A wierd string of problems

Hello

I am a student, and use my curvy sv650s to get to lectures in the morning, except lately it has been acting up. Firstly, the battery would go flat in 2 days from a full charge. So, the electrics have been checked (all is good and the battery is charging) and a new battery fitted. All was well for a week or two. A few days ago, I came to start the bike, and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to start, requiring several turns of the starter motor and a little throttle too, even with the choke correctly used. I thought maybe this was just because I hadn't used it in a couple of days, and shrugged it off, though it remained difficult to start even with a warm engine. Eventually, I had to use so much starter motor that the battery would die before the engine turned over. For the past few days I have been push-starting it, and nearly missing my lectures! My thought was that this was in fact a symptom of low battery, having sufficient voltage for the starter motor to turn, but not for it to ignite the engine (any theories?). If this is the case, I reckon the alarm must be draining it because I souldn't go from full new battery to flat in a week of light riding. So, yesterday was Saturday and I push-started once again. Thought I would take it for an extended ride to charge the batteries. I came back from my ride and tried to start it. Pushed the ignition button and all I get is a "click" then nothing. Tried pushing the button several times, and on about the fifth push, the starter motor turned and the engine ignited immediately! Odd, so I tried again. Same thing. Clicks a few times then eventually the starter motor turns and starts the bike. Turned it off for a third time and tried to start it again... This time the starter motor turns and it ignites immediately. I'm now off to try it this morning. I just don't understand what is going on. Does anyone have a clue?

An update: Tried to start it this morning, same thing. All I get is "click" for the first few attempts, then eventually it starts. I haven't a clue what's going on so any help at all would be appreciated!

Sounds like either the starter relay or the starter motor to me!

Do you have a set of car jump leads available to you? If you do, then remove/slide back the little rubber boot on the lead on the starter motor and expose the connection. Connect one end of the red lead to the +ve on the battery and quickly clamp the other end on the now exposed starter terminal. The motor should turn over smartly. If it does, then the battery is ok and the starter is ok - its the relay or start button/wires. If it doesn't, then try the same thing, but using a car to jump from i.e. connect the black jump lead to the -ve and the red jump lead straight to the starter. If it doesn't turn now it is the starter. If it does, then put the red lead to the battery and try and start on the bike ...

you can se the components you are isolating with this process ..

[embee]

Check all the connections/terminals are clean and tight.

I'd recommend getting a tin of aerosol contact cleaner [Maplins or similar will have it], it has a lubricant in it to inhibit corrosion too.

Take apart any connectors you can and spray the contacts, push in/out a few times to ensure they are clean.

Take each fuse out, including the main 30A jobbie behind the green cover, and do the same. Also the main relay terminals.

Battery terminals are best given a clean and coat them in petroleum jelly [Vaseline].

Sounds like your alarm might well be draining the battery. Either get or borrow a multi-meter and check the current drain. Make sure everything is switched off, take off the earth [negative] lead, put the meter into Amps mode, and hold the leads onto the earth lead and the negative terminal of the battery. Ideally you should see no more than a few milli-amps, low single figures.

[johnnyrod]

Sounds like a charging system problem, check the votage across the battery with the engine off and running off-idle. The battery is flat and there is a reason, either it's being drained when off or it's just not being charged inthe first place.

Plus one for bypassing the starter relay and seeing what happens....