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I was trying to get my 2015 KLR650 running, it had sat over winter for about three months and was away for work so it simply sat. I go home started once and let it run for a few minutes and felt everything was good and did not get back to it for about a month. When I tried starting it again it would crank but not start. I killed the 'old' battery trying to start it twice and had to put it on a charger. I noticed it seamed weak and the battery was old so I ordered a new battery.

I got the new battery and charged it over night with a trickle charger to make sure it was fully charge and tried to start my bike again. I could not get the bike to even try to start, but the head light was strong. So, but it back on the trickle charger overnight and go the same results...the same. I left the battery on the bike a couple days and tried again and the battery was all but dead.

So, I went and bought a muli-meter and tested the battery. No matter how long I leave it on charge, it rises to 7.89v and that's it. The trickle charger flashes a code that it is 80%+ charged, but no matter how long I leave it it, it goes no higher. Is the battery faulty? Or could something on my bike have damaged the battery?

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It could be that the "trickle charger" is sensing a low voltage and won't even attempt to charge the battery because it is too low a voltage. Basically, it doesn't see it as a 12v battery so won't even try to charge it. If this is the problem, one of the ways around this is to use another good 12v battery source and putting it in parallel with the "new" battery, then put the charger on both batteries. It will then sense the good battery as a 12v source and try to charge both as such.

If this doesn't work, I'd suggest you might have a bad battery and need to get it exchanged for a different one.

This doesn't explain why you're having issues starting the bike again, though. I'd suggest once you ensure you have a good battery, then try to start the bike again. You will probably have to troubleshoot that further, because I doubt the battery itself is the main cause of why it isn't starting.

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  • Try a simple boost/startup with another 12v battery from a car. Presuming your new battery isn't charging up for whatever reason, it's no different from a dead car battery needing a jump start from another car battery. Be sure the jumper cables make good electrical connections between both batteries and try starting. I don't know if your '15 KLR650 uses a manual or automatic choke or if its entirely an EFI system. As you may or may not know, fuel and spark are the two variables to failed starting if the battery and starter are good. My boost pack got a bike started when approached for a boost
    – F Dryer
    Commented Jun 16 at 4:42

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