acid, flooded, or sealed maintenance-free batteries (AGM and gel cell)
    * Complete 4-step charging program: Initialization, Bulk Charge, Absorption Mode, Float Mode
    * Automatically switches to float / maintenance voltage after fully charging the battery
    * If battery voltage drops too far under load, full charger output-power resumes
    * Solid-state, two-color LED indicates stage of charger
    * Sparkproof
    * Reverse-polarity protected

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by 5th_bike

I don't thimk it is necessary to put it to "pri" after it has been sitting for two weeks. I used mine quite regularly every two weeks last winter, and never had to switch the petcock to "pri".

Gas evaporates from the bowl MUCH more quickly in the summer time !! :biggrin:

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Dupo

1. Put that battery on a charger. NOT a car charger.

2. Putting it to PRI prior to starting does nothing.

OK, time for a fight. Put 'em up !! :skull: :biggrin:

A bike battery is just a small car battery. Any "good" modern battery charger WILL work just fine for a bike battery, if used occasionally to recover the battery from an "oops" and if used with a little sense.......like disconnecting it when the charging current drops off.
For this kind of use, if you already have a "car" charger, there is ABSOLUTLEY no reason to buy another one. NONE.

Now, if you want something to keep the battery charged over a storage period, then you need a "Battery Tender" type of charger which is automatic and has a "float" mode. Getting one specifically labeled for motorcycle use is OK but, again, not necessary as long as it is designed to float the battery for storage. And, incidentally, using a "motorcycle" charger on a car battery is OK too but it might take longer to charge if the battery is dead.

12 volts is 12 volts. Doesn't matter what size package it comes in. One exception: You should NOT ***NEVER*** use a large shop charger on a motorcycle battery if it has a "Start" setting. Using that setting connected to a bike battery can boil it quickly and cause all kinds of problems.

Carb and PRIme: If the bike has not been run for a while, the gas in the carb bowl tends to evaporate. Setting it to PRIme can make starting a LOT easier, as there isn't enough vacuum during cranking to open the petcock when it's on ON or RES.

[Dupo]

I used a car charger for an 'oops' .... the output from it was too much ... blew my LEDs.

Purchased a GOOD battery tender/charger (like the one in the link i provided). Never had a problem again. Good reason to buy one ..... two words ... quick disconnect.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Dupo

I used a car charger for an 'oops' .... the output from it was too much ... blew my LEDs.

Blew WHAT LED's ???
If you had the ignition turned ON during the charge, it is hardly the charger's fault !!! :biggrin:

[Dupo]

My purple lighting LED's. Blew them right out.