Sup all,

thought i'd start up the ZX14 because i 'haven't been able to ride her for months because of the weather.
But she doesn't wanna start!! Everything is normal, when i try to start it makes the usual "chink chink"
sound, but it doesnt start up.

Also, i thought maybe i'd put her onto a ... not sure how to call it in English --- Battery Loader??? hehe
but i can't get my Seat up anymore. when i put the key in, i can turn it around but i don't hear any clicks
or anything. tried to pull it off but doesnt work.

Also tried sitting on it to maybe get it connecting better - no success

Any help would be appreciated!!

Battery Loader ~ Batter Charger = Same/Same

Buy a new battery. Buy a battery loader. Charge the battery with the loader for 14 hours. Then install it in the bike.

Turn key to full open as you can, then smack down on the strap with your other hand. This will move the key even more to click off the other seat lock under the seat passenger strap. So, hit and click.

ya what Hub sed!! You could also use a battery tender that you leave connected to your bike if you are parking for long periods of time, including over winter it will also keep ur battery from freezing up.... the tender will trickle charge your battery....

Hmmm... With Strap you mean the seat? I'll try it!

OK.. here's the deal. I tried giving the seat a few slaps, didn't work.

Also, because i have the seatcowl, i cant give it proper hits on the back sides.

Any idea's ? :(

By the way - u sure i need a new battery? Should i try just charging it fully first? or is it dead? lol

Matsuke is my pal from way back.. How's it going buddy!

First, I think Hub is referring to the strap that goes across the front of the passenger seat back there. You can't see it unless the cowl is off.

I believe your lock is just froze. There is a cable under there and it must have had some moisture on it that turned to ice. How freakin' cold is it in Holland this time of year?

Second, I would always have a battery charger (loader) on there. A battery sitting in -0 C temps can freeze and crack and then you will have acid running out everywhere and you will be teaching us all to say bad words in Dutch.

You can connect a short wire with a connector on the end to the battery and then just hook the connector to the mating connector of the battery charger. The short wire is sometimes called pigtails (in English). Connecting battery pigtails was my first mod. You can just leave the pigtails on the battery and put the wire back in the battery compartment when you disconnect from the charger. I would take a pic of my battery pigtails but the battery is out of my 14 while I do some work on the bike. It is good to leave the battery on a charger any time it sits without running the bike for a while. Hot weather will drain a battery down as well as cold.

Third, my battery is from 2008 and seems to be in perfect shape as far as I can tell. Maybe I just got a good one. I don't know how many batteries go more than 3 years.

Fourth, I would try to NOT start the bike in the freezing temps. Not going to destroy the bike but it does cause the water in the air to condense inside the crankcase. You will see the oil sight glass fog up and you know there is a film of water over everything above the oil. Probably, condensation forms throughout the engine and exhaust. I have seen my oil sigh glass fog up in the cold even after I have ridden the bike and thoroughly heated everything up. As a rule, If I am not going to ride, I try to leave the motor off unless it is 40 degrees F or more. I know how hard it is. I couldn't resist taking the bike out during the first January of storage. Also started it up to change oil in the cold. There was a stream of steam rising from the exhaust for 5 minutes after shutdown.

I would try placing a heating pad on top of the seat and see if that will melt the ice that must be preventing the latch under the seat to open. You could try placing a heating pad under the bike and covering with a blanket to hold the heat under.

I don't know what battery chargers you have for bikes in The Netherlands. Many people like the Battery Tender or Battery Tender Junior here in the US. I have a BTJunior. Works fine. Comes with pigtails. I also have a Schewmaker Battery Maintainer and it works just as good and is a lot cheaper and has survived 3 years of use still like new. The Schewmaker also comes with a set of pigtails.

If you want, you can take the battery out and store it indoors. It won't freeze then. The charger can be connected to the battery with a set of alligator clips while it is removed from the bike too.

verything is normal, when i try to start it makes the usual "chink chink"
sound, but it doesnt start up.

That is probably the chink chink of the gauges doing the needle sweep or else it is the hum of the fuel pump. There is some power in the battery. If the engine is cranking over, I would say the battery is okay. If you determine the battery is too low to turn the motor, I would try charging it up first and see if it will hold a charge for a couple weeks. If not, I'd get a new battery like Hub said. My battery has sat for 3-4 weeks in 30-40 F temps with no charger and held a charge to easily start the bike.

