How long do batteries last? - update

[nakes]

the alarm may have it's own battery

The alarm doesn't have it's own battery but it doesn't need alot of charge to work...

[nakes]

get a battery that you know is good from a friend or get a car close enough and get the jump leads onto the bike and see what happens

if everything starts and does as it should then you know the battery is goosed

and buy yourself multimeter



william

Will try this today and ja, multimeters are handy so I do need a new one... or maybe it's just the fuse in the one that I have.. need to check that...

[nakes]

Update - So I put a multimeter to the battery terminals and it shows 13,85 with the ignition off. Put the ignition on and it drops to 0.54

Any ideas?

[fastdruid]

Dead or a major short.

I'd disconnect a lead from the battery and connect the multimeter to the lead and battery with it set to the amps setting.

Then turn on the ign and see what it reads, should be with the headlights off a matter of milliamps, if it's a large reading then something is wrong in the electrics.

Thinking about it just in case it's a stuck solinoid and shorting starter I'd disconnect the lead to the starter motor when doing it.

Druid

[nakes]

Thanks all for your replies.... I'm 99% sure it's the battery. I hooked my battery up to another bike and it's dead.

With the lights off the dash lights up a bit but everything goes off as soon as I put the headlights on or hit start button.

Now to find a RVF battery for a good price...

[hipringle]

how did you get 13.85 volts with a dud battery?. I,d recheck everything again.

[nakes]

how did you get 13.85 volts with a dud battery?. I,d recheck everything again.

I checked the battery again... I get 12.76

[Morespeedvicar]

Hi,
You get a good voltage reading because one of the cells is nearly open circuit (at a high resistance), and when there is no current flowing(i.e. no load) thers is no voltage drop across the faulty cell so it reads ok.
However when a load is applied the voltage from the good cells is droped across the dead cell and the output voltage goes to nearly 0ish( you may get a couple a volts out).
Same goes when trying to charge it.
Hope that makes sence, i know what i mean........lol........
Try puting a lamp( summat like a headlamp or brakelamp bulb) across the battery and see if it glows?

Cheers
Ian

[nakes999]

Ok got a new battery and all is well.... :D

So it was just a dead battery..