Hey. So just got a 999, love the bike, but got it 1 week ago and this morning for work it will not start... It turns very heavily and slowly (maybe the battery?) a couple times, then the clock turns completely off as well as the front light and stop turning, clocks turns iteself back on and if I try again same thing again. It might be the battery do you think? while riding the batt shows about 13.6 charge, I took it for a 400 mile ride on Saturday and it would not go higher than that. While stationary and the bike is off the batt shows about 11.6, after the long rinde it would not go higher than 11.8. Any advise? Does it sound like it could be the battery? If you think it's the battery, what are good brands of batteries to buy? Thanks ahead of time.
Definately sounds battery to me, Mine doesnt start below 12.6 from cold , OEM battery is fine if your replacing .
Don't buy a new battery, buy an optimate and give it a few hours on charge. Also fit a secondary earthing lead from the negative terminal on the battery to any random point on the bikes frame. I had the same problems as you and with a secondary earth it'll turn over just lovely from as low as 11.6
+1 to what Peter says. Hopefully it isn't a charging issue. Some folks say get an Optimate to keep the new battery well looked-after ... a few say don't bother. I say that since I started using a battery tender, I haven't had battery problems. And since beefing up earth lead off the battery, I've had no starting problems, either! (Bugger, I've just jinxed myself) Edit: Ninja'd by Tom! Word of caution, the Optimate may not be able to recondition that old battery but if you're buying one anyway, why not give it a try?
Hey, Sorry, havent done this before. So just run a piece of wire from the -'ve on the batt to any point on the frame of the bike? and buy an optimate? or if i get a new battery, will the problem repeat? Looking on ebay There does not seem to be too many optimates, they seem to run about £50. Do you know which model to get for a 999, and if there is a better place to find one? Thanks,
sorry one more... reading on the optimate, seems that it's a glorified charger is that correct? It's not something I necessarily install into the bike, it's something I charge the battery with, which then fixes the battery?
Pretty much right. The Optimate is an intelligent charger which means you can leave it switched on and connected to the battery whenever you aren't riding the bike. Once fully charged, the Optimate won't over-charge the battery so much better than an old-fashioned unit.
CTEK is a better product IMO. I (like many Duc owners) keep their bike topped up on one. These bike twins need a lot of juice to turnover, if the bike doesn't catch first / second go and your battery is less than 100%.... You're out! Think monitor/trickle charger, rather than charger. I have this one. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-CTEK-...76?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item1c2db7eab0
The secondary earth is just a wire connected to the -ve battery terminal on one end and on my bike I put the other end on an engine case bolt. I promise you this transformed my bike from an absolute pig to start to a dream. Then everything else started going wrong but it wasn't due to a shoddy earth
Thanks, that looks about 1/2 price than the Optimate... is it 1/2 the quality? I'm assuming it's safe to plug in each time I'm not riding? Will the earth Loz mentioned cause any problems while charging or should it be ok ?
Had mine for a few years and no probs. Up to you which one you buy of course...:smile: Yes - just attach and forget.
As I need the bike for commuting, I cant really order online and wait a month ... I'll pop to halfords on Lunch, I noticed they have the right battery for my bike, a Bosch one, i've noticed some good reviews by 999 owners. It's only £10 more than on ebay, so might as well get it. Found out I dont have electricity in my garage... -_- we are buying a house and moving soon so I will have one then. For now I hope the new battery and I'll do the earth trick, will suffice. Once in the new place I'll get a trickle charger. Thanks all. I'll let you know later if it was the battery in fact... I sure hope so, fingers crossed.
Thats good, and it'll all be fine with the new battery, an optimate is a good tool for battery maintance , but it depends on how much you use your bike. If it's used all year round on a nearly daily basis the bikes own alternator will look after the battery.
If you still have charge over 11.5 on the battery try the earth trick now and I bet you it'll start. My 749 was a nightmare prior to the cable but I've had it start on as low as 11.4 before. It also costs about 20p and could save you a trip to halfords
Thanks, I will try that, though I think the battery needs replacing regardless, can you by chance tell me which would be better to get? Halfords near by offers a Bosch one for £54 and a local motorcycle store offers a Motobat one for £59, any of those better quality? Thanks,
I don't have an answer to this. They're all much of a muchness if they're the same type (gel, lithium etc...) I thought. Without an earth cable you might still have trouble starting even with a new battery.
I'll take both of your advice and get a new battery and earth it. Any comments on which may be better? here is the bosch one Halfords | Bosch M6 019 AGM (YT12B-BS) Motorcycle Battery and here is the motobat one MotoBatt MBT12B4 - YT12B-BS - Yuasa Battery Replacements - OEM
