It's gotta be karma....

Right, sorry if this sounds like a rant, probably is a rant, BUT there are SV related questions at the end of this. So if you just want to get to the questions go to the end (And I'd really like you lot to answer the questions)

So my day starts out like this, I get woken up by the builder fixing the garage's roof at an early time in the morning asking me to be let into the garage as the has to fix the plaster cealing inside. With my half dozy brain I am thinking to myself "wow the letting management agency actually got someone good who is keen to work" and then it dawns up me. "What the!? what are you going to do inside? what's wrong with the inside!? My bike is in the INSIDE!!!".

Quite causually and in good spirits he goes on to explain to me that while they were repairing the roof they had to remove part of it, and someone got a bit dozy and let a hammer fall down inside the garage breaking plaster cealing and covering part of the bike in plaster.

At this point I am already getting ready to swear my head off, but some part of me (probably the stupid part) held me back while I inspected the damage. The build went to to explain that he left a note about it, to which I am thinking "where the hell is it then!?" However a quick look round the entrance and I found said note blown into a corner. Looking at the bike there was no damage as the plaster fell on the pillion and rider seats he cleaned it off yesterday.

Now the builder, quite apologetic by now, asks me if I could move the bike out of the garage so he could repair it. Now it was a nice day by this point, bit chilly, the sun was shinning and I thought to myself could get a nice ride into work. So I move the bike out, have a quick shower, breakfast bar, suit up and get ready to go. Now this is probably where I should have started seeing the sign something was wrong with my baby. I must admit that I haven ridden her for the past 2 weeks as there was a lot of ice and some snow on the ground round where I live and ride, so the battery wasn't up to full charge. However with a bit of hesitation she starts up, and singing with her lovely V-Twin engine and scorpion can, ahh what a most grandious sound she make, even if one of my new neighbours doesn't agree.

Getting back on track, I decide to go for a longer-ish commute to work and rack up 10 miles so that she has some time to warm up and charge the battery up. Good ride, roads are clear of traffic, no ice about that I can see and I actually get to work with a small grin on my face. Only to find out when I put my back pack down that my contact lenses solution bottle developed a crack and got the bag a bit wet. Oh joy, work in damp clothes, NICE! Got a bit lucky that was only the karate gear that got wet so I didn't spend my morning damp and miserable on a sunny day.

Work day proceeds as per usual and its time to leave, shut down the computer, gear up. Now this is where it gets quite interesting as it all happened within an a half hour. Picture myself going out of work, again with a small grin on my face because I get to ride the bike to karate, I know it's a scary prospect people so bear with me. Get to the bike, turn the alarm off and try to start her up. And does her? F*ck no. First time I can actually hear the cylinders firing up, let go of the ignition and bang. She turns off. So I try again, and again, and again, and again.... Well when you get a flat battery there is no way you are going to get enough charge to start a V-Twin up.

After realising and admitting defeat on the battery front I decide, right engage first gear and get ready to bump start her. With my now very frustrated spirit I try turn the ignition on, engage 1st gear after a bit of work with the gear pedal, for some reason 1st gear wouldn't just slip in. And try to move her forward with the clutch pulled in. Second shock of the night, I can't. Try as I might, even with the clutch leaver pulled in I can't budge her. It kept feeling like the clutch plates were completly apart. Oh well might as well beg someone for jump start from their car battery.

So I call my mate that works with me outside to help me out. He drives into work so he actuall has a car, all we need now is a set of jump leads. By now its 8:00pm and there aren't many people about but we do manage to find a good soul which has a set. Score! In no time she will be ticking over again and I can take her home for a bit of TLC.

Quickly putting the bike into neutral, already tried moving her around in 1st we don't need to do that again, I move her to the main car park (and boy is she heavy). I get my mate to move the car around, get the jump leads out while I get the tool kit out and remove the seat so we can get to the battery. He goes off doing his part and I go for the toolkit. Lift up the pillion seat, have a quick fight with that rubber band from hell that hold down the tool kit and start looking for my 4mm allen key. Now where is it? It's gotta be here, I haven't touched the toolkit in ages because I always use the tools from the tool box to tinker around with the bike. Where is that damned 4mm allen key!?

By this time, my friend is standing there giggling uncontrolably, trying too laugh and failing miserably, while I look like a buffoon going "where is it!?" . Only one way to solve this, dump the contents of the toolkit on the floor an d look for that miserable key. Nope it's not there, every other key is there but not the 4mm key. Still looking like a buffoon I turn around to my make and go, "Err... the key I need is not here, can you got to my house and get my toolkit?"

Laughing his head off he agrees to go to my house, talk to my housemate and get the toolkit from my garage. So after half an hours miserable wait outside in the cold he comes back with my toolkit. Few seconds later is the seat is off, the battery is exposed and we are ready to play with some voltage.

