Hopefully just the battery

andyvh1959 · 09-03-2019, 11:46 AM

I bought my Classic 1600 last July and it always started fine, even after sitting for weeks, even after sitting through cold winter storage (yeah, I was lazy and didn't remove the battery). This past July I went to the storage building to ride it and, nothing, no crank, zip. Even though two weeks earlier it started just fine, not even slow cranking. I tried a jump battery and nothing, like a battery wasn't even there in the bike. So I got a new Caltric AGM sealed battery, installed it and it cranked/started right up. Perhaps the old battery (in the bike when I bought it, no idea of the number of years on it) just failed open internally. I'll try charging it and load testing it before sending it to the recycler.

Question: does anyone know of any 1600 issues that would cause a sudden battery fail? I do have to check the spotlights wiring in the headlight bucket. I have noticed the spots go out sometimes when I turn the handlebar full to the stops. Other than that nothing else.

recumbentbob · 09-03-2019, 03:38 PM

Probably a bad ground for the running lights. Run a ground wire from the lights to the frame of the bike. If it's grounded in the head light bucket the current goes thru the steering head bearings, Not good.

**ringadingh** · 09-03-2019, 08:03 PM

Check to see if the battery is getting charged with a meter. My bike had the same happen as you describe, and I found that it was not charging. I found some melted wires from the stator behind the LH engine cover.

andyvh1959 · 09-03-2019, 08:35 PM

Some good tips, I check those out. Thanks.

09-03-2019, 11:46 AM	#1
andyvh1959 Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 760	Hopefully just the battery I bought my Classic 1600 last July and it always started fine, even after sitting for weeks, even after sitting through cold winter storage (yeah, I was lazy and didn't remove the battery). This past July I went to the storage building to ride it and, nothing, no crank, zip. Even though two weeks earlier it started just fine, not even slow cranking. I tried a jump battery and nothing, like a battery wasn't even there in the bike. So I got a new Caltric AGM sealed battery, installed it and it cranked/started right up. Perhaps the old battery (in the bike when I bought it, no idea of the number of years on it) just failed open internally. I'll try charging it and load testing it before sending it to the recycler. Question: does anyone know of any 1600 issues that would cause a sudden battery fail? I do have to check the spotlights wiring in the headlight bucket. I have noticed the spots go out sometimes when I turn the handlebar full to the stops. Other than that nothing else. __________________ My $1200 Vulcan, to start from. Login or Register to Remove Ads Last edited by andyvh1959; 09-03-2019 at 11:53 AM.
	0

09-03-2019, 03:38 PM	#2
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	Probably a bad ground for the running lights. Run a ground wire from the lights to the frame of the bike. If it's grounded in the head light bucket the current goes thru the steering head bearings, Not good. __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
	0

09-03-2019, 08:03 PM	#3
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Check to see if the battery is getting charged with a meter. My bike had the same happen as you describe, and I found that it was not charging. I found some melted wires from the stator behind the LH engine cover. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

09-03-2019, 08:35 PM	#4
andyvh1959 Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 760	Some good tips, I check those out. Thanks. __________________ My $1200 Vulcan, to start from.
	0