6a. wobble

[Norm Keller]

You could modify the seat so that it comes off without tools. Mine has the bolt hole "eyes" snipped and the tube washers spaced out to allow the seat to pop off and on. Some have success with a couple of sections of Velcro. HIH Norm

>It is a bit of a pain, especially with a Corban >seat, to pull out the battery,

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Conall" wrote:

> > Did you yourself verify the battery fluids initially? > Is it real hot where you live? What did you fill it up with? > I would check the fluid levels in 2 weeks time, then in two more > weeks,then monthly. It may be beyond being able to keep a charge so

go

> with a sealed battery when it's time to replace it. > > Conall > 93,95 KLR650 >

An additional comment: Three of 5 KLR's on our GDR ride had OEM batteries of various ages. All needed water/maintenance ~1000 miles. It was hot, but I don't think OAT had much influence on it. Mine had a history of full to min in 1000 miles--topped off with distilled water--it lasted 4+, nearly 5 years/17,000 smiles. My replacement wet battery is a YUSA, and after the initial service, it has gone 5000+ miles without appreciable fluid loss. shrug. Seems like it might have something something to do with the OEM battery design, etc. shrug-again. Why? Don't know--just the facts as I saw them.... I guess if I had it do over again, and a glass pac battery was available, I would go 'dry'. Since we have a 'short' riding season to begin with, combined with living in the hither lands, you sometimes buy what is available, or you go without waiting for the delivery. Overall, I have had good service from the YUSA battery, and I have spent less time with the bike in the horizontal, so perhaps that also contributes to the 'better-service' from this battery. smile. revmaaatin.

[Richard Bessey]

Hello Everyone, First time poster to the group, I was hopeful to get everyone thoughts on my problem. I have a 1989 KLR 650 with 30,000 miles on her. She runs like a top with only one problem I have started to notice. I have had trouble getting the bike started due to the starter not cranking fast enough, last year I had the same problem and I put a new battery in it since I figured the old battery was end of life. Now I have a ... 6 month old battery and had it on a battery maintainer on it during the entire winter. Today I was having trouble with it again, so I got my multimeter out and did some testing. Here are my findings. My bike is currently sitting in the garage, with no load (key turned off, etc...) the battery reads about 11.2 volts with no load. Starting the bike, the voltage does not change, if I rev the bike up to about 4,500 RPM, I get about 11.9 volts at the battery. I then hooked up my amp meter, and noticed with the bike at an idle, the bike pulls about 1 amp out of the battery to run the headlight and ignition. If I rev the motor over 2500 RPM, the bike starts putting amps into the battery. At about 4,000 RPM's the bike puts ... 1-3 amps into the battery. I am starting to think that my problem my be due to my riding style, I often run the bike at low RPM's while thumping around town, normally about 2,500 RPM around town. On the highway I get it up to 4,000 to 5,000 RPM's, but I don't ride the highway much. So, are my readings normal? I read up and find, I should be getting 12+ volts, so I am worried my alternator and/or voltage reg is dying on me or getting weak. Any thoughts/concerns/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Richard Bessey

[Jeff Saline]

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:47:51 -0700 Richard Bessey writes:

> Hello Everyone, > First time poster to the group, I was hopeful to get everyone > thoughts > on my problem. > > I have a 1989 KLR 650 with 30,000 miles on her. She runs like a top > with > only one problem I have started to notice. I have had trouble > getting > the bike started due to the starter not cranking fast enough, last > year > I had the same problem and I put a new battery in it since I figured > the > old battery was end of life. Now I have a ... 6 month old battery > and > had it on a battery maintainer on it during the entire winter. > Today I was having trouble with it again, so I got my multimeter out > and > did some testing. Here are my findings. > > My bike is currently sitting in the garage, with no load (key turned > > off, etc...) the battery reads about 11.2 volts with no load. > Starting the bike, the voltage does not change, if I rev the bike up > to > about 4,500 RPM, I get about 11.9 volts at the battery. > I then hooked up my amp meter, and noticed with the bike at an idle, > the > bike pulls about 1 amp out of the battery to run the headlight and > ignition. If I rev the motor over 2500 RPM, the bike starts putting > amps > into the battery. At about 4,000 RPM's the bike puts ... 1-3 amps > into > the battery. > > I am starting to think that my problem my be due to my riding style, > I > often run the bike at low RPM's while thumping around town, normally > > about 2,500 RPM around town. On the highway I get it up to 4,000 to > > 5,000 RPM's, but I don't ride the highway much. > > So, are my readings normal? I read up and find, I should be getting > 12+ > volts, so I am worried my alternator and/or voltage reg is dying on > me > or getting weak. > > Any thoughts/concerns/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > Regards, > > Richard Bessey

