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CB350/400
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Electric start issues
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Topic: Electric start issues (Read 237 times)
Coppertop1234
SOHC Expert
Posts: 284
As long as the wife is happy
Electric start issues
«
on:
July 23, 2026, 01:04:39 PM »
Hi all bit stuck with diagnoses of slight problem.
Bike on trickle all time in garage.
Starts on the button no issues
Go for a run 20 40 miles perfect ride.
Go to use button to stat and starter tries once and stops
It's like a flat battery symptom
Bike kick starts first kick ride home same issue.
Mega shows Bike is charging
New battery
Earth's all cleaned
New wiring loom
Changed stator just in case
New switch gears
Last thing I can think is regulator rectifier
Open to views if anyone has had similar?
Cheers
Keith
«
Last Edit: July 23, 2026, 01:53:09 PM by Coppertop1234
»
Logged
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650 Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1 Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream Restoration
1977 CB400/4 - The last one - Restoration
exvalvesetdabbler
SOHC Pro
Posts: 508
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #1 on:
July 23, 2026, 02:41:24 PM »
Bit of a,long shot, if you're on oem regulator, check the wire wound resistor on the back of the regulator.
I had a battery go off last season and checked all the obvious bits that you have. Cleaned the regulator contacts and left a fragment of of paper towel between the normally closed contacts, wasn't charging at low revs and a spanner wouldn't stick to the alternator cover with ignition on.
It was fine on open roads but draining the battery pottering around town.
Since fitted a voltmeter. You need 3-4000 revs to get any meaningfull charging. Once you're up to speed or over 6000 rpm it should be up to 15v and not go over.
If you are running aftermarket ignition coils with a lower resistance and headlight on it might struggle a bit unless you ride it like you stole it.
Regards
Dave
Logged
Bryanj
Grogu
Posts: 12366
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #2 on:
July 23, 2026, 07:32:42 PM »
Regulator and Rectifier are seperate parts unless the bike has been fitted with an aftermarket unit
Logged
Coppertop1234
SOHC Expert
Posts: 284
As long as the wife is happy
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #3 on:
July 23, 2026, 07:44:27 PM »
All standard fit at moment but I am down to these as my last options.
Aftermarket do a multi 2 in 1 version to do both jobs
They are.not too dear but didn't want to change if I was missing something simple someone else had already diagnosed.
«
Last Edit: July 23, 2026, 08:14:01 PM by Coppertop1234
»
Logged
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650 Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1 Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream Restoration
1977 CB400/4 - The last one - Restoration
Oddjob
SOHC Jedi
Posts: 4531
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #4 on:
July 23, 2026, 10:05:59 PM »
Have you checked the contacts inside of the generators multi connector, they are known to corrode badly and the vibration as the engines running could mean they lose contact and don’t allow the battery to charge.
Logged
Kids in a the back seat cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat cause kids.
Coppertop1234
SOHC Expert
Posts: 284
As long as the wife is happy
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #5 on:
July 24, 2026, 08:23:39 PM »
checked connectors all seem fine
Battery on trickle all week reading 13.48
tried electric start twice getting fuel through
no 3rd attempt flat
Kickstart first attempt (all be it me standing on 2 bricks so i could kick it up)
mega reading 14.28 14.5 at battery while revving bike
so battery holding charge ok and bike charging ok
a lot of drain for just 2 attempts with electric start.
think i will try taking starter out and cleaning it up or if i have a spare replace it just to rule it out.
puzzler??
Logged
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650 Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1 Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream Restoration
1977 CB400/4 - The last one - Restoration
McCabe-Thiele (Ted)
Grogu
Posts: 8404
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #6 on:
July 24, 2026, 08:35:03 PM »
Trying to think outside the box, following are my thoughts
1. Is the solenoid faulty?
If you bridge the contacts when the battery is apparently flat does it crank over.
2. A new battery, is it definitely the right specification?
C.C.A. and Ah rating, voltage alone does not tell the whole story, new batteries can be mis-labelled apparently.
Logged
Honda CB400NA Superdream (current money puddle)
Honda CB500 K1 (second money pit)
https://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,28541.0.html
Honda CB400 four super sport (first money pit)
Link to my full restoration
http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,23291.0.html
This is a neat 500 restoration in the USA.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,151576.msg1731556.html#msg1731556
Skoti
SOHC Pro
Posts: 559
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #7 on:
July 24, 2026, 08:42:43 PM »
Load test the battery because it seems like a faulty cell breaking down under load.
Or try another battery first if you've not got a tester.
Good luck
Logged
Skoti
Motorcycling is Life, anything B4 or after is just waiting...
1976 Honda CB750F1
Coppertop1234
SOHC Expert
Posts: 284
As long as the wife is happy
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #8 on:
July 24, 2026, 08:58:29 PM »
like the thoughts guys
will check them out tomorrow
Ta
Keith
Logged
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650 Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1 Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream Restoration
1977 CB400/4 - The last one - Restoration
Mikep328
SOHC Pro
Posts: 515
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #9 on:
July 25, 2026, 06:02:21 AM »
Main cable from battery to relay/starter OK/connections good?
Logged
Mine:
1976 CB400F
1973 Norton 850 Commando
2015 BMW R9T
2017 BMW R1200RS
2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Special
Wife's:
2015 Ducati Diavel
2019 Honda Africa Twin
2019 Honda NCT750
TrickyMicky
SOHC Pro
Posts: 543
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #10 on:
July 25, 2026, 07:38:20 AM »
Definitely sounds like a duff battery, irrespective of its age. It may have been a bit older, but I have just had the same problem with my 250. (No kickstart!!!). Left it on charge overnight, was reading 13.8 volts, touched the starter button in the morning to check. Magic!!. Went indoors to put all the riding clobber on, pushed bike out of garage, pressed starter button and all it did was kill the neutral light. New gel battery fitted, sanity returned.
Logged
Coppertop1234
SOHC Expert
Posts: 284
As long as the wife is happy
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #11 on:
July 25, 2026, 09:45:52 AM »
All sorted it was the brushes in the starter motor.
Replaced with a spare and starts so much quicker ,motor hardly spins and she's away.
Thank you for comments during diagnoses process.
Cheers
Keith
Logged
I Love Tinkering with Old Classics
1970 Mobylette 50cc
1972 Honda Cb175
1974 Yamaha Rd250
1962 Triumph 650 Bonneville
1972 Norton Commando
1978 Honda CB400/4
1976 CB750F1
1976 Suzuki GT750 Kettle
1978 Honda CB 750 F1
Married Life No Bikes for a while then
1975 CB Honda 400/4 Restoration
1976 Kawasaki Z650 Restoration
2002 Suzuki GSX1400
1976 Honda cb750F1 Restoration
1978 Honda cb750 F1 Restoration
1977 CB 250 Dream Restoration
1977 CB400/4 - The last one - Restoration
Johnwebley
SOHC Jedi
Posts: 3703
Re: Electric start issues
«
Reply #12 on:
July 25, 2026, 10:55:51 AM »
Interesting
I had similar issues with the dyno/starter on my Yamaha CS5
turned out to be carbon dust between the segments on the cummutator ring,
Narrow screwdriver cleaned the gaps,
Now working properly
The little things
I had no previous experience with these, but live and learn
Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk
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lifelong motorcycle rider,and fan
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Electric start issues