Starter troubles

supersquid · 01-29-2013, 09:35 PM

I've been having a little bit with the starter on my bike. I'm a college student so I ride to class everyday and the reliability of my bike is a huge factor for me. Over winter break I didn't get to ride much so when I went to move the bike from my old place to my new apartment it wouldn't start, which didn't surprise me at all because it was a cold Georgia December and the battery has a little right to go dead after a three week riding dry spell. But after roll starting it for a month it started to occur to me that maybe my starter is toast. Also, I've noticed that the head light is super dim. I know that the starter also acts as a little alternator to charge the battery, so that'd explain why the light is getting dim but I need to save juice to provide the spark plug with enough to keep me rolling to class. Is there any advise on replacing the starter and how long I might have until I don't have enough electricity to run anymore? I know on four wheeler starters it's acceptable to take the starter apart and clean the copper a little bit and they work good as new, but is the little GZ250 like that? Is a rebuild kit a good option as opposed to an entirely new starter? It's a 2001 GZ250 with 11k miles on it so I understand that it might be time for a little starter work but has anyone else had similar troubles? Thanks in advance for any help

blaine · 01-29-2013, 09:45 PM

The starter has absolutely nothing to do with the charging system.The charging is controled by the stator & rectifier.Before you pull your starter I would have the battery tested & go from there.

:cool:

JWR · 01-29-2013, 09:49 PM

The battery is a wear item, just like a tire.
When it it is done, it is done.

Have it checked and replaced.

Rookie Rider · 01-30-2013, 01:07 AM

Battery ? Fully charged ?? New ???

alantf · 01-30-2013, 07:14 AM

It sure sounds like a faulty battery.

Water Warrior 2 · 01-30-2013, 10:55 AM

Maybe a good start would be to clean the battery terminals and make sure they are tight. You never know.

**jonathan180iq** · 01-30-2013, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaine

The starter has absolutely nothing to do with the charging system.The charging is controled by the stator & rectifier.Before you pull your starter I would have the battery tested & go from there.

:cool:

Yes.

mrlmd1 · 01-30-2013, 11:19 AM

Get a battery charger, charge it up completely and then see what happens. There is nothing wrong with your starter, you have a dead battery. After you charge it up fully, let it sit for a half hour or so and then measure the battery voltage. A fully charged battery should be at 12.6-12,8 V. If it doesn't hold that voltage, charge it up again, bring it to a garage or battery place and ask them to do a load test. That's the only way to tell if a battery is any good.It will be free because they want to sell you a new one. If you do buy a new battery, and practically all of them will be the AGM type for the motorcycle, regardless of what the guy in the battery shop says to you, you MUST CHARGE IT FULLY BEFORE FIRST USE or the battery will very quickly fail after only a few starts of the bike and you will be back in the shop buying another one.
And do not start the bike and let it idle thinking you are charging up the battery, Sitting for long periods idling is bad for the bike in many ways, and you will use more "juice" to start it than you will replace by idling. You need to go for a half hour ride at at least 2500-3500 rpms to get anything out of the GZ's charging system. If the bike will be sitting for a few weeks without being ridden in the cold, hook it up to the 1.5-2 amp trickle charger every week or so and you will not have any problem with it. These chargers come with pigtails that you leave connected to the battery terminals so that all you have to do is plug the 2 wires together and plug the charger into the wall. A very simple solution to your problem.

Water Warrior 2 · 01-30-2013, 02:23 PM

Another good option is a Battery Tender that will serve you well. Mine is 0.85 amps and is a smart charger. It will shut off when the battery is fully charged and a good item to have handy. It also comes with the added pigtail to wire to the battery so you just have to plug it in and charge the battery. I have also used it to charge up a new battery before putting it in the bike. The BT is a lot cheaper than buying a new battery every spring. Don't ask me how I know. :lol:

supersquid · 01-31-2013, 02:55 PM

The battery is only a few months old and still under warranty, but after reading these comments it might be my problem. Blaine, thanks for clarifying that the two systems are separate on this bike. My friend's Honda had a system where the two of them are together and I thought that was true for all bikes, but that proved to be a very squidly assumption. After riding for a few days, I've noticed that the lights are working alright while I'm riding but even my neutral light won't come on if the bike is electrically turned on but the motor isn't running. The starter won't even make a noise when I press the button. Is that because of a lack of charge or is it a good idea to fix the battery problem before even considering a blown starter?

