Need Help ASAP 2008 Lance Duke 250 touring By marvinscooter (Read 5,888 times)

[marvinscooter]

I was referred to this forum so here we go. My lance duke has been running good. About a few days ago it just died, then it restarted. I figured a wire had poped loose or something. I checked the fuse on battery and replaced it just in case. Then I thought I had it fixed. She died again then started. In short yesterday I went to start it again but the turnover went down fast to the point it barely turned, which is indicative of a failing battery. I pushed it home and it started. I put it on the charger overnight and started it this morning. I got about a mile and it quit again. Starter turn over was nil. I now suspect the battery is toast. If I had a short, would it turn over slow?. Any way the guys at the bike shop said the battery can show its good but still be bad. I'm buying a new Honda battery and hope this fixes it. Any warning signs I should be looking for? I took off the outside plastic and tightened the Main red wires leading to starter and then some. They were not tight and they weren't super loose but maybe enough so that when I hit a bump it would kill the bike. Please help. Kind regards Marvin

[JR]

Hello Marvin and welcome to the forum! Buying a quality battery is a good thing and follow the charging directions and then check it at least one hour after removing it from the charger with a multimeter for it's voltage reading.

A fully charged battery will maintain 12.7 Vdc plus. After taking the reading and installing it start the scooter and take a voltage reading with it idling. Then rev the scooter up to at least 5000 RPM and check the voltage again. On idle we are looking for 13.0Vdc+ and at 5k RPM we'll hope for 14Vdc+. If it doesn't charge right then we'll start testing things to find out our problem.

If I remember right the Lance Duke has a smaller stator than a lot of the cfmoto clone engines out there.

Also this system is a DC type CDI system so if the battery drops to a ceratin level it'll not run right if run at all.

So if you can do this then we should get a lead on why you are having battery problems.

JR

[marvinscooter]

I agree with the quality battery. I'm getting a Honda certified battery. $60.00. The battery I currently reads, made in China on the bottom. A Red Flag went off, just like some of other components like fuses, and such. I will then drive it to The cycle shop and get it tested to what you talked about, and see if those numbers check out, then we will know where to go from there. Thanks. Marvin. I'll post what I find.

[marvinscooter]

PS . Your last statement about the DC and CDI on the lance duke would explain the latter part of my bike quitting on me.

[alleyoop]

Marvin, First of all welcome glad your here.
You will not find 250 knowledge like on this forum. But you do not have to take it to the shop to test out if the chargeing system is putting out. Just go and get a $10.00 multi meter and that is enough to test out anything on the scoot. It is very easy to test a batter and if your system is chargeing or not. You will need the MULTI METER anyway if you have other electrical problems and don't worry JR will tell you step by step how to test and which wire and what to set the meter to. You will be his eyes and hands and he will point you to which wires and what not.
It is not hard and you will save yourself a lot of money in parts and labor that a shop will charge you.
Alleyoop
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[marvinscooter]

Is there is specific amperage I'm supposed to run or buy for that lance duke 250 cc. Or will a good Honda battery be fine?

[marvinscooter]

Thanks I know just where to buy an amp meter. Pawn shops have a bunch. Thanks again.

[alleyoop]

What you want is a battery will a lot of CCA(COLD CRANKING AMPS) the higher the better there are some over 200 cranking amps but something in the high 100s is great like 180ccas etc..

I am sure JR knows what AMPS is a good one for the 250s he has 250s one for him and one for his wifes and he keeps them running like a TIMEX Watch. I know for the 150s a 7amp will do but a 9Amp is better.
Alleyoop

[marvinscooter]

Well I put a new battery in today, the lights were brighter than usual, but I drove it 3 or 4 miles, got two starts out of it, and then the ever slow turnover! Crap! Luckily I had a spare battery on me: I disconnected the front headlights so I can ride longer, crap. Can I call the Honda parts guys here; about 2 miles away and order a voltage regulator ? Or something like that? Help?

[JR]

Well Marvin we do need to take a voltage reading to see if this scooter is charging at all. You need a very simple meter that will read AC/DC volts and ohms and one can get one that will do what we need to do at Walmart cheap.

Now you'll want to set the meter on DC volts and we are testing for charging voltage not amps. Follow the directions in my first post and report back. We'll get her going.

JR

[marvinscooter]

Ok I have gone to Wal-Mart! Got the tester. I'll get back to you. I ran and stopped my bike all day on the same battery, with those headlights disconnected. No problems. Who knows; I'll start at the battery.

[marvinscooter]

Bought an Etek tester. Which volt do I set it to? It reads in yellow highlights, 1.5v 9v, 12v.? I've set it to DC

[JR]

You need to set the volt meter on DC volts at least on the 20V range. Read the battery with it not running and then at idle and then with it revved up to 5k RPM. Write down the voltages and get back to us.

JR

[marvinscooter]

Ok JR. Using the ETEK model 10709 digital multi meter. I set it to 9v or 12v setting; gives the same read On DC. Touching the battery at Before starting, it reads, 13.15. At idle it slowly climbs to 14.15. When I revved it up it went to 14.76 keep in mind I still have my headlights disconnected. I turned my signals but no change. My turn over at start is still in . About the same. Starts fine, but sometimes it's goes slow . Now what?

[JR]

This is normal at 13.15 you have a good battery and after starting it climbs to 14.15 again good voltage. When you start the scooter the battery will drag down a bit and then ease back up from it's initial amperage pull from the starter.

Also revved up you're looking good at 14.76 volts. So now we need to do the same thing start her and check the voltage, let her build up some and then turn the lights on. If you have the front off just sit it back up there and secure it so you won't scratch up the cowling and plug the lights back up. check your voltage and again rev her up to about 5k RPM. Let's see what the readings are and if the lights are draggging it down too much.

Marvin by testing like this we eliminate one thing at a time that could be putting too much amp draw on the system. If we discover it's the lights then we will find out why and repair it.

Electrical gremlins can be a PITA but by taking it at a simple one at a time approach one can find the problem.

JR