RA-H hot start problem

Discussion in 'Maintenance' started by Ice Doc, Dec 28, 2019.

  1. Ice Doc

    Ice Doc Active Member

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    Sorry for the very slow reply, but this has now happened to me on multiple occasions over the 4 years I've had the bike. EVERY time it has been the battery collapsing. So I'm on battery #3 in 4 years. The first two were the Honda supplied YUASA and this time I've just bought myself a generic one. So far, so good. Honda previously advised that I kept the bike on a trickle charger - which I did, but that made no difference. Seems the batteries are just poor lifetime ones or there was a dud batch that I was unlucky enough to have two of.
     
  2. Ice Doc

    Ice Doc Active Member

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    Try a new battery and see if it solves your problem. For me the clear sign was the dash going crazy when trying to start. The bike didn't want to start - gave it a jump boost and it fired up straight away. I always thought the battery would be fully charged after an hour long ride, so I never thought it could have been the battery - but it was. Now I can tell when a battery is going as it will not start immediately after a long ride, yet it'll start from cold without any issues (even when the battery is going). It's almost as though the battery gets too much charge and then decides to collapse under starting load, but somehow recovers once it's cooled down overnight.
     
  3. Coda

    Coda Active Member

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    It’s very unlikely you’ve had that many dud batteries. Yuasa are OEM fitment for a reason, they’re generally reliable. My question is, do you have any accessories fitted, alarm, usb sockets, heated grips, etc?
     
  4. Ice Doc

    Ice Doc Active Member

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    Only addition to the absolutely standard spec is a genuine Honda quick shifter and a Scorpion tracker. The bike gets plugged into a trickle charger without fail if it’s going to be left for more than a few days.
    I have had the entire wiring loom replaced by Honda owing to an electrical fault but I’ve had a new Yuasa battery fitted since that was done and that battery has degraded in the same way. I can tell when the battery is starting to degrade as after an hour long ride, calling in for fuel, it will then struggle to start first time. Yet, without any further charging (no trickle charge) it will start fine the next morning.
     
  5. bonjo

    bonjo Active Member

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    agree with coda.
    Yuasa should give you 2 years of reliable service without needing charging unless you go 10days + on non use.
    Is the charging system functioning correctly?
    what is the drain from the scorpion tracker?
    Does the quickshifter draw any current when the bike is off?

    wiring loom changed due to electrical fault:eek: you may have inherited new problems and need investigate this
     

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