Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Hi all.I recently bought a 2001 Aprilia SR 125 Max Biaggi Race Rep' for getting about on during the winter.I'll firstly state that the scooter, to the best of my knowledge, is mechanically sound and runs perfectly fine once started.Now onto the bad news.About 2 weeks ago I could no longer start the scooter via the electric starter button, but it would start via the kickstarter fine. I thought this may have been due to a dead/faulty battery but found it strange that the lights and horn etc still worked even when the scooter wasn't running. Up until 2 days ago everything but the electric start was working perfectly until I noticed that my turn signals were no longer flashing. Upon further investigation I found the horn was no longer sounding properly (and sometimes not at all). In regards to the turn signals, while the scooter is idleing, they flash faster than normal, but as soon as the scoot is revved they light up solid and stay solid until turned off or the scoot is brought back to idle. The lights will now no longer work unless the scoot is running.So this morning I got myself over the garage and got my multimeter out, figuring the battery must have died. Put the multimeter on the battery only to find that it was still showing 12v or thereabouts, this is the same whether the scoot is running or not. The voltage drops when the horn, lights or turn signals are attempted to be operated while the bike isnt running but they do not function at all. The same is true when the scoot is running however the lights function properly and the indicators operate as described previously.I am at a loss as to what may be wrong, as the battery seems to be holding and getting a charge?Any help greatly appreciated.sm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 look into regulator and rectifier problems..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 How could I test the regulator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 measure the battery voltage with the engine off. Then measure it again with it running. There should be a marked difference. Ie 12v off and 13.4 (or more) when running. If your not getting a voltage increase with the engine running, its not charging. Investigate regulator rectifier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Take the battery off and charge it overnight. If everthing is fine then you have a charging problem. Alternator or reulator may be at fault. If the battery doesn't charge you need a new battery. Don't forget to top up the battery with distilled water. A melted chunk of ice from the freezer will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Update:Borrowed a battery of a DT125 today, hooked it up to the Scoot and all fired up properly, horn, all lights and indicators work.So this eliminates the regulator as being a suspect, correct?That narrows it down to either a duff battery or duff alternator:Alternator is fine, battery is duff and can't hold enough of a charge to start the Scoot.Or.. Alternator is duff and can't put enough of a charge into the battery.As you may have guessed I'm trying to sort this with as little cost as possible. How could I work out which is at fault without buying a new battery or alternator? I currently haven't managed to get my hands on a charger to check if the battery while hold a good full charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I currently haven't managed to get my hands on a charger to check if the battery while hold a good full charge. cheapest and best option, is to loan, (but better to buy) a charger, this will discount one or the other, and a useful tool to have for the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Battery charger? Bought myself this one £10 in wilkinsons. Basic but practicalhttp://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bin/venda? ... submit.y=8Multimeter £5. Sheesh that even surprised me. No excuse now to not have one. http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?mod ... 2AodzQydlA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 As said previously - I do have a multi-meter but all readings I've got so far haven't lead to identifying the problem.I can get my hands on a charger at the end of next week. I have money aside should I need a battery OR alternator and obviously would prefer to save the money for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rennie Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 just because everything works with a new, fully charged battery does not rule the reg/rec out as the cause!you need to measure what's going on with the engine running!if the reg/rec or the alternator are at fault you will kill a new battery fairly quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 just because everything works with a new, fully charged battery does not rule the reg/rec out as the cause!you need to measure what's going on with the engine running!if the reg/rec or the alternator are at fault you will kill a new battery fairly quickly! So how can I test this without killing a new/working battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Put the multimeter on volts DC nearest range over 12v. Measure voltage accross battery terminals with the engine stopped. Put the meter on a higher DC volts range,start the engine, measure the voltage accross the battery terminals. Voltage should go up from 12v ish to 13v ish maybe 14. If it shoots up high, the regulator rectifier is duff and will probably have cooked the battery. No increase could be the alternator or the rectifier or a break in the wiring.Check the battery for fluid. If it's low , top it up with distilled water. Melted Freezer ice will be ok as it has been de ionised.If the battery has been cooked it will not hold a charge after charging and will need replacing.All this will be in a Haynes manual with drawings, photos and specific information for your bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Thanks for the info' Colin.So here's where I'm at currently:I borrowed an Optimate. This Optimate has 4 lights next to 4 small icons - The 1st icon, a full battery with a , 2nd icon a half filled battery, 3rd icon a very low battery and the 4th a nearly empty battery with a . So I hooked it up to the battery and it displayed a light next to the 2nd icon which I was told is normal. Left it on for 6+ hours and came back to check. The light was now next to the 4th icon. Which I was told means the battery is as good as dead.Readings with a multimeter are as follows:Battery with engine off: 12.2vWhile on the Optimate: 13.9vWhen I attempt to start the scoot via electric start: 2v (it then jumps back up to around 11.7v then builds back up to 12.2v)(Engine off) When I turn lights on: 0.3v (it then jumps back up to around 11.7v then builds back up to 12.2v)(Engine off) Indicators flash fine at 11.6vOnce I get the engine running things are confusing and will result in either of the below:(Engine on) Idle at 9.5v(Engine revving) 6.5vWith lights on they flicker at idle but dim on revving.Indicators flash fast at idle but stay solid when revving.Horn is weak at idle but none existent when revving.ORIdles at 12-13v and rises when revved.Horn works fine, lights work fine and brighten when revving, indicators work fine.I also notice this change when I am out riding, my lights, indi's etc will all be working fine, then all of a sudden I notice my dash light will dim and my indi's no longer function properly and lights dim when revved.Hope this can shed light as to what may be causing the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 If the battery is dead then you need a new battery. Simple as that. No way round it. All symptoms described will be caused by a duff battery. Electricals are useless without electricity. Replace the battery, with a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 True, and I plan on buying a new battery soonish. My only worry is that IF it was the regulator that killed the battery, it's only going to happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I refer the honorable gentleman to the answer I gave previously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.