I have a feeling your battery is in need of replacement because you reported having problems starting the bike when you first got it. That was probably the problem....but I would charge it and see if it holds the charge before spending the money for a new one. Make sure you don't let the battery sit in the cold if it has been drawn down by repeated attempts to start the bike.

One last thing....did you check the antifreeze protection of your engine coolant?

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/12/2010 @ 1:16 PM *

Ex Girlfriends:
YZF600 - 2001

No excuses. You have time to work on the bike.

Unless there is a new one already. Damn, you young guys have it good.

What's up Rook! Long time no see!

Well the thing is, it hasn't been freezing for the past few days, so i guess freezing isn't the problem
with the seat not coming off.... so i guess i have to find some way to get it off. lol

About the Battery ... well, IF i get the seat off, i will charge it for sure and see if it helps. else i'll just have to get myself a new battery...

About the AntiFreeze protection of my Engine Coolant ... well, i never put any antifreeze inside, if that's what you mean? it didn't look frozen or something - because it hasn't been freezing more than ... minus 8 maybe; also, my bike has a nice shelter - so the weather doesn't affect the bike instantly.

Thanks!

Far as I know, all engine coolant is also anti-freeze. If the white coolant bottle on the left side is liquid, the stuff in the radiator and water jackets of the engine should be liquid too. I would pick up one of those testers at an auto supply and check the coolant. You never jnow how strong the first owner made it.

About the Battery ... well, IF i get the seat off, i will charge it for sure and see if it helps. else i'll just have to get myself a new battery...

The battery can be accessed without removing the seat. The battery compartment is on the right side. One screw and the cover can be removed. Then there are two screws that hold the battery tray retainer in. If you get the bike started and run it, that would probably make enough heat to defrost the seat latch.

If there is no electrical outlet near the bike, I would take the battery out and store it inside on a charger.

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/12/2010 @ 2:35 PM *

How about turning the key on and checking the volts on the LCD.Low 12's...she won't start.Maybe crank slowly...but that's about it.IF you buy a "batterytender Jr."...it'll come with a battery "pigtail".IF your battery has anywhere near 12 volts...even less,it's PROBABLY still okay...meaning...a good charge and it should load up just fine.That's what I would do before buying a new battery.You might try as you said...kinda "bouncing"on the seat several times.And are you SURE the key is turning all the way in the lock?Turn the key...HOLD it all the way turned,then do as Hub said...except more forward...at the rear of the pilot seat(just in front of the cowl).Push down there with your other hand...or have someone else push down forcefully while you keep the key turned.The rear latch IS releasing yes?You'll know "if" you can lift the rear portion up from the main tail part.But not too far...don't want to break the tabs under the cowl/seat interface.The rear portion should most likely "pop" free when you turn the key...but it may not also...may have to free it by pulling up on the rear of the cowl.You can kinda wiggle the seat by grabbing at the rear part there,once that's unlatched.That may free up the center latch mechanism.Keep the key turned all the way to unlock as you're wiggling and moving the seat.Downward pressure on the spring/latch at the seat center will unload the lock,letting the mechanism open up some.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/12/2010 @ 3:02 PM *

y do you need the seat off to charge the battery? they put it someplace different than on the zx's? squirt a lil graphite up in the seat lock

(I think he was "misdescribing" what he actually meant to say) .

blue lol im just glad my baby is in a heated garage

Somebody around here is thinking.

How about turning the key on and checking the volts on the LCD.

The rear portion should most likely "pop" free when you turn the key...but it may not also...may have to free it by pulling up on the rear of the cowl.

My seat usually requires a bit of a lift to get the catch to release. It pops up a bit but sometimes I have to push forward on the seat cowl to get it to let go. I usually grab under the cowl as far forward as I can. Like all the stuff that routinely comes off and on the bike, it takes about 10 times before you really get the hang of it. Getting the seat back on was a real pain when I first got the bike.

y do you need the seat off to charge the battery?

Here is a pic of the battery compartment with the cover removed. It is directly above the oil filler cap. The thing with the red cap on that fat wire is the battery. Looks like this pic shows a couple wires already disconnected (now that I look closely).

