After having not ridden for a month or more, thanks to a sprained ankle, I took it out for a ride this morning. I'd left my bike connected up to the battery (I have parasitic drain issues) for a few too many days before I was fit enough to hobble outside and disconnect it, so was expecting it to be low enough to need a jump. This morning, I reconnected it, jumped it off the car and off I went for a short ride [1].
Here's some observed fails in normal operation when the battery's low:
* flickering lights (headlamps, rear lights, idiot lights, display - everything) - observed with very low battery
I waited until this had stopped before taking it out on the road, as doing so in the past did not end well... broke down within 2 miles of my house as the battery was hosed and not charging.
However, I did set off with the following symptoms, mostly discovered a mile or more down the road:
* permanently flashing ABS lamp - very low to low battery level
* no indicators - very low to low battery level
* no VTEC operation - very low to low battery level
This last one surprised me.. at ~6700rpm, the engine mostly cut out, all the lights on the dash flashed at me, and the expected majestic surge forwards did not manifest, at all! Quite the opposite. Close the throttle and it returns to normal operation.
So, if any of these are happening.. check your battery!
[1] had an appointment, and pissing about getting it started took longer than expected, so couldn't get a longer ride. I paid for this in waiting (in all my gear in the hot sun) for the nice RAC man to arrive to jump start me a second time. As luck would have it, my afternoon was free and the sun was shining, so after waiting for the lights to quit flickering again, I hit the roads for a few hours. Bike (and me) happy again.
