A story of dirt and power

I tried to start the bike this morning and it turned at full speed exactly one revolution. Then it cut out and all the lights went dead. I let go of the starter button and the lights glowed faintly.




Flat battery? It didn't seem like any flat battery I'd had before..




Never mind. I took the car to work and gave it a damn good thrashing (until I got held up by an Alfa Brera that couldn't go around corners but I digress..)


So after a nice drive home with the top down in the September sun I pulled the battery out of the bike and stuck the voltmeter on it. 12 volts it read. I plugged it back in and turned the key. The lights illuminated at full strength so I prodded the starter and it boomed in to life.



Great! To be on the safe side I turned it off and hit the starter again only to be greeted this time by a pop and a puff of smoke from the battery area. Not so great.



I realise I'm waffling so to cut to the chase it obviously had something to do with the contacts as I'd disturbed them when I checked the battery. A closer look and the ones on the battery were absolutely filthy. How they got so filthy I don't know. The battery is just under a year old. I cleaned them with a wire brush and now it starts every time.



So the moral of the story is... um... not sure.. oh yes.. if it won't start, a bit of cleaning works wonders! Maybe

lol, good tale that. hope it stays ok mate

davetheworv wrote:lol, good tale that. hope it stays ok mate

cheers! I'm thinking of using it as the central plot for a novel...

I absolutely agree, so many bikes are bought into the workshop that have problems directly related to the owner being too lazy to clean his bike! an hour or so after it gets dirty or regular trips into the shop... no contest!