| Author | Message | ||
     Milesvdustin |
Hey everyone. I have two problems or they might just be cold-related. I decided that I am NOT putting my 98 S1 away for the winter. I have been riding it at night recently, and some of the temps have been as low as 35F in that area. Well, when I start the bike, the starter will kick, then stop for a second, and then start like normal. My battery connections are tight, and it starts just fine. I was just wondering what the hesitation was? Also, since it has been so cold outside, the bike feels kinda loose or sloppy in the corners, just enough to notice. Any ideas? Thanks! | ||
| Mikej |
Cold tires in cold weather can at times feel loose or sloppy, ride accordingly. The starter thing might be nothing, might be something, how old is the battery? | ||
| Mikef5000 |
My battery does the same when it's cold, and I've heard others doing the same also. I Don't really know why, or if it's a bad thing, I just know it's fairly common. The loose cornering could be the cold tires, or more likely cold pavement. I think what I've found FOR ME though, is that it's mostly mental. I've found that when I'm cold I'm more concerned about tire grip, because of past experiences on cold tires. I'm also stiffer as a rider. Me being stiffer causes the bike not to corner as smoothly, and being very concerned about tire grip, I notice and worry about much more minute feelings than usual. You definitely want to get your tires warmed up before trying any decent cornering though. The OEM D208's are deathtraps till they're warmed up if it's below 45. (Message edited by mikef5000 on November 12, 2007) | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Check your tire pressures too. Things contract when they cool down. When it gets really good and cold, you will notice it vibrates more too due to the isolators firming up. | ||
| Ratbuell |
On the battery, I know a lower CCA rating can cause it. My S2, with aftermarket battery, gives the one-shot / pause / crank-start routine all the time. It's worse now that it's cold out. I need to replace it, but typical for me I'm waiting for it to strand me somewhere first, LOL. Tires? Definitely tread lightly in the cold. I hate to do it but may actually park the S2 for the winter and go back to the FLHP. 402s don't seem to care much about hot, cold, sticky, slick - especially on a fat bagger, they're never really "corner carvers"... | ||
| Numb_nutz |
It's definitely the battery. I had this problem several times in bikes. Put in a new battery, jell type seem to work best. With batteries don't be cheap. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I also discovered on my bike, with the crappy generic battery, that the bike starts MUCH easier when I have the PIAAs turned off. LOL. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I have the same thing with my son's S2. Starts every time though. The battery is due for replacement. It also felt a bit squirrly, the tires were a bit low due to the temp drop. Bumped them back up to 38psi and all is well. Nate is correct regarding the vibration when it gets cold. The isolators really stiffen up. Below 25 degrees, they may as well be solid! Brad | ||
| Xldevil |
I have had the klick,stop,start issue as well,even with my brand new Hawker battery. It got worse when I raised the engines compression. Then I changed battery cables to Yoopers http://www.harleyhog.co.uk/yooperbattery/cables.htm and reconditioned my starter.I changed contacts,nuts and the solenoid spindle which looked badly corroded Now it starts on the very first klick.  Ralph (Message edited by xldevil on November 12, 2007) | ||
| Billetmetallic |
my s1 does it only when hot, i just put it off as resistance somewhere in the wires, like my 66 volkswagen does, maybe i should pay more attention? | ||
| Milesvdustin |
I ride with metzler sportech m1 tires, and i never try to do any serious cornering without at least 15 minutes of warmup time on them on the street. I mostly felt the handling when it was cold the other night, it was 34F around there that night. I will check the tires and all. As for the battery its fairly new, within a year old. Thanks for all the tips everyone! | ||
| Ratbuell |
Well...I had to type it above. At least it decided not to start while sitting in the garage at home, instead of 45 minutes away where I was last night at 9pm. <sigh> | ||
| Ulyssesguy |
Another thing to think about in the cold weather the oil in your shocks will be thicker and stiffer feeling and the air in the shocks will be denser as well that also has an effect on handling... I never noticed it much on my Ulysses but for the last week and a half i have been riding my brothers 98 S1 and i defiantly feel it first thing in the morning (detached unheated garage) or if i'm out at night... | ||
| Milesvdustin |
Thanks for the help everyone. I guess I will just attribute all of this to the cold for right now, and hope thats all it is! Anyone have a quick tip for a good winter glove, with gauntlets, that wont get cold like lots of gloves do when it gets colder than 45 out? Maybe some riding mittens? Thanks | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I'm also looking for good gloves. I have some water and wind proof mid weight gloves that I love the feel of, but aren't very warm... and then I have my snowboard gloves, which are warm, but I HATE how big and bulky they are. I'm thinking the mid weight gloves with heated grips and CityX hand guards might do the trick. | ||
| Ulyssesguy |
Heated gloves... www.gerbing.com | ||
| Fasted |
heated gloves are a pain in the ass, but work great. don't overlook heated jacket liner while you're at it. all of the wiring is an impediment to just jumping on an going, but you can wear less clothing under your outerwear. being truly comfortable in cold weather makes riding in the winter safer and more fun. add a balaclava to keep the stuff between jacket and helmet warm. your buds may laugh about you being a pus sy, but who cares? | ||
| Billetmetallic |
pus sy!!!... ...j/k  | ||
| Mikej |
A few years ago, in the middle of winter, I looked outside and saw that the weather was clear and sunny. So I says to I "I, let's go for a ride today". So, ignoring the fact that the air temp not counting any windchill was somewhere below 20°F, I put on my perforated Vanson jacket, my buttless chaps over some bluejeans, my medium weight riding gloves, my riding boots, and my helmet. I walked down to the garage and started up the M2, pushed it outside, shut the garage, and hit the freeway and rode the 20 or so miles into Milwaukee at freeway speeds. I was the only bike on the road that I saw. Before my mind and body completly froze up I remembered where a grocery store was in town and rode there while my knees were still able to bend and straighten out. Getting there I parked the bike, managed to get the kickstand down, managed to remove my hands from the frozen grips, managed to remove the key from the bike, and managed to get off of the bike. I then did a Wizard of Oz Tinman walk, helmet on, visor up, eyeglasses starting to fog, and walked into the store and straight to the bathroom. I walked up the the heated air hand dryer and warmed my hands enough to get my gloves off, then enough to open up both the jacket zipper and my pants zipper (modesty be damned). I then stood in front of the heated air hand dryer warming up various body parts until they would finally function again and I was able to do what I went in there to do, standing. Once completed with the task, I washed my hands with cold water which at the time felt like boiling water, then stood in front of the heated air hand dryer again getting one final warmup, then zip, zip, gloves, and back out into the sunny and probably 10°F or less air for the 20+ mile ride back home. Once back home, I managed to get the bike back into the garage, and managed to get back inside the place, and managed to find various ways to dethaw myself. Feeling to various body parts and assorted appendages finally returned after a warm shower and several cups of soup and cocoa. Heated gear? Sounds good to me, don't have any yet but it's in the long range plans. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I just got a heated vest, and I have a good balaclava. I can't spend that much money on a pair of electric gloves. | ||
| Fasted |
ask santa.....(if you have been good this year) |
