Bike Won't Start Question

Message

cybermaxx12 · Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:55 am

Hey, Ok the situation is I have a '93 Honda F2 which I thought was in good condition(I recently purchased it) and have started it up a couple of times before. However yesterday when I went to start it up I could hear the engine start to turn on but it wasn't catching and then it would make a clicking/grinding noise and then it would stop. So I couldn't get it started all yesterday and today when I tried it just made the clicking/grinding noise and the engine didn't even turn. I'm not sure if I'm just trying to start it up wrong or if something is wrong with the bike or what so if anyone has any ideas on what the problem could be I would really appreciate it.

Thankyou,
cybermaxx

sharpmagna · Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:20 am

Try charging your battery. That clicking noise is your starter so that sound means it is trying to start. You could also try to jump start it.

cybermaxx12 · Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:30 pm

I thought it might be the battery but the lights still work so I figured it wasn't. Could it still be the battery even though all of the lights still work?

intotherain · Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:30 pm

Welcome to my world. This happens to me 24/7. Its partly your battery. If you have a kick start, use it. If you dont, I guess you have to just change out your battery.

sharpmagna · Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:47 pm

cybermaxx12 wrote:I thought it might be the battery but the lights still work so I figured it wasn't. Could it still be the battery even though all of the lights still work?

Yup, the battery cold have enough juice to power on the indicator lights and headlights, but not enough to crank over the bike. Just try to charge the battery or jump start the bike. That doesn't cost anything, but time.

#6 Unread post by **Wrider** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:21 pm

Mine did that one time too, lights were at full brightness, but the stupid starter wouldn't turn over, get yourself a charger and put it on, it'll make a world of difference...
Wrider

Nibblet99 · #7 Unread post by **Nibblet99** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:05 pm

yep, the lights drain nothing like the ~20 amps required to start a light engine. The clicking is usually a fuel pump, or as mentioned, part of the starter mechanism, its perfectly normal

Sounds like your battery is probably fine, but when you've started the engine, you've not left it running long enough to replenish the watts used to start it.
Next time let it have 5-10 mins running to charge the battery back up

But obviously, before then you'll have to use a battery charger (DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FROM YOUR BIKE FIRST - you do not want to blow the electrics, which I have heard of)

or Bump start it, which I really wouldn't advise on a bike you're unfamiliar with the quirks of

Sev · #8 Unread post by **Sev** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:51 pm

Take the battery out and trickle charge it.

Problem with a bump start is that the bikes charging system is only really designed to maintain a charge, not to actually charge the battery. It's going to take a long ride at fairly high speeds with all extra electrical (highbeam seat heaters etc) turned off.

Really, it's WAY simpler to just pull the battery and trickle charge it. Depending on how old the battery is, it might be time to just replace it.

cybermaxx12 · Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:37 pm

Thanks for all of your help. I am going to charge the battery tommarow because its kind of late tonight and I'm tired however, last time I tried to start it it didn't make any noise at all and the bike showed virtually no response. The lights still work fine though. Is that still the battery? Sorry about the overly obsessed questions but you know how it is with a new(used) bike, you just want to be sure you didn't buy a lemon.

Ian522 · #10 Unread post by **Ian522** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:19 pm

Yea it really sounds like its the battery. Each time you tried to start it you were draining the battery more and more, and now its too weak to even turn the starter. I had a similar problem when I bought an older bike. Battery was old and dying and couldnt turn over the bike...would crank for a couple seconds then go silent. Bought a brand new battery and it fired right up.