weird electrical problem

[TheGingerBeardMan]

first tap the starter with hammer:?:

Or, if frustration really kicks in, exchange the size of the hammer for a MUCH bigger one, and tap the whole bike !

[templ8]

Definitely a bad battery, if it starts of a boost pack or van battery there's nothing wrong with the electrics.
The battery on my storm was about a year old and was showing 12.5 volts with the ignition off but dropped to a few volts with lights on and wouldn't turn over.
Dropped a new battery in and away she went.

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[budd]

common sense would say it's the battery but I've tried 2 12v 7ah batteries one from the Honda and the other from my lads quad both are nearly new and fully charged and both start the quad no problem so I'm pretty sure it isn't the battery. I've also had the starter off and bench tested it and it seems fine (pain to get at mind I had to remove the complete air box with its myriad of breather pipes and plenty of seized in small bolts and self tappers ) So the next step (once I've had another pot of tea) is to check the wiring more thoroughly for any damage that may cause a short and as suggested disconnect everything that isn't required to start it and see if I can bypass the brake lever starter inhibitors, Ive got to try and get it sorted today if possible as I'm off to the Isle of Man tomorrow night and I don't really want to leave it as it is all in bits and not running, plus if I can get it fixed I should get paid some beer money.
Thanks to everyone providing advise and suggestions

[templ8]

The current draw starting the quad will be considerably less than the storm. I measured mine with a current clamp and it pulls 65 amps to start from cold.

It could also be a bad contact in the starter solenoid but I'd still put money on it being a weak battery.

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[Pete.L]

At this point I would put a direct short from the battery to the starter nut.
After fitting two batteries the odds of it being that are pretty low. It is possible the Starter motor is taking excessive load and pulls the 12v rail down so low it causes the starter solenoid to chatter. It is also possible you have a partial short breaking down under load. Get a car jump lead and go directly from the battery to the starter terminal. I know you have started it off a van battery and a jumper pack but it may just be they are supplying soo much current they are hiding the problem....which I'm starting to suspect is the starter motor. It could just be drawing too much current for the oem battery but when supplied with a massive current ( jumper pack, van battery) it has to spin up or it will bust into flames.
A direct link will prove if it is your starter motor or you wiring. If it starts, it the wiring, if it doesn't, its the starter motor.

Pete.l

[budd]

Quick update on the recalcitrant Honda Dylan, it is now fixed and it was indeed the battery, despite me convincing myself otherwise the battery was the culprit. I think sometimes it's easy to talk your(ones)self out of the glaringly obvious, because I'd tried two new batteries and the bike had behaved the same on both occasions I concluded (incorrectly) that is wasn't the battery and started a fruitless search for some other cause. Anyway new battery fitted and both 'dodgy' batteries have been returned to the supplier for testing and hopefully either refund or replacement.
However the story doesn't end there oh no that would be too easy, once I was happy it was fixed this involved bombing about on the scooter for half a day (picking parts up , going to the bank / post office etc ) it was quite fun whizzing about on full throttle everywhere and jumping speed humps etc anyway it was duly returned to the customer who was delighted it was finally fixed, so it all ended happily ? not quite, the following day I a call from the customer saying it had broken down again bugger !!!( I'm starting to loose the will to live at this point), apparently it behaved faultlessly taking him to and from work no problem, the 'breakdown' occurred following a call at the filling station after which it cut out and refused to start, I asked him if he'd put diesel in it and he was adamant that he filled it with unleaded but did say he remembered the nozzle seemed to big to go the tank !! He had indeed filled it up with diesel so it's back in the garage to be un-diesel'd, cue a mouth full off diesel and much white smoke and again I'm whizzing about on it followed by a white haze trying to get the last off diesel out of the thing (I'm actually getting to like the little Honda I might have to get one ) it is now diesel free and following new plug is running well again hopefully the dramas are behind it.
Also a word on the VFR brakes, that is also fixed and turned out to be the front secondary master cyl, the one that pivots on the N/S front caliper and applies some rear brake turns out it was partially seized and causing the rear end to stick on randomly, a replacement part sorted that out and all is now well, but it was a proper pain to bleed up, bleeding regular bike brakes can be problematic at times but the hydraulic system on the VFR with its linked brakes is a real nightmare with multiple bleed nipples (there's even a nipple on some kind of relief valve under the seat) anyway after much pi%%ing about it is all bled up and returned to owner.
These are two bikes I'm glad to see the back of !!!

[darkember]

You busy bee Budd Peds are fun wish I have been on Benny's ped run.......