Battery question

Moggypearl · Post by **Moggypearl** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:55 pm

Is it possible for the battery to be so dead that even kickstarting it wont work? Ive been riding around for the past week having to kickstart every time, waiting till my next paycheck to buy a new battery. Normally I dont have a problem, but today neither I nor my fiance could get it going. Could I have worn out the kicker?

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:01 pm

To rule out the rest of the fuel/electrical system, jump start it from a car battery (with the car's engine off - most car batteries should have plenty of reserve amps to start it up). If the scoot starts OK, it's just your battery and/or charging system.

Oh, and one mistake lots of us here have made - make sure your kill switch is in the Run position.

Moggypearl · Post by **Moggypearl** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:14 pm

Ive already determined that my batter3 needs replacing through testing and trying to jump start. What I need to know is why it suddenly wont kickstart now either. if the battery is so run down that no charge is left in it, will that prevebt it from kickstarting, is my question

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:23 pm

I don't think so. If you're saying that previously the scoot started by jumpstarting and now it won't, then yes, something else may be wrong in addition to the battery. A carbureted Buddy (not the 170i) can be kickstarted with a completely flat battery. Does the scoot no longer start with a jump?

In theory, unless the stator (alternator) is toast, there's no real reason why kickstarting would fail assuming all the other pieces are in place (fuel, air, and spark). The stator does two things - provides power for the ignition system _and_ recharges the battery. If for some reason you had both a dead battery _and_ a bad stator, then there's no way to get power to the spark plug. A symptom of this condition would be that the scoot starts with jumper cables attached, but dies right away when you remove them.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:11 pm

Kickstarting will start a bike regardless of the battery. However I would be worried that by jumpstarting you may have blown a fuse somewhere.

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:41 pm

Also, 170is don't have kickstarters because they are fuel injected, so this problem wouldn't even be a possibility if the OP had a 170i.

I would add advice to check your spark plug. If it's in really bad shape it may not be close enough to even produce a useful spark, no matter how the kicker or battery may perform.

+1 for what Lokky said. Check your fuses too.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:59 pm

Start with the main fuse next to the battery.

+1 on checking the spark plug, too.

You should be able to kickstart and run the scooter all day without a battery. (Not a 170, as mentioned. And not true of all scooters. But a Buddy 125, 50 or 150, yes.)

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 2:35 am

But it will be harder to get it to light with a totally flat dead battery. I would put a fresh plug in there. But get a battery ASAP and make life more simple.

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:07 am

The quickest way to burn out your charging system is to have it try a charge a bad battery. Don't mess around otherwise it will get expensive.