Posts
8077
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Mesa, AZ
US
Edited Date/Time
8/29/2018 9:01am
So I'm preparing for our annual Hwy1 ride and wash my bike.
I go to start it and it makes a weird pop, then the gauges go all crazy and it DIES!
I managed to jumpstart it off my KTM and the bike is running like crap and the gauges are all going wacky!
I'm thinking maybe water got in somewhere and is shorting it out even though I am real careful when washing.
The first battery pictured is ONLY three months old as I had to buy three (two for my Jet-ski's) back in late May. I got Deka batteries from AutoZone for those but they did not have one for my FZ.
The guys on the FZ forum recommended these cheapo batteries off the Interweb and I got it delivered to my door for $35. The Deka's were $90 and the previous Deka's lasted three years.
So seeing how I'm running out of time I called up Batteries Plus and they had this in stock with a 1 yr warranty and I was also anxious to know if that was the problem.
Installed it and fired right up--whew that was close and lesson learned on buying cheapo batteries even though this one doesn't look much different.
Sure would hate to get stranded out there on Hwy 1 that would have been a nightmare....
I go to start it and it makes a weird pop, then the gauges go all crazy and it DIES!
I managed to jumpstart it off my KTM and the bike is running like crap and the gauges are all going wacky!
I'm thinking maybe water got in somewhere and is shorting it out even though I am real careful when washing.
The first battery pictured is ONLY three months old as I had to buy three (two for my Jet-ski's) back in late May. I got Deka batteries from AutoZone for those but they did not have one for my FZ.
The guys on the FZ forum recommended these cheapo batteries off the Interweb and I got it delivered to my door for $35. The Deka's were $90 and the previous Deka's lasted three years.
So seeing how I'm running out of time I called up Batteries Plus and they had this in stock with a 1 yr warranty and I was also anxious to know if that was the problem.
Installed it and fired right up--whew that was close and lesson learned on buying cheapo batteries even though this one doesn't look much different.
Sure would hate to get stranded out there on Hwy 1 that would have been a nightmare....
I'm going to assume you know this but others may not... motorcycles don't charge their batteries as well as cars do. You don't really get a charge from riding the bike; maybe just a "maintain status" charge. Therefore, the batteries die out pretty quick.
It really helps to get a battery tender or other "smart" charger and just leave it connected in your garage.
After the light turns green on the charger I disconnect them will not leave the house with one on.
I use the one with the lowest amperage output available the battery tender junior puts out .075 amps.
Also heat is really hard on batteries and it can get about 110 in the garage for most of the summer.
I just think that $35 special was a defective unit some of the guys on the FZ Forum claim they got four years out of them I don't know how that's possible but I won't buy one again.
Post a reply to: Crisis avoided