oh dear oh dear - battery woes

[green_hodgeheg]

PIcture the scene. Proud new owner of z650 gets it out, has piccy taken then goes to start it. Cue fading battery. Proud new owner of z fails miserably to kick it over and has to admit defeat. Battery now on charge and sun shining. Waily waily wail.
And no comments about how I should have been able to kick it please !!! I've never had to kick over a bike this big so must go on some sort of training ha ha.
Going to get new battery tomorrow just to be sure and keep one on standby - life is too short.

[Robbo87]

Make sure you invest in a bike-specific battery tender (that's NOT a trickle charger btw), read up on 'em. There's loads around from around £35.00. they're worth more than their weight in titanium.

[Gimlet]

Don't want to introduce gloomy thoughts but it is the battery is it? With the engine running the alternator should be delivering about 13.5 volts to the battery. Its worth checking that it is doing so before spending £60 odd on a battery.

[Mr Moo]

I would expect to see around 14.4 volts to charge a 12 volt battery....

[green_hodgeheg]

Thanks for useful info !!!
Kind neighbour has lent me his datatool motorbike battery charger and I am pleased to announce that the z started with the first prod of the button tonight. Went for lovely lovely blast and all is well.
Got a spare battery as well, they were cheap, and have been told by previous owner that if I kick it over with clutch held in of course it won't start - doh.
Doing lots of shortish rides as it has been rebuilt but will be out and about

[Scotty]

...and have been told by previous owner that if I kick it over with clutch held in of course it won't start - doh.

Really? How is holding the clutch in going to inhibit the engine starting then?
Z650s didn't even have a clutch cut-out to prevent you riding off with the side stand down, you'd find out about it when you came to the first left bend - I know, I had one 34 years ago!
I shouldn't attach too much credence to the utterings of the previous owner if that's the calibre of their advice....

[green_hodgeheg]

It definitely starts with the clutch held in if using the electric start and kicks over without it held in.
Previous owner is successful motorbike shop owner and z enthusiast of many years....
Perhaps z650s spec changed during years of production but this is definitely how mine works.

[Robbo87]

It definitely starts with the clutch held in if using the electric start and kicks over without it held in. ........................................ this is definitely how mine works.

Well it would do and this is normal. Pulling in the clutch lever when using the kick start disengages the engine from the clutch mechanism, therefore not allowing the engine to 'turn over'. Pulling in the clutch lever when starting on the button will not do this because the electric starter motor acts directly on the engine, it doesn't act on the clutch mechanism.
It's a gearbox thing

[Gimlet]

...is the right answer.

[graham22]

It definitely starts with the clutch held in if using the electric start and kicks over without it held in. ........................................ this is definitely how mine works.

Well it would do and this is normal. Pulling in the clutch lever when using the kick start disengages the engine from the clutch mechanism, therefore not allowing the engine to 'turn over'. Pulling in the clutch lever when starting on the button will not do this because the electric starter motor acts directly on the engine, it doesn't act on the clutch mechanism.
It's a gearbox thing

Correct about the starter motor but not always the case about the kickstart:

depends if the kickstart operates onto the outer or inner clutch basket. On bikes where it works on the outer basket, you can start the bike in gear with the clutch lifted (like most off road bikes).

Some bikes work on the 'gearbox' side of the clutch & through the inner basket, can't be kicked over in gear (feels locked as operating the gearbox output - rear wheel) and with the clutch lifted (in neutral) the kickstart simply turns the clutch inner basket and not much else - you were doing either of these rather than trying in neutral with the clutch lever out.

Some Suzuki two strokes worked the oil pump in the same way - could seize if the clutch was lifted for long durations.

Surprising what you learn once when trying to sort a gearbox problem.

Scotty's right about the cutout switch though, instead the Kawasakis of this age had the most awkward sidestand retraction mechanism built into the clutch lever.

[Gimlet]

The weirdest system has to be on the old CZ 250, a two wheeled Trabant and the world's worst bike. The gear shifter is pushed in and rotated backwards 180 degrees and becomes the kick starter.
Back in the day the Used Bike Guide book had a one line entry for this contraption: "OK its cheap but there really is no excuse for this sort of thing."
Quite.