avdotia

I put a new battery on my bike (85 Honda Rebel 250) about a month ago. I use my bike to commute to and fro work. This morning she's dead. I got one "click" and my headlight and neutral indicator comes on and that's it. So I try again, and this time no click, no lights, nothing. Help!

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cagie

Do you have a battery charger? I would recommend you go to WalMart, Kmart or an auto parts and buy yourself a "Battery Tender Jr." This is a slow charger and will work excellent for the Rebel. You can also use it to keep the battery maintained when you are not riding for a long perdiod of time.

Do you have a voltmeter that you can test the battery with? Once you get the battery charged, start the bike, put a volt meter on the battery and read what the voltage is at idle. You should be geting around 13+volts . Run the RPMs up and watch the volt meter, it should climb. If it is not giving any voltage then the problem is probably the rectifier. (I have an 87 and that happened to me...). Another option is to try and "bump" start it. Put it in second, hold in the clutch and get a good roll, then let the clutch out and it should start (make sure key is on and kill switch is on run). If it does start and runs, then it is not the stator (alternator).


How far is your ride to work? If your ride is just a few minutes where you might not be gettin gup to 3000 or higher RPMs then you may be discharging the battery. The Rebel has a limited charging system. It needs to be run for a while at around 3000 RPM to do any good.

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Comments contained in my posts are not intended to cause physical or psychological stress and are mearly my two cents worth, and in this economy, that's cheap!
87 CMX250C 'the Pygmy Pony'
87 CMX450C 'Black Lithium'

avdotia

I've got the Battery Tender. I'll need to get a voltmeter. I've never bump started but I'll give it a go. My ride to work is through town and the highest posted speed limit is 45mph and the ride is 9 miles and it taked me about 15 minutes. Thank you. I'll try your recommendations and let you know how it goes.

I just don't get it. I've been commuting to and from work for just over 2 yrs and never had this problem.

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cagie

Two years? could be the battery is gone bad. Take it to auto parts and ask them to do a bench test on it. Probably have a dead cell. Original battery?

__________________
Comments contained in my posts are not intended to cause physical or psychological stress and are mearly my two cents worth, and in this economy, that's cheap!
87 CMX250C 'the Pygmy Pony'
87 CMX450C 'Black Lithium'

michaeldavis77

please be on the bike when you (bump)it,cause i bumped mine and it just took off with me holding on the throttle and it dragged me about 8 feet (got the battle scars to prove it)before i had to lean it to the ground the bike has minimal damage,but i still hurt. i did get back on and laugh bout it,but it could've been worse

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cagie

Yeah, I did neglect to mention that . Also helps if you could have someone pushing you, but the Reb is small enough to get just enough speed to bump it while sitting on it.

__________________
Comments contained in my posts are not intended to cause physical or psychological stress and are mearly my two cents worth, and in this economy, that's cheap!
87 CMX250C 'the Pygmy Pony'
87 CMX450C 'Black Lithium'

avdotia

Thanks for the tip Michael - but it didn't occur to me until your post that I would bump start it without actually being on it.

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avdotia

Yeah 2 yrs. But I've since then replaced it with a new battery a month ago. Anyway here's what I've done. This morning I put the battery charger on and with the cables still hooked up I was immediately able to start the bike. With the bike still running, I removed the cables, I notice my headlight dim a little but it kept running. Then I shut it off removed the cables and it wont' start. The bike will only start, with the charger cables hooked up to it.

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vanion2

At idle the Rebel won't generate enough juice to charge the battery so the battery will still drain. If it's a new battery then you probably just need to let it charge for half a day and then put it on a trickle charger (Battery Tender is my choice) at night to keep it fresh and ready to ride.

Is the battery the maintenance free type?

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avdotia

I bought the battery about a month ago. This morning I put the battery charger on and with the cables still hooked up I was immediately able to start the bike. With the bike still running, I removed the cables, I notice my headlight dim a little but it kept running. Then I shut it off removed the cables and it wont' start. The bike will only start, with the charger cables hooked up to it.

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