Got back from Korea and I started to have problems with the bike. I've had the bike die on me twice since I got back 3 weeks ago. At first I thought it was fuel delivery because she wouldn't rev higher than 2k without choke on. With choke on she "pushed" past the 2k and I could turn choke off. 3 times I had trouble starting her right after filling her up with gas.

But now I am thinking that my battery is either very weak or it has something to do with the infamous rectifier on these F3s. I know the symptoms of a dead battery and such but I do not know the symptoms of a bad R/R. I touch the R/R and it gets hot to touch but it's not like anything is melting or wires are fired.

I was fortunate to have my bike die on me when I am on a hill. The bike wouldn't start but I could do a roll on jump start. I press the starter and you hear the click click click of the battery. Dead battery. But I do a roll on start and she fires right up and I have no problems after that. Been about 5 days since that ride and I just started her up today and she turns on great!

Never had problems starting her up in the morning.

I don't think it's the battery. The battery is only a year old. And I know that shiet is charged. The first time my bike died on me at a light, I had ridden the thing for 30 minutes on the freeway. But I go into the city and stop at a light and the thing just immediately shuts off. No sign of bogging or sluggishness. But like I said I was riding her on the freeway about 5 minutes ago and she was perfect. I roll on jump start her and I get home no probs.

Does anyone have an idea on what might be wrong?

If my regulator is bad are there physical symptoms I can see on the regulator? Fried wires? What can I do to make sure it is either a regulator or the battery.
Please teach me about the regulator.

What tests should I do or things should I look for?

Thank you.

Edit:


hey thanks for the help jacko! greatly appreciate it.

Update:

Went out yesterday after opening up the seat and looking at the battery. No physical signs of problems. I start her up (first time in like 5 days), and she turns on no problem. I turn her off and start her again, again no problem. I gear up and go for a ride on the freeway. Ride about 20 minutes and stop at friends place. I turn bike off and chat with my friend for about 5 minutes. Time to go, I press the starter and ergh ergh ergh sound. Weak battery. Nearly dead. WTF...all my lights are working great though. So I find a hill and do a roll on jump start. She starts fine and I ride home in 15 minutes. I stop and turn off. I turn her back on and she has no problem starting! Repeat, no problems.

Ugh, the battery seems to be fking wtih my mind. At first the battery gives me no trouble and cranks and cranks. But 20 minutes later it is deader than dead. Then 15 minutes later it is resurrected in all its previous glory! What is going on please help!

 

there are no physical signs on the rectifier but its not that anyways as a bad rectifier just stops your battery charging properly you can check your battery for physical signs bubbles etcmaybe check for a loose conection coming from the battery as a dead battery would not stop it from running just from starting (no matter how dead aslong as a circuit is not broken) if your rectifier is the original i suggest an aftermarket with fins anyways as it will go

when did you last clean ur engine as you could have two seperate problems here

erm before going out and buying parts check the different parts with a volt meter friendly mechanics wil test it for you for free if their nice enuff

if it turns out to be your rectifier you are meant to change three things the rectifier and battery being two cant remember third sorry

iv rambled but just thought mine does this (it doesnt always start correctly) and my father asked some aircraft electricians who he works with and they said dodgy earth so maybe a major dodgy earth could cause the problem

hope i helped and sorry for bad grammar and spelling

 

hey thanks for the help jacko! greatly appreciate it.

Update:

Went out yesterday after opening up the seat and looking at the battery. No physical signs of problems. I start her up (first time in like 5 days), and she turns on no problem. I turn her off and start her again, again no problem. I gear up and go for a ride on the freeway. Ride about 20 minutes and stop at friends place. I turn bike off and chat with my friend for about 5 minutes. Time to go, I press the starter and ergh ergh ergh sound. Weak battery. Nearly dead. WTF...all my lights are working great though. So I find a hill and do a roll on jump start. She starts fine and I ride home in 15 minutes. I stop and turn off. I turn her back on and she has no problem starting! Repeat, no problems.

Ugh, the battery seems to be fking wtih my mind. At first the battery gives me no trouble and cranks and cranks. But 20 minutes later it is deader than dead. Then 15 minutes later it is resurrected in all its previous glory! What is going on please help!

 

yh i am having the same thing the other day i went to watch super moto racing about 40 miles away started fine going started fine coming back untill a copper pulled me (doin 90 on a 50(it was a big straight) and didnt get anything gotta love it ) and as i went to start after the copper had a word with me it had that half dead sound when the starter motor doesnt spin fast enough so my dad had a word with some electricians he works with and they said to just check all the wires for a bad earth i cant be bothered as it only does it now and then on mine but sounds like yours is worse than mine good look on finding the bad earth/loose connection

i know its not rectifier as the battery wouldnt re-charge if that was gone

 

Have you checked the voltage to make sure you are pumping out the proper amount?

 

bad earth = bad ground right?

I will check all wires once again! btw where is the grounding wire on my bike?


Bammer:

can't find my volt meter >_<

 

****ty

 

ok did a multimeter test

12.7 volts key off

12 volts engine idle

14 volts 2,500 RPM

14.1 volts 5,000 RPM


According to http://www.offwidth.co.uk/bike/gener...lt_finding.pdf

my charging system is "Perfectly OK". So wtf is going on?! ^^

 

Maybe you do have a loose wire, or a connection plug going bad?

 

unfortunatly a bad earth is not a bad ground wire it is just a wire that is earthing the electrical currant so i suggest two ways to find the bad earth

first and fastest way:
check wires close to any moving parts starting from the back to the front of the bike also check any wires held to frame etc so just checking things that are next to things able to rub on and wigling connections to make sure they are in correct

second slowest yet fool proof way:
start from your battery checking every single wire for the rubber coating being worn away at any part of the wire whilst also undoing and re connecting each connection and checking there is no problem with the connection

second way needs a devoted day or two if you are slow
first needs a couple hours depending how well you know your bikes wiring loom

you sound intelligent so i dont need to say be carefull of which connections you pull out and think of wether its going to reconnect again (mainly put this for any idiots that may read this)

you could find it right next to your battery or next to your clocks but hopefully it is obvious enough for you to spot

good luck