<><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><> Richard, At the end of this post is part of a post I did 31 Oct 2005. It shows what I measured for electrical usage on my 2003 KLR. You can read it to see what I found. I question your reading for the battery at 11.2 volts at no load after being charged. That is a dead battery at that voltage. Your amp reading of 1 amp with the key on is very low I think. The headlight alone is 55 watts on low beam. At 11.2 volts that's about 4.9 amps. So I think something isn't correct with this reading. Maybe try jumping the bike from a car battery and seeing how well it cranks. If it cranks like you think it should you can assume it's the battery. If it doesn't make a difference maybe you have a bad cable, starter, connection etc. Or a combination of problems. Hope this is helpful. The other partial post is below. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

[Richard Bessey]

All, To add to this problem, I got the battery charger out and hooked it up, hooking it up looks and feels like a dead/low battery. I think I am not getting enough out of the charging system on my bike. Regards, Richard Bessey Richard Bessey wrote:

> > Hello Everyone, > First time poster to the group, I was hopeful to get everyone thoughts > on my problem. > > I have a 1989 KLR 650 with 30,000 miles on her. She runs like a top with > only one problem I have started to notice. I have had trouble getting > the bike started due to the starter not cranking fast enough, last year > I had the same problem and I put a new battery in it since I figured the > old battery was end of life. Now I have a ... 6 month old battery and > had it on a battery maintainer on it during the entire winter. > Today I was having trouble with it again, so I got my multimeter out and > did some testing. Here are my findings. > > My bike is currently sitting in the garage, with no load (key turned > off, etc...) the battery reads about 11.2 volts with no load. > Starting the bike, the voltage does not change, if I rev the bike up to > about 4,500 RPM, I get about 11.9 volts at the battery. > I then hooked up my amp meter, and noticed with the bike at an idle, the > bike pulls about 1 amp out of the battery to run the headlight and > ignition. If I rev the motor over 2500 RPM, the bike starts putting amps > into the battery. At about 4,000 RPM's the bike puts ... 1-3 amps into > the battery. > > I am starting to think that my problem my be due to my riding style, I > often run the bike at low RPM's while thumping around town, normally > about 2,500 RPM around town. On the highway I get it up to 4,000 to > 5,000 RPM's, but I don't ride the highway much. > > So, are my readings normal? I read up and find, I should be getting 12+ > volts, so I am worried my alternator and/or voltage reg is dying on me > or getting weak. > > Any thoughts/concerns/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > Regards, > > Richard Bessey > >

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bessey wrote:

> > All, > To add to this problem, I got the battery charger out and hooked it

up,

> hooking it up looks and feels like a dead/low battery. I think I am

not

> getting enough out of the charging system on my bike. > > Regards, > > Richard Bessey >

Richard, You don't say anything about battery fluid--assuming a wetcell batt. Is your battery fluid at full? A wintered over battery that is low on fluid, and on a charger is a bad deal. Many a poster has had short battery life due to poor battery maintenance...at least once every 1000 miles on a wet cell battery is required...some sooner-- some a little longer. At least, when you do an oil change, service the battery. Properly top off the battery with [only] distilled water, and trickle charge over night. Let the battery sit for 15 minutes and check a static voltage. A good battery reads 1.1 v per cell or 12.6. Jeff posted a few days ago about battery condition vs volts. Did you see it. It is less than 100 post prior to today. Jeff suggested jump starting from a car: DON'T jump start with the car running. EVER. [i] You will push to many amps into the bike battery--possibly even blow it up. Please tell us about the fluid level when you get a chance. revmaaatin.[/i]

[revmaaatin]

CORRECTION: 2.1 v per cell (not 1.1v) for 12.6 volts. sorry. I should go to bed. revmaaatin.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "revmaaatin" wrote: > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bessey wrote: > > > > All, > > To add to this problem, I got the battery charger out and hooked it > up, > > hooking it up looks and feels like a dead/low battery. I think I am > not > > getting enough out of the charging system on my bike. > > > > Regards, > > > > Richard Bessey > > > > Richard, > You don't say anything about battery fluid--assuming a wetcell batt. > Is your battery fluid at full? A wintered over battery that is low > on fluid, and on a charger is a bad deal. Many a poster has had > short battery life due to poor battery maintenance...at least once > every 1000 miles on a wet cell battery is required...some sooner-- > some a little longer. At least, when you do an oil change, service > the battery. > > Properly top off the battery with [only] distilled water, and trickle > charge over night. Let the battery sit for 15 minutes and check a > static voltage. A good battery reads 1.1 v per cell or 12.6. Jeff > posted a few days ago about battery condition vs volts. Did you see > it. It is less than 100 post prior to today. > > Jeff suggested jump starting from a car: DON'T jump start with the > car running. EVER. [i] You will push to many > amps into the bike battery--possibly even blow it up. > > Please tell us about the fluid level when you get a chance. > > revmaaatin. > [/i]

