problem with indiglo gauges...

[iwannadie]

ok i have idiglo gauges and went riding tonight and they are Very dim. with the bike parked(key set to park), the guages are so dim you can hardly see them. the last time i rode(last weekend) i had to jump start my bike with a car(car was Off). im worried now it fried something? or could my battery just be so dead it cant really power the gauges? it took 2 tries to start it tonight and the head/tail light would dim alot when i braked. im hoping my battery just needs replaced rather than something fried. is there any where specific i should check to see if something got fried from the car battery?

[katana bob]

sounds like the battery to me. how do they look with the bike running? could be something in the charging system.

[iwannadie]

sounds like the battery to me. how do they look with the bike running? could be something in the charging system.

still dim not nearly as bright as they used to be. i know i need a new batt anyways i might just start there and see if that fixs it before anything else.

[Trigger]

sounds like the battery and the charger(stator) is going, going, almost gone.
stop on over to Cyberpoet"s place:

http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/motorcycle/howto_main.html

and start Diagnosis

[The CyberPoet]

I'm inclined to say battery... simple enough to test... Usually the alternator isn't the culprit in cases like this (sometimes the rectifier pack is though).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[iwannadie]

guess i should said too the batt dies if the bike sits for more than a week it wont start or barely start, been that way for a while. i just used it as an excuse to ride often. but now i guess its time to drop money on the ole yusa + tender.

[The CyberPoet]

guess i should said too the batt dies if the bike sits for more than a week it wont start or barely start, been that way for a while. i just used it as an excuse to ride often. but now i guess its time to drop money on the ole yusa + tender.

+1

Which year/model Kat?

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[iwannadie]

guess i should said too the batt dies if the bike sits for more than a week it wont start or barely start, been that way for a while. i just used it as an excuse to ride often. but now i guess its time to drop money on the ole yusa + tender.

+1

Which year/model Kat?

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

03 600

[The CyberPoet]

03 600

Trinc mentioned it, and I thought it was a good idea... if you can afford it, Yuasa makes these alternative batteries:

Yuasa YTX9
(same size, factory-filled & truly sealed)
RATING:
12V 8 Ah, 120 CCA

Yuasa YTZ10S
(12mm shorter than OEM, same in all other dimensions, factory sealed)
RATING:
12V 10 Ah, 190 CCA
(that's 70 CCA's more, and a bit more storage too)

*MAY FIT*:
Yuasa YTZ14S
(5mm taller than OEM, factory sealed)
RATING:
12V 11.2 Ah, 230 CCA
Don't know if there's an extra 5mm space available, but I would think there is (I know there is under the corbin saddle, but don't have a stock seat around to double-check).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[iwannadie]

Yuasa YTZ10S seems like a good way to go to me, im sure there is 5mm of extra space for the bigger one but, smaller the better to me.

what about tenders, any recomendations there? my bike is garaged(for the time being) id like something with a quick release setup so i can just park and plug it in nice and easy.

[The CyberPoet]

Yuasa YTZ10S seems like a good way to go to me, im sure there is 5mm of extra space for the bigger one but, smaller the better to me.

what about tenders, any recomendations there? my bike is garaged(for the time being) id like something with a quick release setup so i can just park and plug it in nice and easy.

All of the BatteryTender brand ones come with a quick-release connector, as do most of the other brands... Personally, I really like their WaterProof 800 , which has the right max charging rate for the 98+ kats and is literally waterproof (submersion -- no problems -- it'll keep charging without a flaw) just in case you need to leave it charging in the rain/snow/sleet/etc. It's also small enough to take along on trips...

The other option for you from Deltran (the makers of battery tenders) is the Battery Tender Jr.

If you have a few more $$, the Optimate Charger is a superb solution, but it's pricier than the others.
Finally, Yuasa also makes a battery charger for your Kat's batteries, which is about the same price as the Battery Tender Jr: at about $30

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[iwannadie]

Yuasa YTZ10S seems like a good way to go to me, im sure there is 5mm of extra space for the bigger one but, smaller the better to me.

what about tenders, any recomendations there? my bike is garaged(for the time being) id like something with a quick release setup so i can just park and plug it in nice and easy.

All of the BatteryTender brand ones come with a quick-release connector, as do most of the other brands... Personally, I really like their WaterProof 800 , which has the right max charging rate for the 98+ kats and is literally waterproof (submersion -- no problems -- it'll keep charging without a flaw) just in case you need to leave it charging in the rain/snow/sleet/etc. It's also small enough to take along on trips...

The other option for you from Deltran (the makers of battery tenders) is the Battery Tender Jr.

If you have a few more $$, the Optimate Charger is a superb solution, but it's pricier than the others.
Finally, Yuasa also makes a battery charger for your Kat's batteries, which is about the same price as the Battery Tender Jr: at about $30

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

cool the Optimate Charger looks like what ill go with, the diagnostic stuff seems like it would be handy. i dont really go on any long trips and it never rains in AZ so that stuff doesnt matter much.

[katana bob]

you might also want to check for corrosion on the battery terminals. I had that problem a couple weeks ago. when I pulled the terminals and cleaned them up, everything worked fine.