Now for some reason being my comprehension at this moment in time, fate decides to make me look like a buffoon once again. Now there is the fact that I couldn't get the croc click to the top of the battery and keep them there. Ok I look really stupid where I tried really hard to get them to stay there while I swore my head off (my brain was off at this point as I couldn't believe how unlucky I was up to this point, not a good day at work either but thats another rant). However, since my mate still had good use of his brilliant, he made the brilliant suggestion of looseing the screws up a bit so it makes it easier. Wahey! Brilliant, first clip goes in no problems. I open up the second clip to connect it to battery so I can go hand and this hell on earth situation and SNAP!

Dozy here, with his brain turned off, angry at the situation that he find himself in, manage to break the coil on the second clip by opening it too much! Yes! Give me a prize! Oh if write down the contents of my statements when I realised what I done I probably take down the forum's content filter down, along with server and probably have greg kick me into outer lunar orbit for killing the SV forum in one single post.

But alas, my friend with his still working brain, but only once after he stopped laughing his **** off, volunteered to hold down that clip to his car's battery so I could get going. And so with a brave soul holding one clip, sparks flying and an single touch of a button she starts up without hesitation, and much to my relief starts singing her glorious song once again.

Right now the questions:

1) Should I be able to move then bike when the ignition is on, the engine is turned off, first gear is engaged and I have the clutch pulled in? It felt like clutch was still engaged.

2) Should my battery discharge after 10 days!? The battery is no that old. Just over 6 months old

3) If I need to get a new battery should I get a gel one?

4) What's the correct technique to bump start a SV650?

i read all that and can't even answer the questions... doh !! sorry to hear the hassle mate, hope you get it sorted

I know that you were in the wrong gear to bump it. Should be in second. As for the first one. I don't know if you should or shouldn't be able to move the bike. But I can't when mine is in gear with the engine off either. Sure hope that doesn't mean something is wrong.

I seem to remember my gpz not being overly willing to move in gear when the ignition was off, but if you shoved if really hard and it got going it was fine. It was like you had to get past the friction of something.

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Raf

.......... have a quick fight with that rubber band from hell

Been there a few times myself

Raff you poor guy

My heart goes out to you. Next time may i suggest that while you wait for help to get the seat off n reay for their arrival? that way you would have realised about the key earlier sorry i couldnt resist

Only answer i can provide is about moving it in gear with clutch in. yes you should be able to. Sometimes the gears on mine seem to stick but i just roll it a tiny bit back and forth and try to feel it enage or let go.

Btw its not advisable but.... i've found that a flat head screwdriver of the right width can work wonders on allen keys Not good for either but works in an emergency sometimes.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Raf

1) Should I be able to move then bike when the ignition is on, the engine is turned off, first gear is engaged and I have the clutch pulled in? It felt like clutch was still engaged.

2) Should my battery discharge after 10 days!? The battery is no that old. Just over 6 months old

3) If I need to get a new battery should I get a gel one?

4) What's the correct technique to bump start a SV650?

1) if the engine's totally cold it can drag a lot, but it should still be movable. Just heavy.
2) Can do, SV batteries and charging systems aren't all that. You'd be unlucky though.
3) Don't know, I'd just get the recommended one meself.
4) Be much stronger than me Be in second or third. I still find it'll tend to lock the wheel rather than turn the engine so it can take a good few attempts. That's the only time I miss my Virago, I could bump it first time in about a metre.

[embee]

From cold the clutch will stick. It's not desirable but it's just a fact of life. That's why you get the clunk when you first put it in gear from cold.

Remember there's a dozen or so plates all stuck together with cold oil, and you're trying to free them all by pushing. When you pull in the lever the stack of plates will usually only separate at one place, so all the rest stay stuck together.

Once the oil is hot and thin, they free off much more easily.

I haven't tried bumping an SV but have done my fair share of old British twins. Usually need 2nd or even 3rd gear, rock it backwards and forwards to free the clutch, set the controls (choke, magneto advance ), turn on the ignition (it really pi**es you off if you forget that one), push, jump on and release the clutch the instant your bum hits the seat. You'll probably fall over. Far better to get someone to push.

[21QUEST]

Originally Posted by embee

turn on the ignition (it really pi**es you off if you forget that one)
Done that a few times recently. Seem to happen at the times when I've just tried bumping it downhil . Then you realise and have to push it uphill to try again (nice)


, push, jump on and release the clutch the instant your bum hits the seat. You'll probably fall over. Tried that(side saddle) on my first solo bump start and almost crashed so now I use my ribs to push down on the seat once I get up to speed


Far better to get someone to push.
Yeah better but really frustrating when you only have some wimp to give you a push. Put some effort into it, will you

Cheers
Ben

Had to bump mine once and in 2nd it was no problem at all, but I am a fat ba****d