I cant find anyone with my exact problem so Ill ask. Please help!!

I bought my 2001 f4i a month ago and the guy I bought it from said the battery is two years old but he charged it and it works fine. I got it home and it started fine. After riding for about 30 minutes I shut it off and went to start it a couple hours later and nothing. All the lights came on and the fuel pump cycled and it was in neutral but when i pushed the start button the headlight would go off and it wouldnt even try to turn over, it didnt even make a noise.

I figured this was a dead battery so I charged it over night and the same thing happened. It started right up but after riding to work (10 minutes) and turning it off it wouldnt start again. I also noticed when I got to work and put it in neutral before shutting it down, the neutral light wouldnt come on even though it was in neutral. I revved it up to 7k and the neutral light came on and stayed on until I shut it off. This happens every time.

I decided to buy a new battery and recieved it a week ago. I put it in and charged it up and the exact same thing keeps happening. Starts like new, runs with all lights working great, after shutting down it wont start again and headlights go off when trying to start but absolutely no noise. (Neutral light also doesnt come on when in neutral unless its within minutes of charging.) I checked out the wiring and it looks fine from what I can tell (I dont know much about electrical) and didnt see anything clearly exposed where it might be draining the battery.

I called the local Honda and told them and they said to only buy Honda batteries which are more expensive than I wanted to spend. I took my new battery down and had it tested and they said its perfect and isnt the problem. Plus other people I know that use this battery have never had issues with them.

I dont have a voltmeter so I couldnt do that check. I also thought it could be the stator (alternator) but was told that probably wasnt it if the bike was running with all lights and signals working fine.

Ive been told its a wiring issue. Ive been told its the stator or rectifier. Ive been told its the battery. Ive even been told its an ignition issue.

I have been charging the battery every night and after the initial startup I have to push start it whenever I kill it or have to shut it off.

Anyone had this problem or have any idea what it could be??

 

Obvious charging issue. OEM honda batterys are yuasa but any brand of the correct size will work fine.
Your lights are still working because you charge the battery before every trip.. They are made to keep the bike running for a certain amount of time after a charging system failure so you can get somewhere to stop. When the battery won't start the bike do you push start instead? If so then it actually isen't a charging issue. If you can't push start then the stator/rectifier is bad and not providing current.

 

Might be the side-stand switch and/or the clutch lever switch,
if either's bad, the bike won't turn over.

Try shorting around either/both and see if it fixes the issue.

BE SURE THE BIKE IS IN NEUTRAL!!!!

It's hard on everything, if you do a lurch from the starter.

Hope this helps, Ern

 

Assuming the battery connections are still tight, you may have an alternator problem...as mentioned above... well..it's called a stator i think. time to ebay.

 

I have been push starting it when it wont start using the switch. Its weird because it originally would dim all the lights and turn over a few times before it started up like the battery was going dead but it doesnt do that anymore. It either starts or doesnt and the neutral light acts like it doesnt get enough power to go on when its in neutral. As I ride and put it in neutral at lights it comes on strong at first but as I ride it flickers and eventually wont even come on. If that light isnt on it wont start and I have to push start it which works first time every time. However, I found if I leave it for a while, like overnight, it starts up without any issues even after it wouldnt start shortly after running it.
I have the service manual but there are no codes showing up on theECU (MIL) and I cant find anything that relates to this. Im so lost.

 

as a matter of intrest have you checked the starter relay, i think you have one by the batterey (it has a fuse on it) if its corroded it wont help, with all electrical issues try to start with the simplest and work your way through

 

does the bike choke and die on you while ur riding? you may want to check if the battery connection is loose. also check the wire for the wire that goes from the clutch cover to the ignition pulse generator for damage..

 

I checked the starter relay last time I was in the battery compartment and it seemed fine to me. The cables are as hand tight as I could get them on the battery so theyre not losing connection. Also its never died while riding. It runs like its new. Just this one issue.

I figured out today it cold starts every time like its new. Its only when I try to warm start it that it wont start and I have to push start it.

 

the only thing i can think of that accounts for heat and electrical failures is the rectifier.

I have had similar symptoms on my bike, but it was due to the poor grounding in the wire that connects the ignition pulse generator to the clutch sensor. just run your fingers along it to see if it's been damaged. It's a cheaper fix than buying another rectifier.

 

I think its time to pay someone who has electrical testing equipment.