K11 Owners Group

jhkork · Joined: 08 Mar 2011 Posts: 2

BIKE WAS STORED IN GARAGE W/ BATTERY TENDER ATTACHED.

WENT TO START, TURNED SLOWLY, THEN QUIT.

TURNED KEY OFF AND SEEMED BIKE STILL ATTEMPTING TO START........THEN WENT DEAD, NO POWER

SUSPECT BAD BATTERY AND FROZEN IGNITION RELAY SWITCH

ANY THOUGHTS??

BMGraeme · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 6:23 am Post subject:

Stuck or welded relay - not uncommon when trying to start with an old or undercharged battery.
_________________
1980 CB900FA
1994 K1100RS
2008 R1200GSA

Shoganai · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:06 am Post subject:

Mine did the the same thing.

Replaced the battery, fixed it.

I suggest starting with that.
_________________
1993 K1100RS aka The Shop Whore
1994 K1100RS aka Blue Streak

The long road is a rainbow and the pot of gold lies there.
So slip the chain and I'm off again,
You'll find me everywhere. I'm a Rover. - JT

Nana korobi ya oki

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:28 am Post subject:

How old is the battery, but I'd suppect that as being bad as well.
If the relay has stuck you will want to un-stick it before you connect the new battery.
_________________
Ride safe.

1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

Ted · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:07 pm Post subject:

Yes, sounds like a bad battery, even on the tender they often die after 4 or 5 years.

When you try to start a classic K on a very low battery you can risk welding the starter relay. The low voltage causes an arc in the relay that can literally weld the connection. This is most evident by the symptom you described, the starter continuing to run as long as there is juice in the battery.

If you put in a new battery it is likely that as soon as you get the second cable near the pole the cable will throw off a spark and the starter will engage (more than one sad story about a bike with a welded starter relay left in gear leaping off a work ramp when the replacement battery connection made...)

Often you can unstick the relay if you give the top a few good thwaps with a screwdriver handle, but it is best to either replace ($50!) or take it apart and use some emery paper to clean it up.

Here is a pic courtesy of our own Drake (who also would probably be happy to supply you with a good used replacement for much less than new) - the starter relay is in the top right corner and clearly says "BOSCH":

_________________

Ted

KOG#1

jhkork · Joined: 08 Mar 2011 Posts: 2

Thanx for the help