[i][/i]

[dooden]

Check connections would be starting point and recheck making sure battery is full of water (assuming you did'nt spring a few extra calms for a sealed battery) and put a nice charger on it for a while, I like to use my little 1 amp charger for small batteries like the KLR uses. Battery maintainer ? not sure what device that is. Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bessey wrote: > > Hello Everyone, > First time poster to the group, I was hopeful to get everyone thoughts > on my problem. > > I have a 1989 KLR 650 with 30,000 miles on her. She runs like a top with > only one problem I have started to notice. I have had trouble getting > the bike started due to the starter not cranking fast enough, last year > I had the same problem and I put a new battery in it since I figured the > old battery was end of life. Now I have a ... 6 month old battery and > had it on a battery maintainer on it during the entire winter. > Today I was having trouble with it again, so I got my multimeter out and > did some testing. Here are my findings. > > My bike is currently sitting in the garage, with no load (key turned > off, etc...) the battery reads about 11.2 volts with no load. > Starting the bike, the voltage does not change, if I rev the bike up to > about 4,500 RPM, I get about 11.9 volts at the battery. > I then hooked up my amp meter, and noticed with the bike at an idle, the > bike pulls about 1 amp out of the battery to run the headlight and > ignition. If I rev the motor over 2500 RPM, the bike starts putting amps > into the battery. At about 4,000 RPM's the bike puts ... 1-3 amps into > the battery. > > I am starting to think that my problem my be due to my riding style, I > often run the bike at low RPM's while thumping around town, normally > about 2,500 RPM around town. On the highway I get it up to 4,000 to > 5,000 RPM's, but I don't ride the highway much. > > So, are my readings normal? I read up and find, I should be getting 12+ > volts, so I am worried my alternator and/or voltage reg is dying on me > or getting weak. > > Any thoughts/concerns/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > Regards, > > Richard Bessey >

[albatrossklr]

Perhaps your first thoughts may be correct... If the wrong type of battery tender is being used it will damage the battery, but if you had this problem prior to using the battery tender the voltage regulator system can be the issue.. albatross who needs charging this morning

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Dooden" wrote: > > Check connections would be starting point and recheck making sure > battery is full of water (assuming you did'nt spring a few extra > calms for a sealed battery) and put a nice charger on it for a while, > I like to use my little 1 amp charger for small batteries like the > KLR uses. > > Battery maintainer ? not sure what device that is. > > Dooden > A15 Green Ape > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bessey wrote: > > > > Hello Everyone, > > First time poster to the group, I was hopeful to get everyone > thoughts > > on my problem. > > > > I have a 1989 KLR 650 with 30,000 miles on her. She runs like a top > with > > only one problem I have started to notice. I have had trouble > getting > > the bike started due to the starter not cranking fast enough, last > year > > I had the same problem and I put a new battery in it since I > figured the > > old battery was end of life. Now I have a ... 6 month old battery > and > > had it on a battery maintainer on it during the entire winter. > > Today I was having trouble with it again, so I got my multimeter > out and > > did some testing. Here are my findings. > > > > My bike is currently sitting in the garage, with no load (key > turned > > off, etc...) the battery reads about 11.2 volts with no load. > > Starting the bike, the voltage does not change, if I rev the bike > up to > > about 4,500 RPM, I get about 11.9 volts at the battery. > > I then hooked up my amp meter, and noticed with the bike at an > idle, the > > bike pulls about 1 amp out of the battery to run the headlight and > > ignition. If I rev the motor over 2500 RPM, the bike starts putting > amps > > into the battery. At about 4,000 RPM's the bike puts ... 1-3 amps > into > > the battery. > > > > I am starting to think that my problem my be due to my riding > style, I > > often run the bike at low RPM's while thumping around town, > normally > > about 2,500 RPM around town. On the highway I get it up to 4,000 to > > 5,000 RPM's, but I don't ride the highway much. > > > > So, are my readings normal? I read up and find, I should be getting > 12+ > > volts, so I am worried my alternator and/or voltage reg is dying on > me > > or getting weak. > > > > Any thoughts/concerns/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > > > Regards, > > > > Richard Bessey > > >

[Andrus Chesley]

According to my GPS which I have reading voltage also, my KLR runs at 14 Volts on the average at anything above 1500 rpm. Usually about 12 or so when starting after a few days sitting. This is without any extras sucking on the battery. Just stock loads. I've had three batteries go out on KLR's I've owned. One just dead short on a ride on my '92. Two on my '00. One shorted out (again ) and the other just would not hold a charge unless the bike was running. Have a sealed battery in it now with no problems for the last 3 years. Andy in Louisiana