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/12/2010 @ 8:17 PM *

Ya hear some of the kookiest things around hereLOL!!!!Reminds me of when I was installing my TiForces.EVERYTHING...and I mean EVERYTHING went right.Perfect.UNTIL....get this...my ma comes in and says"everything going okay?" "Oh yeah Momma...everything's great here".She's always like that..checkin up on me when I'm workin on my baby...makin sure it hasn't fallen on me or somethin.

Anyway...I KNOW this has GOT to be a record installation...sweet....okay...now that last bolt.Umm....okay....WHERE"S that socket wrench I JUST USED?Ah geez...fuc&*r's gotta be here.WTH?It can't just walk off.AW sh7%! C'mon...wtf?One friggin bolt left...W H E R E is that GD wrench.SHI^!I KNOW IT"S HERE...it's GOTTA BE...I didn't GO anywhere with it.WTF?I was SO pissed.Really.To the point I was just ready to throw somethin...anything.I looked UNDER,OVER,around,INSIDE the frame.EVERYWHERE.My God...friggin tool ghost...gotta be.I'm losin it.It's GOTTA be here!All I did was talk to my ma.Finally....was so pissed I said."f'n fergit it prick...go ahead,have a friggin loose bolt then ya bastard.If it falls off,it's YOUR fault ya prick motorcycle.Bout that second I looks over at the mount bolt on the frame,where the straps connect.GEEZ...the socket AND wrench it's connected to are hangin on that LAST bolt.FRiggin put it on there to tighten it,then FORGOT I did that when me dear Mother come out to see if I was okay.Talk about kooky stuff...my GOD,I got several stories like this one.ALMOST VAPOR LOCKED over a friggin BOLT!BTW...I NEVER leave tools hangin on my bike.They're always nicely set out ahead of time for a job just so's this stuff DOEsN'T happen.Talk about STUPID.Geez...I take the cake.

Anyway...Matsuki...let us know will ya when ya get yer seat off?

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/13/2010 @ 12:59 AM *

LOL Blue!! That would make me fucking crazy too! lol. funny story

Fuuuck, i thought the battery was under the seat!!! oh well, i still need the seat off because it should just
freakin' work!!

I will check the voltage today, and load the baby up. Also gonna try everything suggested here on the seatcowl... ROUND TWO!!!!!

.... Bastard bike!

^^^^^Yeah, you tell it GOOD, Blue!

My God...friggin tool ghost...gotta be.I'm losin it.It's GOTTA be here!

The keys were in my hand the whole time.

Fuuuck, i thought the battery was under the seat!!!

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/13/2010 @ 8:43 AM *

LOL ..... Sounds very logical to me!! lol.

GUYS .... I got the Seat open, AND got the Battery out.

The charger shows that the Battery volume is very low, so ill keep it in, and see if it helped. ill boot it up tommorow in the evening.

How did i get the Seat open? Well, put the key into the right keyhole........ *HIDES*

lol!!!!

put the key into the right keyhole........ *HIDES*

I Imagine taking the battery inside and warming it will probably increase the power a bit but methinks it will still be much lower than it should be. Good luck, Matsuke. Personally, I would just get a charger and hook it up to the battery indoors out of the cold-- until riding season starts again. If the battery is getting close to the end of its life, it might still hold a charge for a week out in the cold without being on a charger. After that, it might freeze and crack. Whether you get a new battery or stick with the old one, you need a trickle charger to maintain it during the off season.

Let us know how it all goes.

Cheers.

Daron

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/13/2010 @ 11:49 AM *

BATTERY TENDER

This is what we have in the US. I have the Battery Tender Junior and it works great. Check out the vid at the bottom of the page if you want.

SCHUMACHER

This looks like an updated version of the maintainer I have on the 14. The one I have has served my battery well for 3 years of storage. Very cheap unit and if you have Walmart by you, you can run down there and pick one up probably about 20 dollars (US).

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/13/2010 @ 12:06 PM *

Yeah, put the battery charger inside now, with the charger. harr harr

Stole it from my grandpa!! harr harr, he used it on his bike tens of years ago. hehehehehe

he used it on his bike tens of years ago. hehehehehe

See, we got you covered R..

Merry Christmas, BTW.

WTF?Wrong friggin Keyhole.Geez!How many KEYHOLES yer bike come with?!!LOL

THAT's some hilarious shit there Rook..."keys were in my hand"....FU&$!THAT definitely tops mine Bro!