Odd power issue

[Mystical Cat]

So this morning upon turning the key there was a Low Voltage message, but the bike started up okay.  I left for work, 35 uneventful miles later stopped for gas, and when I went to start up again the Low Voltage message was back and once the power-up routine was finished, the motor cranked once and stopped.  This happened a few times, but on the last try there was enough to crank it over and fire up.

I definitely let all of the self-checks and adjustments complete before touching the starter, so I'm baffled as to what's going on.

Any ideas on where to start looking?

[AZBob]

The battery? I mean, it does say low voltage. Have you checked it off the bike, approximately an hour or more after you've shut the bike down?

[Mystical Cat]

Sure, that's the obvious place to look.  The dealer had put a new battery in it just before I bought it, so that's why I was asking if there's potentially something else at play here.  If it starts right up after work (fingers crossed), I'll get it home and put a meter on the battery to see what I've got, top it off with the Tender, then pull it and see if it's holding the charge.

[oakville]

I often get the low voltage message after start up but never before.  Always starts.  Original battery 2013 model,  43,000km

[Mystical Cat]

Originally Posted by oakville

I often get the low voltage message after start up but never before.  Always starts.  Original battery 2013 model,  43,000km

Does anyone know what the threshold is for a Low Voltage message? 

[john348]

Check the search on here but some people have reported that the main power cable to the solenoid can go loose.  Also others have found the connections to the battery are critical and need to be tight and clean.  (Or actually cleaned and tightened???)  I changed mine for a LiFePo and do not get the low voltage any more.  Mine never had problems starting on the lead acid (although it is noticeable how much quicker it cranks now) but often got low voltage message. I woudl say try the battery terminals as they are easy to get at epscially if you are going to put a meter across it.  And look for the solenoid posting.

[Zebraranger]

I'll get it home and put a meter on the battery to see what I've got, top it off with the Tender, then pull it and see if it's holding the charge.

You should check it while its under load. If the battery is going bad, it could still show 12.5 to 13 volts when charged, but if its going bad, it will drop dramatically under load.

Does anyone know what the threshold is for a Low Voltage message?

I don't know what it is but I can tell you that its not much. I also have a 2013 with the original battery, shortly after I got it, it started showing the low voltage. I've been using a battery tender ever since then and it stopped showing the low voltage flash. I don't ride every day, so its always on the battery maintainer.

[Mystical Cat]

Originally Posted by Zebraranger

You should check it while its under load. If the battery is going bad, it could still show 12.5 to 13 volts when charged, but if its going bad, it will drop dramatically under load.

Will do.

Originally Posted by Zebraranger

I don't ride every day, so its always on the battery maintainer.

That's what's odd because I actually do ride every day, so it's not like it's doing a lot of sitting around.  As for what happened this morning, I would think that running the bike at 70+ mph for 35 minutes would be more than enough to top off the battery.

If the battery is no good that's an easy fix, and if it's anything more involved the bike is still under factory warranty, so I'll get it taken care of one way or the other.