No battery power at all on my ZX6

[GlennB]

Hi all, I seem to have lost all battery power to the bike. The first time I went to start it, it turned over fine and ALMOST started but then stopped, normal when it hasnt been used for a while and I forgot to put the choke on. I then went to start it again but gave it 2 squirt of the throttle first and then press the start button, but this time as soon as I pressed the start button and before it could even do a half turn of the engine, the bike just stopped and the instrument panel has gone blank.
I checked the main and other fuses under the seat and all are ok and also put the battery on the charger which said it was full.
So the fuses and battery are ok so what else could it be??

Cheers
Glenn

[GlennB]

OK this is weired, after typing my post I went back out side to find the tail light on then noticed the instrument panel was back on too the bike is now making a farting type noise which I think means it has a flat battery which contradicts what my battery charger is telling me. Ok lets see if I can roll start it.
Still curious what has happened here, any ideas?
Cheers

[Rusty]

Check and clean your battery connections. The battery might be fine, and the connections either loose or clogged with corrosion.

[GlennB]

All the battery terminals are very clean. I Got the bike going by roll starting it but coming up to the second corner I could feel the bike cutting out/ stalling as I was going down the gears and as soon as I stopped at the intersection the bike died. I tried jump starting it again but it woudnt go again and had to push it home.
Do these bikes charge when riding or can they be charged by just running the engine?
I have the car battery on the charge at the moment as that is also running flat which is why I was getting the bike out for tomorrow.
Cheers
Glenn

[Strika]

Sounds like either the battery has had a catastrophic failure and is now not holding ANY charge, or your Stator (charging system) has shat itself and now there is no longer enough power in the battery to fire the ignition. Stick another battery on it and then a meter on the stator and see what it's putting out.

[Sulli]

Take the battery to a battery place they will check it out by doing a load test on it
IMHO it's probably dropped a couple of cells

[GlennB]

Cheers, it might be the original battery so it might be time to get a new one any way.

[Neka79]

the battery terminals are clean u say, they are tighht also?? real tight... and good connection??

[GlennB]

clean and tight , first thing I made sure of, but is weired as the bike may sit their with a very dull oil light and then all of a sudden the whole instrument panal will light up good as new but as soon as you go to start it everything will blank out again. I feel the battery has gone kaput.

[mike-s]

id hazard to guess the electrical gremlins have loosened a connection or two.

[Gosling1]

Also - check the earth connection (at the engine end) from the battery to the engine as well.......sometimes these are the cause of electrical problems like you have described.....

[Neka79]

Also - check the earth connection (at the engine end) from the battery to the engine as well.......sometimes these are the cause of electrical problems like you have described.....

yea...

i had a similar prob- bike kept stalling for no reason when running.. turns out the side stand switch had worn thru and was arking out on the frame, causing bike to think side stand was down...

maybe u have a wire sumwhere that is arking out on the frame causing a bad earth or similar??

[GlennB]

will check the earth , once i find out which it is.

[nicko]

have you tried jump starting it?
If you get it started again put a multimeter on the terminals and ee if teh voltage raises once started - should be aroudn 14volts if the stator is working

if stator is working fine its a good chance teh battery has dropped cells
Take a hemmorhoid pillow with you to the battry place as ove rthe last 9 months lead prices have doubled - Meaning that the batteries have all gone thru the roof!

[GlennB]

Got a new battery for $88 and all seems good so far.