Bike wont start

[bobz1871]

I have a 2004 Lightning XB12, with 9k on the speedo, Well about 2 months ago my bike would not start, it sounded like a car with a low battery when it wont turn over and just go KLACK, KLACK, KLACK really fast and loud. I thought it was my battery going dead. I just got a battery charger with a quick start feture on it, and it does the same thing, very loud Klacking sound with no turn over. I tried to do a jump start on it in 2nd gear and the back tire just skided. Any idea would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[bentlife]

Check the grounds.

 

[onelogue]

1. check ground
2. charge battery over night, if it still wont turn over it may be a bad battery.

 

[bobz1871]

Thanks for the replies, I'm not using the battery because I'm about to deploy and don't have the money to blow on a $80 battery right now. I'm just connecting the battery leads to a battery charger/quick start, and the lights are bright and it is working the starter, but the think is clacking loud like the motor is seaized and wont turn over, ever hear of this???

 

[bobaganoosh]

definitly get a new battery it will fire right up

 

[2fargon]

definitly get a new battery it will fire right up

Agree. These bikes need full juice to start. Did you give the batter a full charge? I'm currently nursing an old battery with the same problem

 

[bobz1871]

Ok, thanks, I will try a new battery, just found one for $50

 

[onelogue]

Dude no, make sure your grounds are tight before blowing the money. Make sure you get a high quailty one if you go that route. I bought a cheap ebay battery and the acid dripped out and ruined my powder coat.

the major ground that made my bike click like that is right under the battery attached to the subframe.

 

[2fargon]

Yea, I would definitely try checking your grounds and putting a full charge on that one before you spend the money on a new one. I was just agreeing that a new one would likely fix the problem. Good luck

 

[smorin]

Use a voltmeter to test your battery. The reading should be 12.7 Volts for the battery to be 100% charged. 12.6 Volts means 75% charged and 12.3 Volts equal 50%.

If your bike doesn't start with a 100% charged battery, the problem is most probably related to your ground.

 

[bobaganoosh]

i have had a bad battery before and i have had ground problems before. in my experience a ground issue never causes the loud clicking that he is talking about. for me when it is a ground issue it never did anything. go ahead and check your grounds though and battery connections cause that is free. also one ground that people dont think of usually is where the subframe bolts to the main frame. your grounds bolt to your subframe which bolts to your main frame so its got to be a good connection. i had that problem after i painted it.

 

[bobz1871]

I checked the battery and it has 12.75, but nothing even comes on, no gauges nothing, when I hook it up to the jumper everything comes on, but the flashers when turned on buzz real loud, and when trying to start the loud clacking happens again

 

[bobz1871]

Also, does anyone know where all the grounds are, I checked the one next to the battery and it is tight

 

[bobaganoosh]

ok so when u turn the key on absolutly nothing happens? no lights no nothing?

its sounding like it could be a ground now. first check your battery teminals make sure there clean and tight. then check you grounds. there should be one on each side of the batery attached to the subframe. even if its tight it still might not be good. unbolt it and clean up the surface with a wire brush or file and re bolt it nice and tight. if thats not it check that your subframe is securely mounted to the main frame and it is nice and clean.

 

[bobaganoosh]

o yea and check the wires on your starte. they should be clean and tight

 

[bobz1871]

Yeah nothing happens with just the battery attached, I will check all the grounds tommarow!!

 

[bobz1871]

Well to update, I just got my $53 battery in, charged it overnight hooked it up, and it fired right up. Problem solved. Thanks for the help!!

 

[bobaganoosh]

yep thats what i figured glad u got it running