Bike fixing!

So I have my first bike project this weekend.

Friday morning I was getting ready to ride into work. I got on my bike, implemented FINE-C, and hit the electric starter...

No dice.

Ok, it is first thing in the morning and the bike is a 1976...the cold is probably getting to it. I decide to give it another go...

Again, no dice.

I begin to think about what could be wrong..."it is pretty chilly this morning, it might need a couple more times for it to get going.." