Useless Italian lump of crap!

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nicketynoo · #1 Post by **nicketynoo** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:59 pm

Is this the correct way to address Ones Falco when it refuses to start due to a flat battery?
I've tried caressing it and whispering in its mirrors but this didn't work either next time I'll be trying the John Cleese/Fawlty towers approach!!!
Twice now the Falco has refused to kick into life and run the battery down.
I have been checking the charging volages with a view to doing the wiring mod and came up with 13.9v (measured at the battery ) whilst Idling and this drops to 13v at 4k revs, think this should be sufficient to charge the battery ok. I'd rather not do the mod if not necessary.
I've had another play tonight and checked the connectors at the rectifier. They were fine and showed no signs of heat or corrosion . (this bike doesn't look as though its ever seen damp conditions.) As a precaution I soldered the wires at the crimps just to make sure there were no high resistance joints, then rechecked the voltages and they hadn't changed at all.
But when trying to start the bike to check these it wouldn't crank over enough again to start. It had been on my oximiser since yesterday and should have been fully charged.
Ive also had an ammeter in circuit to see if there is any discharge when everythings turned off and all ok. Theres no alarm fitted!
This is the battery thats fitted and it doesn't look to have been on too long but cant be sure so another 1 on its way now. Motobatt 1! Hope this cures the problem

FUNSTART EH! Would be fun if the Fecker would feckin' START!

kff30 · #2 Post by **kff30** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:10 pm

if you have had it on charge over night and it still didnt start i would say it was the battery. hope you get it sorted nothing worse then not being able to rely on your bike

blinkey501 · #3 Post by **blinkey501** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:11 pm

Have you turned everything off and see if anything is pulling power from the battery with the amp meter?
I have a brand new battery I could loan for a week to see if yours is knackered
Im in Scunthorpe Monday nick

nicketynoo · #4 Post by **nicketynoo** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:19 pm

blinkey501 wrote:Have you turned everything off and see if anything is pulling power from the battery with the amp meter?
I have a brand new battery I could loan for a week to see if yours is knackered
Im in Scunthorpe Monday nick

Thanks Jay but I got an itchy trigger finger whilst browsing on ebay so have 1 on the way. I have checked if anything is draining with everything turned off and all is good.

did any falco's come with a light on/off selector switch cos mine are always on. I always ride with them on but would like to be able to switch off for starting.
I know my lads Rs 50 has both switchgear options, switchable or on all the time.

blinkey501 · #5 Post by **blinkey501** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:28 pm

nicketynoo wrote:
blinkey501 wrote:Have you turned everything off and see if anything is pulling power from the battery with the amp meter?
I have a brand new battery I could loan for a week to see if yours is knackered
Im in Scunthorpe Monday nick
Thanks Jay but I got an itchy trigger finger whilst browsing on ebay so have 1 on the way. I have checked if anything is draining with everything turned off and all is good.

did any falco's come with a light on/off selector switch cos mine are always on. I always ride with them on but would like to be able to switch off for starting.
I know my lads Rs 50 has both switchgear options, switchable or on all the time.

The early falco's came with the switchgear. "Silver framed" bikes.

kff30 · #6 Post by **kff30** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:30 pm

nicketynoo wrote:
did any falco's come with a light on/off selector switch cos mine are always on. I always ride with them on but would like to be able to switch off for starting.
I know my lads Rs 50 has both switchgear options, switchable or on all the time.

my falco is a 2001 model and i can turn my lights on and off i do notice a difference when starting if i have the lights on, i do always try to leave the lights of when starting from cold, its not too bad when the bikes warm

nicketynoo · #7 Post by **nicketynoo** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:46 pm

I need that switchgear

#8 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:53 pm

I usually just set fire to mine when it wont start

which reminds me I need that switchgear too.. knew there was something i was going to do... oops

D-Rider · #9 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:05 pm

blinkey501 wrote:
nicketynoo wrote:
blinkey501 wrote:Have you turned everything off and see if anything is pulling power from the battery with the amp meter?
I have a brand new battery I could loan for a week to see if yours is knackered
Im in Scunthorpe Monday nick
Thanks Jay but I got an itchy trigger finger whilst browsing on ebay so have 1 on the way. I have checked if anything is draining with everything turned off and all is good.

did any falco's come with a light on/off selector switch cos mine are always on. I always ride with them on but would like to be able to switch off for starting.
I know my lads Rs 50 has both switchgear options, switchable or on all the time.
The early falco's came with the switchgear. "Silver framed" bikes.

Not just the early ones - almost ALL Falcos came with proper light switches.
Only some of the very last Bronze/Black and Flamingo Red/Black were assembled under the stupid assumption that you'd only be riding at night and wouldn't need to turn the lights off.

Cathcart · #10 Post by **Cathcart** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 12:54 am

Bronze/black 2003 and can switch mine off... Always do when starting.

blinkey501 · #11 Post by **blinkey501** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 5:40 am

D-Rider wrote:
blinkey501 wrote:
nicketynoo wrote:
blinkey501 wrote:Have you turned everything off and see if anything is pulling power from the battery with the amp meter?
I have a brand new battery I could loan for a week to see if yours is knackered
Im in Scunthorpe Monday nick
Thanks Jay but I got an itchy trigger finger whilst browsing on ebay so have 1 on the way. I have checked if anything is draining with everything turned off and all is good.

did any falco's come with a light on/off selector switch cos mine are always on. I always ride with them on but would like to be able to switch off for starting.
I know my lads Rs 50 has both switchgear options, switchable or on all the time.
The early falco's came with the switchgear. "Silver framed" bikes.
Not just the early ones - almost ALL Falcos came with proper light switches.
Only some of the very last Bronze/Black and Flamingo Red/Black were assembled under the stupid assumption that you'd only be riding at night and wouldn't need to turn the lights off.

I agree with you Andy. It was after I posted I realised my oasis has the switch gear.

ReggieGasket · #12 Post by **ReggieGasket** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 11:18 am

If all you needed was a new battery, you'll owe your bike and the Italian nation an appology

Tonyunn · #13 Post by **Tonyunn** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 12:22 pm

Even with a new Motobatt type mine felt like it was going to "bottom" out when I tried to start it, however this changed when I changed the starter relay for a 150 amp one, the bike starts easily and quickly each time now even after four days off life support.

Cathcart · #14 Post by **Cathcart** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:01 pm

I've just switched out my relay to a 150, wasn't anything really wrong with mine apart from e bike was a slow starter. Don't know if it was battery or relay so, in process of replacing both.

D-Rider · #15 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:29 pm

High internal resistance of an old battery and high contact resistance of a relay whose contacts have oxidised will give the same effect.

Simple but exciting method to tell whether it's the relay is to short the power terminals with a chunky screwdriver ..... but be aware that sparks will occur and that you need to make sure the screwdriver doesn't touch other things and you hold it by the insulated handle well away from the relay contacts.
If it starts perfectly, the battery is fine - change the relay.
If it starts as badly as before, it's the battery.
If it improves things a bit then both are not great - change them both.

..... all this assumes that you've checked battery terminals are clean and tight - same for power to starter motor and terminals at relay. Be careful when working on these things - big currents can flow. Most caution required between battery and relay.