piece of **** Italian *****

I've just got in from work and im that pissed off with the bike i've left it on the path and havn't bothered putting it under lock and key whilst I go to bed. With a bit of luck it'l be gone when I get up.

Last night on the way to wrok I stopped for a few mins tried to start the bike and it stuttered, reset the clocks but fired up. I got to work 20 miles later I used a proper multi meter and had 12.8v at the battery.

This morning come to ride it home check the volts and they were fine, try and fire it up and within seconds the battery goes below 9 volts and resets the clocks again and won't start.

I had to get a jump start off a work mates car so I didn't risk buggering the sprag clutch.

The bike lives on an optimate when at home, the battery is less than 12 months old and is a 14a batt. Im not sure what solenoid is in it but a higher amparage isn't going to help as the motor isn't really getting chance enough to fire before the battery dies.
The thing is though the bike doesn't always do this, a few weeks back I was away in the caravan and the bike lived in the awning for a week and started fine even after a week of being away from the optimate.
2 times in the last month the bike has gone **** up and needed to be jump started.

The bike has never been a good starter, but if I can't sort it im going to break it over the winter and buy a jap il4.

the bike does appear to be charging the battery btw, using the piece of crap aprilia volt meter its charging at about 13.4 volts

Are you annoyed Gaz lol

Someone will be able to tell you for sure what the problem is.

Sorry Gaz,

I did laugh when I read that, purely because of how wound up you are.

I share your pain though, when these bikes **** up they really do it well.

Did iy get nicked BTW?

I would have expected to see around 13.8 volts on charging.

First plan of attack is to check all your electrical connections at the battery, starter motor, relays etc...... Look for them being loose and being dirty or having a film on them, best thing to do is to remove them all clean them up and then refit them ensuring they are tight. Pop down to Halfords or your local motor factor and buy some battery terminal grease, apply liberally to the battery posts. Wurth do a really good one, it's in a spray can and it's blue when it comes out, I've used it for many years.

One thing I did when I first bought my bike was to pull apart all the electrical connectors, yes all of them and clean the terminals up and stuff the whole connector full of Dow Corning electrical grease (see here)

Once that's done see how it all goes, always worth remembering that just because a battery is under 12 months old it doesn't necessarily mean that it hasn't failed. Worth getting it tested, if it fails they should replace it under parts warranty.

Dude was going thru the same thing newish battery etc, one shot to start before it died bla blah...:rant solenid was on its way out AND the battery was not up to it (cranking power) Took the battery and solenoid off my Tuono project. Since doing this I have not used my optimate once! It starts bang on the button, the clocks have not reset once.

I was getting well pissed off too man, I use my bike for work and it MUST start.

I will check those 'new' bits for markings later, and post um.

IL4 dude...! **** THAT.

Could be worse. Your ECU could be blowing up every set of coils you put on it and Aprilia could be dragging their heals for 5 months and trying to refuse to replace the ECU and Coils under warranty..

I would like to know how an ECU could "blowing up every set of coils you put on it"?

And they last a little while before the ECU blows them up again?

And five months?

Something doesn't sound right.

And Gaz
Big V twins kill batteries....

being Aprilia's, BMW, Guzzi, Ducati, TL'r's etc

Get used to it.

it depends on the year of the bike, i just had the same issue, i had a hell of time starting the damn thing, got a new 14v battery, YTX14BS, and the bike hasn't had a problem yet, it started like it was off the show room floor.

Get a stronger battery and take a few more bucks and get a higher relay so you dont blow them with the stonger battery!

got nothing to loose if the battery you have now is bad except yor patience.

Just been out all afternoon on mine and I stopped after an hour or so for a ciggy for 5 mins. Wen't to start her up and the clocks reset and the rev counter needle bounced about around the bottom for a couple of secs then the bike fired into life conplete with km/h showing and the clock reset.

Stopped and started the bike various times afterwards over the next 2 hours and it sharted up first time no worries.

Battery on the dash now with the bike switched off is showing 12.5v Just reset the clocks and set the time and job done. I've bought an optimate which is sat in the local post office awaiting pickup so will be getting the bike hooked upto that asap and see what gives.

Bit quirky that today but I can live with it

i know where you're coming from
as you all know on here ive had tonnes of starting problems.
anyhow last week the sprag clutch went so its in the garage getting fixed

well it would be only the garage cant get the fly wheel out with the puller......
so i've got to call back on wednesday to see if he's got it out when his new puller comes
he even commented on how many problems ive had with the bike, said he's never known one like it before

i'm currently todling around on a Z750 he leant me whilst it gets sorted

Check the connections as said above. one litre twins will vibrate the most secure of connections loose. Take off the battery leads, clean them and replace with a smidge of loctite then coat them in batt terminal grease. Worth a go. It worked on my bike and no probs since.

Mine used to to this when i first got it, usually at a filling station when engine warm (bike already had new varta batt/solanoid) then found out it was me! - when engine was warm i was pushing starter and just tweaking throttle slightly without realising, you must not touch throttle at all - when cold use cold start lever when warm just push starter if it still won't fire up either your tickover is to slow or tb's out of sync!
THE reason this happens is this -when the engine is being cranked and you move throttle the tps moves off 0 and the ecu advances the engine ignition timing a lot this causes it to fire before piston is at tdc resulting in a kick back which usually kills battery for couple of seconds and so resets dash
If you use cold start your setting tps position off 0 but before engine is being cranked so ecu is not suddenly advancing ign. timming

or
The instantaneous current draw from the battery on initial turn over is massive.
Over a few hundred amps
The normal amps needed to continue the crank over drops down.

