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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| Was filling up the scooter a month ago...turned the ignition on to confirm I had a good fill-up, left ignition on for no more than 3 or 4 minutes...went to start - dead battery. Got a jump and went home..
Checked alternator...says 14 volts at 1500 rpm..does dip at idle with brake lights on to 12.5...Also checked tourpak light...have had switch in manual since March..so not the problem.
Two weeks ago was loading up the tourpack...turned the light on for no more than a minute tried to start...battery too weak to spin the starter. again, got a jump. Got home, killed the motor and tried to start..started fine...immediately killed the engine and tried to start again...not enough juice...
Anyone having battery problems? Any thoughts? Is the procimity of the battery to the exhaust problematic?
Going to take to the dealer, but wanted to query the rider community for input. I've found that it is often better to be as or more informed than the service techs.
thanks for your input in advance |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | It sounds like a bad battery. If the dealer is far, just about any auto parts store will charge it and do a load test free of charge. While the heat isn't good for the battery I have had no issues here in Florida with the 8000 miles on my Vision. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | Had the same problem two weeks ago on a monday. Wasnt worth taking a chance all week to get it to the dealer. Bought a battery from the honda dealer. Same as later GW. Seems better that the original. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| Thanks for the feedback...
do I understand correctly that the battery is the same as the current GW?
Also, do you know how I would measure the output of the alternator...just want to check everything out
Thanks
SL
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Cruiser
Posts: 51
| I too had a battery go dead within the next day from picking it up in April. I contacted the dealer who asked me to try a few things to test the battery but then I went to the battery website and found information on how to test the battery. If you go to this link, http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/TechMan.pdf
on page 17 and 18 it discusses how to check your battery. The information has changed a little but if I remember correctly that using a voltmeter and while cranking the starter, if the battery voltage goes below 7.5 v the battery is junk. It should stay around 10v while cranking.
I hope this helps people that is having battery trouble and if not , its good reading  |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| Thanks!
I believe me battery is kaput!...goes way below 10V when cranking |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | samlee - 2008-10-01 1:52 PM
do I understand correctly that the battery is the same as the current GW?
SL
Yes. The battery is a common size used in many of the big touring rigs. It is the same as the one Honda uses in the GW. The tires are the same as the GW also. Honda shops are everywhere........................
Ronnie |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | While comparing filters with my GW riding buddy, it appears that the oil filters are also the same as the 1500 and 1800 GW's. So tires, batteries, and oil filters can be had at the Honda stores if one is out and about and needs any of the same.
Ronnie |
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Tourer
Posts: 506
Woodland Hills, CA | I just had the same problem this weekend! Not enough juice to start it Saturday morning, so I put it on a charger for about an hour, then started right up. Started again Sunday and again this morning (Monday). Not sure what is going on, but I plan to let my dealer know. While I have no problem changing the battery myself, my bike is just over 3 months old (or at least since I bought it), so I am not really inclined to want to spend the money if I don't have to (although I may regret that decision if I get stuck out somewhere!). |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 7
| I know this might be a little late, but I rode mine home one night from work, didn't ride in the rain storm the next day, and then the 2nd day, when I turned the key, absolutely nothing. This was on a bike with 500 miles. Dealer came by, picked it up to diagnose and replaced the battery. No problems since. Maybe they got a load of junk batteries??? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | Ever since I changed my battery for a GW model from Honda things seem to work better. They are the same except for the last couple of letters in the part number. My original was always iffy. It would barely start at lunch but after work would start right up. Now I dont have that problem. Seems to crank faster also. I think I read here somewere that the brake pads are GW also. Smart, if you think about it. Victory dealer are far and few between out here. Nice to know you can go to the local Honda store for some of the important parts. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| just an update for my fellow Vision riders...
my dealer says the dead battery was caused by the guage cluster...apparently a malfunction that is draining the battery.
I was also told by my dealer that another Vision rider in town has the same problem..
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Since my dead battery on election day I have had no more problems till tonight. I have been watching the gauge and have been at or above 14 volts. Tonight after it sat for a couple of hours while I was in a meeting it was very slow cranking. It started but the battery light was on for several seconds. I'm plan on taking the battery to the auto parts store for a load test. I'll let you know what I find out. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| forgot to mention in previous post that there was no indication in any of the guages that there was a malfunction...everything looked normal....
just an update for my fellow Vision riders...
my dealer says the dead battery was caused by the guage cluster...apparently a malfunction that is draining the battery.
I was also told by my dealer that another Vision rider in town has the same problem..
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Thanks. I went to the dealer today and explained what had happened. They said the would just put in a new battery. An hour and a half later they pulled the bike around and said there was nothing wrong. They cleared the codes in the ECM and sent me on my way. I'm to let them know if I still have a problem. You think! If it happens again maybe I can contact your dealer and find out how to diagnose a faulty gauge cluster.
Edited by cw1115 2008-11-12 5:34 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | cw1115 - 2008-11-10 7:21 PM
Since my dead battery on election day I have had no more problems till tonight. I have been watching the gauge and have been at or above 14 volts. Tonight after it sat for a couple of hours while I was in a meeting it was very slow cranking. It started but the battery light was on for several seconds. I'm plan on taking the battery to the auto parts store for a load test. I'll let you know what I find out.
