- Joined
- Mar 26, 2011
- Messages
- 599
- Reaction score
- 98
- Location
- Cape Town, Southern Suburbs
- Bike
- Husqvarna (all models)
My 901 has a frustrating intermittent starting problem which has happened four times at the most inconvenient times.
First time after a days riding to Rooiberg Lodge it would not start the following morning and it seemed the battery did not have enough voltage. We started the bike easily with jumper cables and it ran and started perfectly for the rest of the trip. (Had to unpack luggage to get to the battery). I charged to battery when I got home and it started fine for the next week or two.
Second time early morning bike loaded for a trip again seemed like the battery was flat. Unpacked luggage and it started easily with a jump start from a vehicle. So I reckoned the battery must be on it's way out (only 18 months old!!). So on the way out of town I replaced the battery at TracMac with another lead/acid battery as they did not have any gel batteries. No problems for the next few weeks.
Third time on a trip after 3 days riding we stopped for about 10 minutes to part ways to get home and again it would not start - again seemed like the battery was flat. Unpacked luggage and thanks to MotoBatt jump start it started OK. No problems for the next 2 weeks. (But I now bought my own MotoBatt jump starter.)
Fourth time again last leg of a 3 day trip stopped in Riversdale at Wimpy and when I came out it would not start - again flat battery symptom. Thanks to my MotoBatt jump starter it started OK and on the rest of the way home.
Next morning it would not start (flat battery symptom) so I measured to battery voltage which read 12.1V. When I pressed the starter the voltage dropped to 11.2V and stayed there when I kept my finger on the starter - so it seems that battery still has sufficient power. When the bike is running it measures 14,2V at the battery so it appears the battery is getting charged. I then took it to a battery place and he checked through and said the battery seems OK and he measured 11,2 V at the starter motor. Has started OK the last 3 days.
It sounds like to starter is "clicking in" but just does not turn. Click is louder than just a electrical solenoid and sounds like mechanical engagement.
I have checked all the connections and now turn to this knowledgeable forum for some ideas before I take it back to KTM - where I am sure they will just try to sell me another battery.
First time after a days riding to Rooiberg Lodge it would not start the following morning and it seemed the battery did not have enough voltage. We started the bike easily with jumper cables and it ran and started perfectly for the rest of the trip. (Had to unpack luggage to get to the battery). I charged to battery when I got home and it started fine for the next week or two.
Second time early morning bike loaded for a trip again seemed like the battery was flat. Unpacked luggage and it started easily with a jump start from a vehicle. So I reckoned the battery must be on it's way out (only 18 months old!!). So on the way out of town I replaced the battery at TracMac with another lead/acid battery as they did not have any gel batteries. No problems for the next few weeks.
Third time on a trip after 3 days riding we stopped for about 10 minutes to part ways to get home and again it would not start - again seemed like the battery was flat. Unpacked luggage and thanks to MotoBatt jump start it started OK. No problems for the next 2 weeks. (But I now bought my own MotoBatt jump starter.)
Fourth time again last leg of a 3 day trip stopped in Riversdale at Wimpy and when I came out it would not start - again flat battery symptom. Thanks to my MotoBatt jump starter it started OK and on the rest of the way home.
Next morning it would not start (flat battery symptom) so I measured to battery voltage which read 12.1V. When I pressed the starter the voltage dropped to 11.2V and stayed there when I kept my finger on the starter - so it seems that battery still has sufficient power. When the bike is running it measures 14,2V at the battery so it appears the battery is getting charged. I then took it to a battery place and he checked through and said the battery seems OK and he measured 11,2 V at the starter motor. Has started OK the last 3 days.
It sounds like to starter is "clicking in" but just does not turn. Click is louder than just a electrical solenoid and sounds like mechanical engagement.
I have checked all the connections and now turn to this knowledgeable forum for some ideas before I take it back to KTM - where I am sure they will just try to sell me another battery.
