Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

Hello All,

Hope everything is going well. I have a 1996 Honda CBR 600 F3. I know there are already a couple of posts on starting trouble, but I have a different question.

A couple of weeks back, when I tried to start my bike, it just wouldn't. Based on the symptoms, I guessed that it might be my battery and called my friend to jump-start my battery. Sure enough, my bike started and I drove several miles, turned the engine off and re-started my bike-no problem.

From that point on, my bike started everytime I started and was running great. Today, I was driving and when I stopped at a "stop-sign", my bike suddenly turned off and I wasn't able to start again. After few tries, it seemed like the battery was dead again. I called my friend to jump-start my battery and sure enough, it worked.

Now, I haven't had this bike for a long and I don't know much. Is my battery dead?? Why did my bike stop when I was actually driving? Based on my experience with my car, the battery should be charged when I drive. The bike today actually started without any problem, but turned off when I was driving.

Is there a problem with the wiring of my bike or fuse probably or is it my battery?

Please let me know so I can decide if I have to purchase a new battery. I really appreciate your help.

Please do respond.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

RE: Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

um.. charge your battery just dont jump it lol... bike batterys are pretty small and they can run down if you try to turn it over too much
also if your bike sits for a long time the battery can lose its charge.
i bought a small trickle battery charger from auto zone for pretty cheap; if it still goes dead after charging your battery you might want to check your regulator/rectifier thingy mc bober. i hear those go out all the times on our bike.

RE: Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

Actually.. you have to drive for a long time at hiway speeds to charge the battery.. putzing around town aint gonna do it.. If you jump started it off a car, chances are the regulator went bad and it's not charging the battery at all.. Went thru the same thing.. start by taking the battery out and charging it, then get a voltmeter and check the voltage with the bike off, and then with it running at about 4000rpms.. If the voltage is the same when the bike is off, the regulator is faulty.. I've seen bikes where the voltage will be slightly higher, like .5V and the regulator is still bad.. should be pushing 13.7 or higher when at 4000RPMS..

RE: Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

Thank you Downforce137 & cbr_newbie for your quick responses. Actually, I did drive in the freeway after jump-starting the battery and now it starts fine; I tried switching off a couple of times and re-started it. Now that you mention, I did charge the battery with my friends car the first time. So chances are the regulator went bad and it's not charging the battery at all.

Now, if that is the case, what do I do? If I change the battery will that take care of the problem or do I have to change the regulator? I am not sure, so please let me know. Will it be a good idea to change the battery anyways so I don't have a problem?

If the regulator is bad, what do I do? Please let me know.

Appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance.

Regards,

RE: Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

you need to test to see if the regulator is bad.. It's also called rectifier by some people.. basically it regulates the charge from the stator to the battery.. SO..

As i said get a voltmeter and put it on your FULLY CHARGED battery.. take a reading.. Then start the bike, and hold it at about 4000RPMS, and take another reading.. if it's only .5V higher than when the bike was off, chances are the regulator/rectifier is cooked.. The regulator is under the right rear side panel and is bolted to the subframe with two white connectors coming outta it. :)

RE: Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

you can also check the regulator/reflicitor with a volt/ohms meter they are pretty cheap from a local car store, i stole mine from my ex-girlfriends dad, lol.

RE: Need help-CBR F3 Starting Trouble
 

Changing the battery would just be a waste of money. If the regulator is bad, than your battery isnt charging properly, so if you get a new battery, the same problem will persist. Change the regulator before you change the battery. They have them on ebay from 50-110 bux.