Battery finally got me...

[mrgeoff]

Rode to Pepboys on my 99CT and when I came out the bike didn't crank, no lights, no click from the starter relay...Nothing...I took seat off and measured voltage (12.7)...checked 30a fuse and 10a fuses...good...checked 'dogbone'...good...tapped starter relay and turned key on...got all the indicator lights on this time...went to start bike...heard click from starter relay and all was dead again...key turned off(I already did the starter sw. cleaning last month)...went to short across starter relay wires as I turned the key on again...got a spark and nothing else...all dead again...I even tightened the battery cables with wench, replaced starter relay switch with good old one (why I carry it with me) and still can't get her started...One call to AAA and 1 hour later, had bike back at my house and I jumped it with my car battery(not running of course) and she starts right up...I have ordered a new battery and will put it in when I get it in 3 days...Just wanted to tell the story that these batteries can seem good until it fails...Glad I read these helpful stories others put on this site...Have learned a lot in a short time...Ride On my Friends...Be Safe...!!!

[Cracker Jack]

What you say is probably true  and your planned fix could very well take care of your problem.

One additional test that you might try is to read the battery voltage at the battery with the probes actually touching the battery post to make sure the battery voltage is dropping when you hit the starter and not dropping across battery cable connections either at the battery or at the other end of the cables.

The reason I suspect this possibility is because of your reading of 12.7 volts in your initial testing. I wouldn't have suspected that with a bad battery. If the battery voltage does not drop, look for a bad cable connection.

[Valkpilot]

What you say is probably true  and your planned fix could very well take care of your problem.

One additional test that you might try is to read the battery voltage at the battery with the probes actually touching the battery post to make sure the battery voltage is dropping when you hit the starter and not dropping across battery cable connections either at the battery or at the other end of the cables.

The reason I suspect this possibility is because of your reading of 12.7 volts in your initial testing. I wouldn't have suspected that with a bad battery. If the battery voltage does not drop, look for a bad cable connection.

It's very common when these batteries go bad to read "fully charged" until you put the battery under load.

[nogrey]

Great post. Had the exact same experience riding with a group on the Oregon coast. We pulled into an overlook to view some whales, came back and one of the riders Valk was stone cold dead. We jumped it with a kit that I install on all my friends bikes. Rode to an auto parts store and bought a new battery. That was 2 years ago. His bike is still running strong.

[mrgeoff]

New Battery is now installed...220CA...Should last me at least 3 years...!!! We shall see...!!!

[larswlvs]

i bought a Redfuel SL65  jump starter and have started several bikes with it and a small engine car