'02 Blade - Turn Turn Turn... Won't Fire?

[JamesMio]

Went to take the bike out a few days ago to find the key sort of half in the ignition (must not have switched it off properly). Started Ok, quick run into town and it then refused to start at all - battery flat as a pancake.

Quick jump start off a friendly car (didn't have their engine running - literally just hooked it to the battery and started ASAP).

Got it back, took the seat off and stuck it on trickle charge for 24 hours.

Checked it and it fired up no problem.

Stuck the seat back on, left it for another few days and now it will turn and turn but not fire.

After a few turns there's a wee puff of fumes out the back of the exhaust.

Guessing it's not sparking? Anything else I could do to keep in mind before I go off DIY troubleshooting Oh Mighty Org?

Cheers

[JamesMio]

Actually - I'll nip to the garage and record a v. quick video of what's happening - that'd help.

[Sid Squid]

If it starts easy when it's hooked to a good battery, then yours must be suspect. It's not unknown for an engine to turn over OK but not fire when battery voltage is low.
Charge the battery, leave it disconnected from charger and bike at least overnight, then see what voltage it gives, less than 12V and it's scrap.
Then refit it and put the meter on the battery terminals while you try to start it, what do you get?

[JamesMio]

Good points, cheers Sid.

The battery's only 2 years old - it was actually the only thing I had to get done under warranty when I bought the bike in 2009. Certainly not out of the question that it's gubbed, but how likely do you reckon it is after 2 years?

Checked the killswitch? Most Hondas turn over when its switched off

[JamesMio]

This bike's dead when the killswitch is off - know what you mean though, my Dad's Pan Euro is like that - and this is almost identical.

It sounds like battery is fubar, whack a meter on the terminals when running and make sure youre getting 14.5 volts so at least you know its getting charge.

[JamesMio]

I'll see if I can start it from the missus' SV battery... that'd be a good test I suppose.

Be a bit annoyed if it IS the battery, going dud after 2 years but also relieved as it'll be a helluva lot easier to fix than d!cking around with wiring & multimeters...

Cheers dudes, that's given me plenty to go at.

[JamesMio]

Ok, finaly got it to start this evening and slapped the multimeter on it.

Sitting idle it's at just over 12v, running it got to about 12.5v - 13v (with higher revs).

With the bike running & lights on (inc main beam) it dropped below 11v.

Is it gubbed?

What year of blade is it ? , has it got HIS ? the most common fault with these are reg/rec going tits up so to speak