Hello -- Well after a very long stretch without any problems to my SuperHawk, something odd has finally happened. I went to start the bike after it having sat for a week since its last ride, and the starter turned very slowly, as though the battery was low in charge. Thinking that to be the problem, I put the battery on the charger overnight and then tried to start it again with the same result. However, if I kept my thumb on the starter button, eventually the starter would turn faster and faster until it eventually got the bike going. I went for a ride without any problems (about 80 miles), and the next day tried to start the bike again -- same result (starter turning very slowly, then eventually turned faster and faster until it got the bike going). I should point out that I keep the lights off when I start the bike.
The battery is a high quality gel type (PowerSonic) that is only about a year or so old. The rotor is also in really good shape, the stator has been in the bike for 3 years and was NOS when I bought it. The rectifier is about a year old and is the kind that Retro Bikes sells (looks original, but has some kind of diodes in it). The only thing I'm uncertain about is the starter solenoid. Does anyone know if a faulty solenoid would cause this type of behaviour? When the bike is running all the electrical functions are normal, and the headlight stays relatively constant when I rev the bike. The only recent electrical change I've made is to two bullet connectors that I replaced, and I've checked those and they look perfectly fine. All other wiring in the headlight bucket looks completely normal. As well, I changed out the headlight with another OEM headlight assembly, and I really can't see how that could affect things as it's the exact same kind as what was on there originally.
Any thoughts out there from the electrical gurus?......
Starting Issues....
Hi Vince, sorry your having trouble. Your solenoid is fine. You need to double check the condition of your battery. Do this with a volt meter, you need to see 12.5 volts, at rest. If not return to charging, as long as it takes to get 12.5, when you take off the charger. If you can get the battery up to that resting voltage, then look at it again the next day, to besure the battery is not failing, on it's own. If the battery tests good, try starting the bike. If it gives the same slow cranking, check the voltage of the battery, while cranking. This should not go below about 10 v, while cranking. Make sure of the large wire connections, like from the battery to solenoid, and on to the starter, as well as at the starter. Also make sure of the main ground wire, at both ends of it, like maybe your motor mount bolt rattled loose. If your battery tests fine, and you have no problems with the big wires, and it still turns slow, your starter may be giving trouble. It could also be your engine has become harder to turn, but I don't think that is likely. Most like you have a problem of the battery, or the charging system has not been keeping up, and that caused the battery to become low on charge, which would act, the way you are describin.
Thanks for your reply. Well I did as you suggested, and I charged the battery and ended up with a standing voltage of 13 volts. When I tried to start the bike the charge dropped down to 10 and then eventually 6 volts! Here again, it was a situation in which the starter would crank very slowly, and then it would gather steam and turn faster and faster. I checked the connections you recommended and everything seemed tight and normal. I put the charger back on the bike (a Battery Tender) and hopefully I'll go for a ride this morning, and I'll report back as to how it does.
Funny, but after having gotten all of my charging issues sorted out last Spring, I didn't have to charge the battery once all last year.
Actually, the starter was just serviced recently because of that squealing sound you sometimes get. Update on the battery though: After having let it charge overnight, I checked the standing voltage and got 11.8 volts. My thinking is perhaps the battery is the culprit, but I just hope that it better have a warranty, as it's probably a year old and it's a pricey gel battery.
As far as trying a different starter, I don't happen to have an extra one on hand, so I'd have to track one down. I'm going to the Rhinebeck Grand Nationals next month so I hope this issue can be resolved before then....
Update on this seeming dilemma: I just received a replacement PowerSonic battery, installed it, and the starter went like a bat outta heck, so it was the battery after all. Interesting how the first PowerSonic died after only a year, and of course the warranty is guess what?....A year!
Many thanks for everyone's help....
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