Leaderboard

Hello again all. I have just gone back to the bike after a few hours, and hey presto it fired up. The battery is showing 14.2 volts ATM, but that's because it's been on charge all day. I had no idea the % of the battery was so minimised ste7ios, thanks for the useful info. I shall be purchasing a new battery tomorrow. Thanks all for the help and tips people.

Do it yourself. You can easily buy all the tools you need and the service items (oil filters etc) for less than a dealer would charge for a service. Then just watch the multitude of Youtube videos, some of which are excellent - really really good. Then you'll have a tool chest full of quality tools. And the confidence to do most, if not all of the jobs you need to do. It's really not rocket science.

That doesn't really help. To inspect the charging voltage: * Always use a battery in good condition * Warm up the engine to operating temperature; then stop the engine * Connect the multimeter * With the headlights on high beam, restart the engine * Measure the voltage when the engine runs at 5,000 RPM The measured charging voltage must be greater than the measured battery voltage and less than 15.5 V. (Measured BV < Measured CV < 15.5 V) If it's out of this specification then there is a problem with the Regulator / Rectifier...

Cor! A second hand bike from you would be a bargain!

Trust only a nice voltmeter to take any measurement, and battery's manual to estimate its status. If you're referring to Oxford Maximizer battery maintainer, I'm sure it's showing more voltage than what it is... It must be lower. For a Yuasa VRLA, 12.3 V is about 25% of its named capacity. Any SLI lead acid battery bellow 50% of its named capacity is too weak. Its time to replace it especially when the winter is close... To have an idea about Yuasa (and Varta) batteries State of Charge (at 25º C / 77º F): 13.00 V = 100% charged (with sulfation stoppped)

I am frankly shocked at some of these stories. TBH I haven't entrusted a dealer to service any bike of mine since 2011. This was because I had been reading that the first service of my particular model back then included checking the valve clearances and doubted that the dealership would bother with it so I applied a small and discreet blob of black paint over the mating joints and sure enough they were undisturbed on completion of the first service. They even insisted I arrive early and not return till mid to late afternoon because the tappets had to be measured cold. I think this was just a

Some would call it character building, others plain stupidity. With hindsight I would tend towards the latter! Andy

Its 600 miles, hardly a trip to the moon. I ran in one of my BMW's in a weekend. Picked it up Friday lunchtime, went to Scotland, dropped it back at the dealers on the Monday. I had a trip to Finland two weeks later so needed it done. With older and smaller designs its more work. The ***ing Urinal had to do 500 km without going over 30 mph, then another 500 without going over 40, have an oil change, then do 1000 km without going over 3/4 throttle (still effectively 40 mph), then another oil change. Andy