1ce

Hard to believe I got my bike almost 4 years ago...but since then it has had no probs mechanically or cosmetically. Other than normal maintance, oil, chain, filters and tires it hasnt needed anything else fixed except for the battery.

I think the first winter or second after I got the bike the battery died. This second one lasted till just about last year when it started having a hard time starting on cold days then just till a couple weeks ago it wouldn't start. I thought batterys would last longer than this but after takin my bike to the shop to get the oil changed ($9.99) and hving them test the battery, they said it was shot.

So whats the life span of a normal battery? I know the GSXRs have issues with the rectifiers. Is this killing my battery or are they just living their life span?

Side note, yes I took the bike to the shop for an oil change... 1st time since her first oil change but I couldnt resist a $10 oil change! My filter alone was $15 but it was included in the $10 total charge. (brought in my own oil since they didnt carry my brand. Wasnt going to let them put in Honda oil into my Suzuki...I mean come on, everyone knows how slow hondas are )

HaVocX

Its that rectifier you got im betting. also keeping your bike on a trickle charge during colder months aint a bad idea. Replace that bad boy...probably pretty cheap too.

I hear alot of stories about people losing battery power during the winter obviously, but i also hear its good to put your bike on a trickle charge every now and then.

Good luck!

PS...check out what one of your fellow Suzuki riders did..
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261

BLIZANTHIMUM

i think i have been through 3 or 4 batteries since i bought my bike.

stubby

if your rectifier is bad your battery would last a couple of days if you were lucky. I doubt you have this issue. As for battery life, it all depends upon how you use it and if you like to leave the key and fan on while the bike isn't running it will kill your battery faster. It must be that AZ air that is killing your battery, maybe you should bring it up here for us to use

scharf2u

Once I purchased a gel cell battery and a trickle charger it's been at least four years for me.

Linker33

Had this bike about 2.5 years. Guy I got it from said the batt was going bad, and would probably need to be replaced soon. However, he hardly ever rode it. That same batteries been working fine ever since.

... thanks for reminding me to put it back on the trickle charge though.

whitedevil

Maybe if you rode the bike more and the midgy porn stars less you wouldn't have a low battery issue. Just saying! LMAO

lost cause

BLIZANTHIMUM

obviously you have never ridden a midgy porn star.

svbmudssa

7 years...same battery....I bet it will be trash by the time I get back though

WingNut

I got my Gix February of 07 so this will (kinda) be her 3rd winter. I always kept her in the garage but never used a trickle charger or any other battery maintenance. Haven't had a problem as of yet, still starts great on cold days. Now that I've said that, probably going to die on me now.

bigroar

a friend of mine has GSXR 1000 and he was having problems with his battery as well. It ended up that in city driving he was not getting his RPM's up high enough for it to take affect causing a slowly dying battery. He took it out on the freeway and ran it at about 5 grand RPM for about 10 miles and has had no problems since. He just needed to get a good charge back in it. Good luck

Matt

You obviously haven't ridden with Kev very much... I'm pretty sure that's not the case with him! Maybe you're getting a small current drain from the bullet cam or something else?? Or it just legit went bad.

1ce

Well this kinda sounds like it may be the situation a lil too. Cuz we hit this hill, its like bogus rd but MUCH cleaner, and by the time i got to the top I was almost out of gas, solid light...So on the way down, I had it in 6th gear, putting, if not clutched (nuetral) the whole way to the bottom...about 10-15 minutes. At the bottom I filled her up at the gas station, but then she wouldnt start. So...

Stubby, your right, if it were to be the rectifier the battery wouldn't last this long and it would also be extremely hot after a ride.

Matt, the bullet cam is AA battery powered and I don't have anything else connected to the bike that didn't come with the bike. So unless its a short somewhere. I thought at one point it had something to do with the High Beam. Dunno if I was just being parinoid or if is just draining the battery faster but the more I rode wit the High Beam on, the more likely the bike would have a "hard" start.

Bikejunky

Kevin a lot of people don't realize that you need to charge a new battery before you install it, sure it will work fine if you don't but it will never reach it's full charging capacity if you don't do it when they are brand new. Charge your new one before you put it in and see if you get a longer life out of it. That's my 2 cents.

Pimpit

I had this problem this year on the 750. Running my fan full time would drain my battery and then I would have to push start it after I would park anywhere. (kinda embarrassing at the cruise or jack)

1ce

End result of all this, turns out to be that my R/R (Rectifier/Regulator) and Stator went out. Lookin at about $200 in parts but replacing these will be easy.

Was stranded on the side of the road and had to truck the bike home, but I've seen worse, luckily just not with my bike