My battery light was doing the same thing till I put the GW battery in it. It has happened once since. I am in the habit of giving the ignition cylinder a shot of WD-40 after washes and havent had a problem since. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| no problems...my dealer is Rocket City Motorsports in Huntsville/Madison AL |
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Cruiser
Posts: 60
| Just pushed my bike out of the garage to do a little wash after riding in the rain 2 days ago. Tried to start it and the battery was dead. Used the charger to start it and got it running. The only thing I noticed with the gauge cluster is that some times when I start the bike the average fuel miles that I leave on has reset and the odometer is showing instead. It has always seemed to me that the starter was working hard or even slow when I try to start the bike but just thought it was just the change from the Venture and was not worried about it. |
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New user
Posts: 1
| I had the same problem twice. The first time I had about 600 miles on the bike. The second time I had about 750. The dealership swapped the battery out and I have not had an issue since. However, I do note some slight variations in charging output.
08 Victory Vision, Cherry
Gaitlin Tips, Ness Big Honkers, Highway pegs, lots of chrome |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | My second trip to the dealer I just left the key on, engine off for about 30 seconds in the parking lot and my battery dropped to 10 volts. As they were pushing into the shop I asked if they still thought there was nothing wrong. Left 30 minutes later with a new battery, no charge. No more trouble so far. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I've still got the original battery which I have run down about 3 times, twice with the trunk light. The first time with the trunk light it was on for 3 days and I had to get it jumped at the resort in Orlando. The second time was in my drive. The other time I had the radio playing for about 30 minutes on ACC in the driveway. When I was in Bryson City, NC Tuesday morning it was 26 degrees and I thought for sure I'd have a hard time starting. It fired on the first time after about 4 rotations. Man, what a sweet bike. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | I was on here searching for an answer as to why I couldn't fire the Vision this morning, when I found this thread.
I was sure it was a blown fuse, bad battery, cable problem.
Turns out that I too left my trunk open.
HA! One more badge for my Stupidity Sash!
(*banging my head on the desk*) |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| picked up my vision at the shop last wednesday. As I mentionted they had indicated that the battery problem was caused by the gauge cluster. WHile the bike was there they accomplished the three recalls currently out.
My voltage gauge is clearly showing a more stable voltage...not once on the 20 mile ride did the voltage drop below 14. Before the fix my voltage would drop below 13 when the brake was applied. Voltage varriance was never more than .5 volt if even that.
If your voltage gauge is all over the place when running..I would suggest you have your dealer check it out..
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Cruiser
Posts: 129
Coastal , NJ | Interestingly I came in from a dead battery last night and saw this thread. My bike has about 5k on it and has never had a problem with the battery(til last night).
Anyway I plug my tender in,attach to the Vision pigtail, and get nothing...no light ..zippo. I check the fuse - good. I then plug the tender into the Vegas sitting in my garage and the light comes on - WTF!
So now I'm thinking there's a short somewhere on the Vision tender lead that's fouling up the tender. So use the alligator clips - nothing...WTF! Ok, now I decide I'm taking the battery out and having it tested. Drop the belly pan,split the lower cowling , remove battery. Let me try the tender one more time....hey wait the light flickered on this time. IT WAS THE PLUG ON THE TENDER!!! Arrrgghh.
I charged it overnight which was enough to get it started this morning. Called Zack's and he told me they just received a bulletin on the Trunk pin switch for the light. They have a little rubber boot that makes it a little thicker so when it closes it stays in the off position. I turned the light off for now , but preemptively you may want to put a piece of double sided stick tape where the weight warning sticker is to ensure the switch closes. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 212
Tavares, Fl | My bike is in the shop right now for the same reason. Yesterday they said they are waiting for some type of " wedge " to put in the ignition switch to fix the problem. According to him the contacts in the switch are loose and this will fix the problem. Sounds like a Band Aid repair to me but we'll see. I also have the gas leakage problem after fill up and they said they will "try" to get the factory to replace the tank, they think I bent the filler neck of the tank. I feel right now like I'm getting bent over. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 60
| I returned from the Dealer today. The mechanic worked all morning and everything checked out fine according to the diagnostic. This was a demo bike and they had to change some kind of fuse before and they figured that the one they put in was causing the slow draw on the battery because it had a metal case. They did not have one in stock but they took one out of the bike in the showroom that has a plastic case. Hopefully this will be the solution to my problem.
The problem I was having was, the bike would charge the battery on the way to work but at the end of the day starting it could be a problem. when the bike is stopped after a ride and turnsd back on the volts were above 12 and after more than 8 hours parked the volts were well below the 12 volt mark. If it started the battery light would remain on for about 5 seconds and of course the starter seemed to struggleat the end of the day. I have had the trunk switch in the off position from the start. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| Sorry to hear of your problem.
Not to belittle your problem but back in the '80's Corvettes had a constant battery drain and owners had to disconnect the battery when they parked for long periods. Of course that all the 'vettes or at least most of them. Last I knew they never solved the problem.
I am sure between your dealer and Victory they will fix you up.
Keep us posted. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
| Tazfan,
your symptoms sound very much like the ones my bike had... even with a charge it was only good enough for one start attempt...
my dealer replaced the entire guage cluster (my odometer now reads 20 miles rather than 5K) ad did the three recalls...perhaps the recalls had some effect...
Voltage is rock steady at 14+ regardless of the accessories and RPM... |
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dead battery