01-29-2013, 09:35 PM	#1
supersquid Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 21	Starter troubles I've been having a little bit with the starter on my bike. I'm a college student so I ride to class everyday and the reliability of my bike is a huge factor for me. Over winter break I didn't get to ride much so when I went to move the bike from my old place to my new apartment it wouldn't start, which didn't surprise me at all because it was a cold Georgia December and the battery has a little right to go dead after a three week riding dry spell. But after roll starting it for a month it started to occur to me that maybe my starter is toast. Also, I've noticed that the head light is super dim. I know that the starter also acts as a little alternator to charge the battery, so that'd explain why the light is getting dim but I need to save juice to provide the spark plug with enough to keep me rolling to class. Is there any advise on replacing the starter and how long I might have until I don't have enough electricity to run anymore? I know on four wheeler starters it's acceptable to take the starter apart and clean the copper a little bit and they work good as new, but is the little GZ250 like that? Is a rebuild kit a good option as opposed to an entirely new starter? It's a 2001 GZ250 with 11k miles on it so I understand that it might be time for a little starter work but has anyone else had similar troubles? Thanks in advance for any help Login or Register to Remove Ads
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01-29-2013, 09:45 PM	#2
blaine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: P.E.I. Canada Posts: 3,784	Re: Starter troubles The starter has absolutely nothing to do with the charging system.The charging is controled by the stator & rectifier.Before you pull your starter I would have the battery tested & go from there. :cool: __________________ If at first you do succeed, try not to look surprised.
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01-29-2013, 09:49 PM	#3
JWR Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisville, TN Posts: 1,413	Re: Starter troubles The battery is a wear item, just like a tire. When it it is done, it is done. Have it checked and replaced. __________________ Jerry Truth is there are lots of great bikes available and not nearly as many good riders out there riding them... "A man's got to know his limitations..." Login or Register to Remove Ads
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01-30-2013, 01:07 AM	#4
Rookie Rider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Queens, NYC Posts: 1,263	Re: Starter troubles Battery ? Fully charged ?? New ???
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01-30-2013, 07:14 AM	#5
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	Re: Starter troubles It sure sounds like a faulty battery. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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01-30-2013, 10:55 AM	#6
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: Starter troubles Maybe a good start would be to clean the battery terminals and make sure they are tight. You never know.
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01-30-2013, 11:19 AM	#8
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Starter troubles Get a battery charger, charge it up completely and then see what happens. There is nothing wrong with your starter, you have a dead battery. After you charge it up fully, let it sit for a half hour or so and then measure the battery voltage. A fully charged battery should be at 12.6-12,8 V. If it doesn't hold that voltage, charge it up again, bring it to a garage or battery place and ask them to do a load test. That's the only way to tell if a battery is any good.It will be free because they want to sell you a new one. If you do buy a new battery, and practically all of them will be the AGM type for the motorcycle, regardless of what the guy in the battery shop says to you, you MUST CHARGE IT FULLY BEFORE FIRST USE or the battery will very quickly fail after only a few starts of the bike and you will be back in the shop buying another one. And do not start the bike and let it idle thinking you are charging up the battery, Sitting for long periods idling is bad for the bike in many ways, and you will use more "juice" to start it than you will replace by idling. You need to go for a half hour ride at at least 2500-3500 rpms to get anything out of the GZ's charging system. If the bike will be sitting for a few weeks without being ridden in the cold, hook it up to the 1.5-2 amp trickle charger every week or so and you will not have any problem with it. These chargers come with pigtails that you leave connected to the battery terminals so that all you have to do is plug the 2 wires together and plug the charger into the wall. A very simple solution to your problem.
	0

01-30-2013, 02:23 PM	#9
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: Starter troubles Another good option is a Battery Tender that will serve you well. Mine is 0.85 amps and is a smart charger. It will shut off when the battery is fully charged and a good item to have handy. It also comes with the added pigtail to wire to the battery so you just have to plug it in and charge the battery. I have also used it to charge up a new battery before putting it in the bike. The BT is a lot cheaper than buying a new battery every spring. Don't ask me how I know. :lol:
	0

01-31-2013, 02:55 PM	#10
supersquid Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 21	Re: Starter troubles The battery is only a few months old and still under warranty, but after reading these comments it might be my problem. Blaine, thanks for clarifying that the two systems are separate on this bike. My friend's Honda had a system where the two of them are together and I thought that was true for all bikes, but that proved to be a very squidly assumption. After riding for a few days, I've noticed that the lights are working alright while I'm riding but even my neutral light won't come on if the bike is electrically turned on but the motor isn't running. The starter won't even make a noise when I press the button. Is that because of a lack of charge or is it a good idea to fix the battery problem before even considering a blown starter?
	0