My 01 E-Starts cold but battery does not charge up

It's a mechanical/electrical post, because I have an electrical question to ask.

So here is: my 01 FE501e starts cold on the button. Well, not exactly, totally cold.

Tonight, again, I primed it with the deco on, then tried to start it and because I still hurt a bit from my last ride (100+ kicks given), I tried the button and ... the bike started! :shock:

So. I have a brand new battery, I changed the plug, I redid the connections and it's all very tight under the battery connectors screws. I added a ground cable to the starter. I had the battery on the Optimate and I went and got a new plug because the old one was fouled (my fault).

Well, all is great in my Husaberg garage except that, when I tested the voltage it showed 12.86 off, same on, and it is a YTZ7S, therefore I suspect that the bike is not getting charged up.

What part should I suspect is toast?

I don't see myself carrying an optimate on the trail and looking for power outlets on the cactii...

Oh now you're going to tell me that it did not charge up on the trail because I was going too slow... :twisted:

By the way I am running on a Champion plug because that's all I could find in my area and then I dug up a post from our AvGas-using friend where he said he was using the same exact plug.

Hey I wonder how this bike would run on 100LL... J/K.

mikst said:

LeFrog said:

... I still hurt a bit from my last ride (100+ kicks given),
...

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Did you stall the engine or crashed around 50 times? I had problem starting the bike when really cold but that was an adjustment issue. Adjust the carburettor and try to change the kicking technique and you will not use so many kicks. Correct adjusted carburettor/valve/ignition will make it easier to start with the button as well.

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Stalled it a couple time, yes, crashed twice (not bad for a first ride on a non-dialed in suspension), but overall I had a fouled plug (I pulled the choke while the bike was already started, a technic I used with the DRZ, not good with the berg) and the carb needed some more tweaking to adjust to the heat and altitude. But mostly the heat.

Now I have adjusted the idle speed, the mixture screw and changed to one of those very expensive plugs made by Champion. It was all I could find and the bike starts a lot better then with the NGK Iridium plug, go figure.

It starts on the kick very easily now too. Maybe the carb could go see what Lineweaver can do, I'll think about it. But I need to do my suspension first.

I don't think it will be worth it. I live in Arizona. Driving to his place with the bike, waiting for the repair, coming back...