GS500F having a difficult time starting

油井緋色

油井緋色

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In the past few weeks I've had to recharge my battery multiple times, when it gets to around 12.2v it can no longer start the bike.

Any ideas as to why this would happen? I'm going to check the voltage later today when I ride home from work to see if the...whatever thingy in vehicles that charge batteries...is charging the battery when the bike is running. Assuming that whatever thingy is working, what else would be the problem to weak starts? Spark plug?
 
Not enough power in the regular battery for a cold start on the GS500. If you can keep the battery on a trickle charger you are golden. If not, like me I have to boost my bike cause I dont' have a garage or an outlet outside of the house an it takes more time to bring take the battery out and back in every time I want to ride. This Saturday, I'm picking up an Odessey battery from a shop in Hamilton. I'll let you know if it makes a differnce. Supossed to have more power and longer life.
 
Good battery reads close to 14V with no load. How old is your battery? What are the symptoms? If you can't turn the engine and the voltage on your battery is 12V, then get a new battery.
 
I have a 2010 gs bought new and it's always done this....
 
The cold drains the battery... either buy a LiFe battery (not effected by temperature at all) or get really good at bump starting, like I had to do
 
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Check the battery fluid(distilled water). Top it up if needed. I had starting troubles last month and my batt pushed out aroun the same V. Didn't know why until someone suggested to fill up the fluids. No probems since then
 
I had the same problem when first bought my bike :p tuned out to be an old battery and spark plug


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Dayao12 said:
Check the battery fluid(distilled water). Top it up if needed. I had starting troubles last month and my batt pushed out aroun the same V. Didn't know why until someone suggested to fill up the fluids. No probems since then
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Fluids are filled...past where they should be LOL
This usually only happens if the bike gets rained on; this never happened last year because I was too chicken to ride in rain. I've just been swapping between two batteries and measuring the voltage every time it rains.

Do spark plugs have anything to do with draining batteries? I thought spark plugs only affected mileage.
 
I wouldn't be suprised if Suzuki of Newmarket gave me an old battery. lol
Had it filled and tested at Canadian Tire last year, should be good but yet every time the temp drops I have the same problem.
 
rafiki911 said:
I wouldn't be suprised if Suzuki of Newmarket gave me an old battery. lol
Had it filled and tested at Canadian Tire last year, should be good but yet every time the temp drops I have the same problem.
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Well, this blows, I never had cold start problems last year with the new battery =( Maybe I need a new battery pre year? :@
 
Na I just think the GS requires a stronger battery, if the Odessey one is the same crap as the stock one I will look into those little batteries without the liquid in them.
 
Funny, I had the same problem with my GS500F. I thought it was specific to my bike because I went through 3 batteries during the time I owned it. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle. fixed the problem with a Ballistic Battery but the charge would still go gradually if I wasn't riding for a few days.
 
Start with the cheapest simplest solutions first.
Check all of the cable connections to the battery, as well where the ground wires connect to the frame. Check the connections at the solenoid. You should also check the connections at the Voltage regulator/rectifier and make sure they are clean. Corroded or dirty connections will give you many of the symptoms you are experiencing. Cleaning connections is free, buying batteries costs money.
 
tricky said:
The cold drains the battery... either buy a LiFe battery (not effected by temperature at all) or get really good at bump starting, like I had to do
Click to expand...
Just so you know, LiFe batteries are HUGELY affected by temperature! You have to let the bike strain the battery, turn over slow, to "warm the battery up", then it'll turn over better. The more you crank it the more power it give ya! Kinda the opposite to how a regular battery works ;)

-Jamie M.
 
toysareforboys said:
Just so you know, LiFe batteries are HUGELY affected by temperature! You have to let the bike strain the battery, turn over slow, to "warm the battery up", then it'll turn over better. The more you crank it the more power it give ya! Kinda the opposite to how a regular battery works ;)

-Jamie M.
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I remember reading about them on GSTwins, some of those guys put in LiFe batteries and were saying they had no worries at all in the cold. Whatever the case... anything is an improvement over trying to start up a cold GS on a dying lead-acid battery.

Plus they only lose like 3%/year sitting idle, don't they? Crazy
 
tricky said:
I remember reading about them on GSTwins, some of those guys put in LiFe batteries and were saying they had no worries at all in the cold. Whatever the case... anything is an improvement over trying to start up a cold GS on a dying lead-acid battery.

Plus they only lose like 3%/year sitting idle, don't they? Crazy
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Yep, very slow self discharge, and they keep the voltage up during cranking too! Spins the bike over fast!

-Jamie M.
 
My GS500F did the same thing.

At the Burrito Boyz Block Party I had to bump start my GS after being parked there for about 5-6 hours, lol.
 
rafiki911 said:
I'm picking up an Odessey battery from a shop in Hamilton. I'll let you know if it makes a differnce. Supossed to have more power and longer life.
Click to expand...

Odyssey rocks. Huge cranking power, even when it's cold. Excellent voltage retention, even when not trickle charged. In my experience, best battery I've ever used. Drawbacks: expensive, heavy, only available in few sizes and not bike specific.
 
cknowles said:
Start with the cheapest simplest solutions first.
Check all of the cable connections to the battery, as well where the ground wires connect to the frame. Check the connections at the solenoid. You should also check the connections at the Voltage regulator/rectifier and make sure they are clean. Corroded or dirty connections will give you many of the symptoms you are experiencing. Cleaning connections is free, buying batteries costs money.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'm not very mechanically inclined but I'll try this.
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