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My mechanic said these are good, but, you can never tell when the tender goes bad. It will still show a green light...
Your battery tender and voltage indicator are probably still good and do the job they are designed to do - check and maintain voltage. However, your battery may no longer be able to deliver enough current necessary to crank your motorcycle. You could do a load test (current draw test) to determine the health of your battery.

Revzilla has an article "How to test a motorcycle battery" that may help.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Your battery tender and voltage indicator are probably still good and do the job they are designed to do - check and maintain voltage. However, your battery may no longer be able to deliver enough current necessary to crank your motorcycle. You could do a load test (current draw test) to determine the health of your battery.

Revzilla has an article "How to test a motorcycle battery" that may help.
Thank you.
 
Hi guys..thought I'd give my 2 cents worth. First I'd take battery to get it checked. Sometimes you get a defective battery that dies sooner than it should. 2nd trace battery cables and make sure everything is tight and clean. These two are the most common problems. 3rd could be bad celenoid. 4th if all else fails take it to a mechanic. Hope it's an easy fix. Please let us know what the problem was because it helps others that might get the problem.
Good luck 👍
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Hi guys..thought I'd give my 2 cents worth. First I'd take battery to get it checked. Sometimes you get a defective battery that dies sooner than it should. 2nd trace battery cables and make sure everything is tight and clean. These two are the most common problems. 3rd could be bad celenoid. 4th if all else fails take it to a mechanic. Hope it's an easy fix. Please let us know what the problem was because it helps others that might get the problem.
Good luck 👍
💯 will...I had done the obvious checklist, i.e. corroded or loose battery cables, etc.
Have an appointment on 10/5 with my Honda mechanic to get it fully checked out.
I trust them and they do good work at a fair price. Unfortunately, that is the earliest that they could fit me in...
I just hate to get it towed there and pay that fee. My insurance will cover half of it...they are 30 miles away, but, I wouldn't trust anyone else...I want to make sure that it's just the battery and nothing else. Planning some long foliage trips this fall.
Will keep the community posted.
Thanks to all for your help and insight...
 
I want to make sure that it's just the battery and nothing else.
An alternative is to remove the battery, take it to an auto parts store, and have it tested for free. My local Advance Auto store's automotive battery load test equipment does also test motorcycle batteries.
 
Another alternative is just to replace the battery. I recently picked up a Parts Unlimited one from a local cycle shop for ~$110, shopping for convenience rather than price. Worst case, your old battery was OK, but it was mature anyhow and you've replenished it; best case is you're back on the road. Isn't this gamble worth it when compared to the $ and headache of transporting your bike to the shop? Batteries go dead!
 
Discussion starter · #28 ·
Another alternative is just to replace the battery. I recently picked up a Parts Unlimited one from a local cycle shop for ~$110, shopping for convenience rather than price. Worst case, your old battery was OK, but it was mature anyhow and you've replenished it; best case is you're back on the road. Isn't this gamble worth it when compared to the $ and headache of transporting your bike to the shop? Batteries go dead!
I want to get it checked out fully to ensure it's just not a battery issue or are there any other underlying factors that either caused it to go bad or contributed to it. I take long trips and don't want to be stuck somewhere. It's piece of mind. I can change a battery. To each his own.✌
 
We used to use the same tender. Until 1 spring all 3 of the bikes we were rotating it on had dead batteries. All 3 batteries were boiled dry. End of that tender. Used a Honda optimate ever since, all batteries fine.
Keep an eye on your tenders folks, they aren't fool-proof.
 
Just because the battery reads 12.5 volts or even 13 volts AFTER it comes off the charger, doesnt mean it has the power (amps) to turn the engine.
That is what a load test does. It test the ability of the battery to put out amps. Enough amps to start the engine.
Right after a charge the volts will look good, even very good. If you wait a few minutes those volts might just drop down to where your thinking something is up.
As a battery ages the ability to supply those big amps to turn a engine decreases. And then when you press the starts button all you get is a click.
 
Yes sir, three years on a battery is quite common. However, it is not unusal for a high quality battery to fail in less time. Checking the voltage under load (shile starting) is the way to go. Or, take the bike to an auto parts store (e.g., Autozone, O'Reilly, etc.) and have them test the battery for free. Cheers!
 
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You can get one of those inexpensive battery load testers at Harbor Freight to test your battery from time to time. With the DCT you can be in a pickle if you are trying to get home from some desolate area and your bike won't start. As someone mentioned earlier, just change the battery every three years, whether or not it works and avoid being stranded.
 
You can get one of those inexpensive battery load testers at Harbor Freight to test your battery from time to time. With the DCT you can be in a pickle if you are trying to get home from some desolate area and your bike won't start. As someone mentioned earlier, just change the battery every three years, whether or not it works and avoid being stranded.
Or you can carry an inexpensive Lithium Booster pack for when that time comes. You only need a very small one for a motorbike.
 
Discussion starter · #37 ·
Hi,
I have a 2014 CTX700ND. I replaced my original battery with a Yuasa YTZ12s in late February 2019. Took it on a 300 mile trip about a month ago with no issues...and no prior issues. Also, use a battery tender, when not in use.
Yesterday, I hopped on and all the starter button did was "click." But, it would not start.
Checked to make sure it was not user error, i.e. kill switch, etc.
I waited 6 hours, then, tried again. It started 3 times in a row. But, didn't try to ride it.
I tried again this morning. Started 3 times in a row. Then, wouldn't start on the 4th try or after that. I've continued to try starting all day today, but, still only get the "click."
I find it hard to believe it's a battery issue at 3 and a half years old?
The oil light remained on, but, I think that is because the engine didn't start, not an oil pressure issue.
I'm kinda stumped. Any insight from the community would be appreciated.
As a footnote, I'm not mechanically inclined, (looking for a blown fuse, etc.) but, get my bike serviced every year before the riding season starts.
Thanks for your help.
Here's my update. My Honda mechanic checked it out fully. It is a dead battery.
Glad it wasn't any other issue causing a drain on my battery.....Had a lengthy conversation with him. I bought the bike brand new in 2014. The battery (Yuasa) lasted almost 5 years. They replaced it and the same battery lasted about 3 and a half years.
My mechanic stated that Yuasa are the best and he has been seeing alot of batteries (including Yuasa) brought to the shop failing after 2 years.
I told him I keep mine on a battery tender, etc. He said it doesn't matter. Also, I said is there a battery tender that would warn me when the battery is dying. He said no....
He said I did everything correctly, but, unfortunately, you should plan on replacing the battery after 2 years...
So, I took his advice with a grain of salt...2 years is way too short for me...
My biggest beef is why have a battery tender, if it's not going to warn you if there is an issue?
I took my bike on a 250 mile round trip prior. With stops and no issues. The next scheduled trip, it wouldn't start. Glad it wasn't on my prior trip.
Cheers to all that responded with their advice, etc.
 
Battery maintainers attempt to keep the battery's voltage in a certain range, which I'm sure yours did, and it will prolong the life of the battery in those cases (e.g., winter lull) where, without a maintainer, the battery would lose some capacity. They do not provide warnings, beyond the inference to be drawn, say, by noticing that the maintainer has not gone into float mode after a long while, and that's iffy. Every cared-for battery will fail. Period.
 
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