[95ducSP]

Hey guys I'm sure this has been beat to death. And I've searched...

Bike details...
95 ss/sp
dyno-jet stage 2
K&N stack intake filters
Ducati Performance by remus slip-ons

My problem started about a week ago on my first interstate fast pace ride about 30 miles... The battery light went on, tested the battery it was still above 12v so it would start... Got on here and read about replaceing the wires from the alternator...sure enuf the wires were melted together... re-wired the alternator...

Got on the bike today, had to jump start it with the car. Rode for about 3 miles to see if the light would go off, sure enuf it's off... however the battery will not charge... every time I go to restart it it seems deader then the time before.

The battery was low on fluids when I got the bike and the previous owner said it was bad. But I filled the battery to the top level and after my first night riding it charged and held a charge just fine... The fluids are ok now.

What else do I have to check here... none of the threads said and if it is not the alternator wires try doing this... lol

Thanks for any help
Jeremy

 

[Stopwatch]

It sounds to me like you've got a cooked battery. Do you know how old it is?

While you're at it, replacing the battery cables and refreshing the ground connection is also a good idea.

If it's already too far gone, topping off a battery will not breathe new life into it.

 

[95ducSP]

he had scratched the date 3-7-06 into it. said the battery only had about 500 miles on it and I put another 400 or so on it. but he had also said he hadent rode the bike in over a year. and dident winterize the bike and just left it outside his house to suffer in the montana winter... poor duc.

 

[bruntr]

I would change out the battery, depending on the quality a MC battery can last between 1-5 years max, you have 3 years on it, it's nothing to do with the miles, and if this guy let it sit outside all winter then I bet thats the problem. If battery has gone completely dead they can normally be brought back but sometimes cheap ones will just never make it. Also check your ground wires, bad grounds will cause all sorts of problems.

 

[Joe-B]

I agree; batteries are supposed to be charged at least once a month. Even if you fill it and charge it, it's probably sulfated and will not hold a charge. Buy a Battery Tender with your next battery.
Joe

 

[vwbuge]

Get it started and put a multimeter on the battery to see if the system is charging first.