Joined May 2008
684 Posts | 0+
Falkirk, Scotland
Hi folks, not been on here for ages as I've been too busy to ride the bike. It's been sat since April last year and hasn't turned a wheel or been started since then. I had a new battery fitted last year in February and then put the bike off the road and declared SORN on it as I knew I would have little time to ride it during the course of 2012.
Anyway, it hasn't been connected up to an Optimate during that time so I plugged my Datatool Charger into it yesterday and it went to 'Absorb' straight away. Stayed like that for about 16 hours then finally switched to 'Maintain' with a green light. I gave it until this morning and tried starting it. Thought I had struck gold as it fired up on fast idle and sat there for about 30 seconds idling away but then spluttered and died. It then tries firing on the first thumb of the starter and almost catches but then dies. Then it just turns over and over. I can hear the fuel pump making a noise in the tank so I assume it is priming. Was wary of screwing the sprag so didn't persevere too long although it seemed like the bike would happily let me try all day. Battery is showing on the bike volt readout as around 12.4v to start with, dropping to about 8 or 9v as you try and start it then climbing back up to 12.4v again. Also, as it dips down to about 9v, the low fuel warning light starts to flash on and off in time with the starting. I should also add that understandably after repeated attempts at this there is a very strong smell of fuel particularly from the exhausts.
I'm bricking it trying to get the bloody thing to catch and fire up. What do you reckon?. Is it just a case of needing a new battery?.
Anyway, it hasn't been connected up to an Optimate during that time so I plugged my Datatool Charger into it yesterday and it went to 'Absorb' straight away. Stayed like that for about 16 hours then finally switched to 'Maintain' with a green light. I gave it until this morning and tried starting it. Thought I had struck gold as it fired up on fast idle and sat there for about 30 seconds idling away but then spluttered and died. It then tries firing on the first thumb of the starter and almost catches but then dies. Then it just turns over and over. I can hear the fuel pump making a noise in the tank so I assume it is priming. Was wary of screwing the sprag so didn't persevere too long although it seemed like the bike would happily let me try all day. Battery is showing on the bike volt readout as around 12.4v to start with, dropping to about 8 or 9v as you try and start it then climbing back up to 12.4v again. Also, as it dips down to about 9v, the low fuel warning light starts to flash on and off in time with the starting. I should also add that understandably after repeated attempts at this there is a very strong smell of fuel particularly from the exhausts.
I'm bricking it trying to get the bloody thing to catch and fire up. What do you reckon?. Is it just a case of needing a new battery?.
lus:
