Battery or starter ?
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 274
Likes: 3
From: Portage, IN
I saw this somewhere else. Basically get on a good hill, turn off the engine, put it on 2nd gear, pull the clutch, coast down the hill and ease the clutch back into gear. If it starts, then it's probably the starter.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: FWB, FL
I would not put a whole lot of faith in that logic..The biggest draw on the battery is turning the starter over to start the engine. Once the engine is running the alternator pretty much runs the electrical system on the bike. There is not a ton of amperage draw to run the bike and stock lights. A battery can be weak and not have enough amperage capactiy to turn the starter but it could have enough to keep the alternator supplied with enough voltage to support things. I would only suspect the starter once the battery is tested and proven to be good. Then you need to make sure that the charging system is working fully to maintain the charge in the battery and run all the electrical things on the bike. Any time you have elctrical issues those things should be number one and number two priority followed closely by connections. If all that checks good and you still have a slow crank, then the starter needs tested. Voltage drop and amperage draw tests will determine the healthiness of the starter but you are correct that rolling down hill and easing the clutch out (basically an assisted push start) you do need the key on for it to start...
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,386
Likes: 255
From: Southern California
I would not put a whole lot of faith in that logic..The biggest draw on the battery is turning the starter over to start the engine. Once the engine is running the alternator pretty much runs the electrical system on the bike. There is not a ton of amperage draw to run the bike and stock lights. A battery can be weak and not have enough amperage capactiy to turn the starter but it could have enough to keep the alternator supplied with enough voltage to support things. I would only suspect the starter once the battery is tested and proven to be good. Then you need to make sure that the charging system is working fully to maintain the charge in the battery and run all the electrical things on the bike. Any time you have elctrical issues those things should be number one and number two priority followed closely by connections. If all that checks good and you still have a slow crank, then the starter needs tested. Voltage drop and amperage draw tests will determine the healthiness of the starter but you are correct that rolling down hill and easing the clutch out (basically an assisted push start) you do need the key on for it to start...
+1 Good advice here!
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