Battery issues?

[Speedy1959]

Hi All and a happy new year etc,

Firstly I know my bike isnt a GSX but I am hoping the issue I have has common ground..

The sun was out this Wednesday and so my mate came round for us to go on a ride out..
I came to start my bike and there was nothing but a loud click from under the seat (Solenoid)..
Put a volt meter across the terminals and it read 12.4 volts which dropped to 4 volts when the starter button was pressed.
I should add that the lights on the speedo go totally out when the starter butten is pressed
The Battery thats in it is a MOTOBATT MBT14B4 and reading the info on the Battery its rated at 175CCA !!
I have heard mixed reviews about MOTOBATT
I have had no symptoms of a sluggish Battery previously.. I do NOT have access to mains power where the bike is kept and so NO it isnt hooked up to a charger, but then neither were any of my previous 8 bikes over the past 4 years!
Last night the temperature was below freezing, so I am wondering if that tipped the battery over the edge..
I dont need to tell you that a 1700cc V Twin requires a heck of a lot of battery amps to turn it over when its cold...
My car lives outside and starts first time every time..

I have my eye on a YUASA YTX14H-BS which is a high capacity version of the standard OEM battery. Its rated at 240CCA

Just before I splash out on the YUASA can anyone confirm it sounds like a dead Battery please?

Thanks in advance

[gsxbarmy]

Hi Simon - yes, that has all the symptoms of a flat battery - but not necessarily a dead battery, given the reading you are getting across it. If the bike only had little use before you got it, and hasn't done many long runs recently, then it may well be that all is required is a good trickle charge over 24 hours and all will be good. Personally I would try that first before splashing out on a new battery.

Yes I know it lives outdoors, maybe disconnect and take the battery indoors to charge it this time. Alternately before splashing out, take the battery out and down to a battery shop to get them to put a tester across it - they'll soon tell you if its just flat or foobarred

As you say, the starter seems to pull a big charge, so it only needs a few times of turning it over and stopping it to take the charge out of the battery. So hopefully its just flat, not dead

[Notty]

Its the battery Simon - you should have kept Sophie !!

[seth]

I agree with @gsxbarmy
Tho I have heard both very good and very bad reports on motobatt batteries .
Give it a charge and see if it does it twice replace the battery
Its a big old motor to be turning over on a cold day when filled with cold oil .
Good luck buddy

[Globalrider]

Every Motobatt I've had was garbage - ok in a dirt bike but that is about it Yuasa are defo better batteries. But like Dave says...... get it tested at the shop to see it is toast!

[Speedy1959]

 Thank you all for your replies. .
I have ordered a high capacity battery at a reasonable price..
It is supposed to arrive tomorrow. .

Thanks again for your input.
S

[Kiwifruit]

Won't be buying another Motobatt myself.

[Mick_J]

I use the ytx14h-bs on my MZ as standard batteries can't cut it after a year, the H has been in there for three years now and I've had no problems although I do have all the bikes on an optimate if I haven't used them in a week or ten days to make sure I don't get the same problem you had (walking back indoors for another set of keys is a chore).

[grog]

My original lasted 9 yrs, 180cca. Motobatt not even 2 yrs, 180cca. My new one so far is amazing. Tests at nearly 400 cca, bike just zings into life. Have left for 6 weeks, still tested at 280cca. https://superstart.com.au/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/image/700x700/e9c3970ab036de70892d86c6d221abfe/h/v/hvt-1_centre.jpg