This is normal for any motor.
Example is an old mini motor (1000cc , 1275cc) initial current draw is over 400amps.

Japanese motors, (high compression) generally geared the starter down a far bit, Starter motor spins faster, less current draw but the initial draw is still over 200-300amps.

Big V twins with high compression, built for weight reduction ie racing.
The battery to starter motor cable is thinner. ie more resistance, less current capable.
The battery charging wire is thin too.
The regulator connector, if a bad contact (loose/corroded) the current to charge the battery is reduced.
The resistance in the connector gives off heat. ie melts.

I think there a Falco mod that upgrades these wires too.

pagan said:

I would like to know how an ECU could "blowing up every set of coils you put on it"?

And they last a little while before the ECU blows them up again?

And five months?

Something doesn't sound right.

And Gaz
Big V twins kill batteries....

being Aprilia's, BMW, Guzzi, Ducati, TL'r's etc

Get used to it.

Click to expand...

The short story is..
Bike starts mis firing at higher revs.
Then the Bike only runs on 1 Cylinder.
Dealer changes Coils. Doesn't fix it. No Change.
Dealer scratches head so I get P*ssed off and take it elsewhere.
Another Dealer Changes ECU. Didn't Fix it.
Then he changes Coils again. Bingo it Runs fine.
Puts my old ECU Back on assuming it was the coils again.
Fires it back up and Coils have gone again.
So every time you start the bike it blows the coils instantly. The bike has eaten my original coils, a new set under warranty and then another dealers spare set of coils.
My bike now needs a new ECU and a new set of coils.
Another warranty claim put in that was rejected due to the computer system not having the correct up to date service history. Service history proved with scanned copies of invoices and service book.
Aprilia Italy need to confirm the warranty claim but the dealer is struggling to sort it out as the UK department can't override the Italy descision.
The bike Went onto 1 Cylinder in May. It is still sat at the dealer with no ECU or Coil pack.
Complaint made to Aprilia customer services last month.
I will phone up the dealer today and see WTF is happening now!
So I agree with "piece of **** Italian ***** " :jack

TarkMalbot said:

The short story is..
Bike starts mis firing at higher revs.
Then the Bike only runs on 1 Cylinder.
Dealer changes Coils. Doesn't fix it. No Change.
Dealer scratches head so I get P*ssed off and take it elsewhere.
Another Dealer Changes ECU. Didn't Fix it.
Then he changes Coils again. Bingo it Runs fine.
Puts my old ECU Back on assuming it was the coils again.
Fires it back up and Coils have gone again.
So every time you start the bike it blows the coils instantly. The bike has eaten my original coils, a new set under warranty and then another dealers spare set of coils.
My bike now needs a new ECU and a new set of coils.
Another warranty claim put in that was rejected due to the computer system not having the correct up to date service history. Service history proved with scanned copies of invoices and service book.
Aprilia Italy need to confirm the warranty claim but the dealer is struggling to sort it out as the UK department can't override the Italy descision.
The bike Went onto 1 Cylinder in May. It is still sat at the dealer with no ECU or Coil pack.
Complaint made to Aprilia customer services last month.
I will phone up the dealer today and see WTF is happening now!
So I agree with "piece of **** Italian ***** " :jack

Click to expand...

Have you tried changing the spark plug leads/plugs?

Also name the dealers who cannot fix it!
Someone else may have more info on the dealer............

bit of an update. No scum bags pinched it so I had a look at it. The negative lead was working loose tightened it up and the bike fired up straight away.

Knocked it off and fired it up again and the battery had lost a lot of its oomph and wouldn't start it.

So i'm not really sure if I fixed it. The problem is if it doesn't start 1st prod their isn't enought juice in the battery to get it going.]

I left it off the optimate last night and have just started it with my multimeter taking readings.

It was 12.6 volts before turning the ignition on the battery dropped to 11.8 volts

1st go at starting dropped the battery down to 10v whilst cranking, It didn't start.

Battery recovered with the ignition off to 12.4 volts had another prod at the starter and it dropped to 9 volts whilst cranking

Knocked the ignition off and the battery recovered to 12.2 volts. The battery dropped to 8 volts just as the bike fired but didn't reset the clocks.
The bike then charged at 13.3 volts.

It must be a poor battery, even though its only a few months old. I'll change the starter relay too whilst im at it and give all conections a good clean.


Thanks for all your help

High resistance in any DC circuit is a killer matey..it all adds up, and can make a real difference on these beautiful italian bikes maaate

check the model of the battery
is it a YTX14BS or a YTX12BS. Mine is the latter and its getting changed for a YTX14BS as i believe this is the source of a lot of misery too

WHEN I EVENTUALLY GET THE BIKE BACK THAT IS!!!!!!!

You can alway fit a YTZ14S-BS battery. This gives much more cold start cranking amps compared to a YTX14-BS. Might be worth a shout if you're still having starting probs. I believe you need to do a small mod to make it fit correctly.

Badger i think knows more on this.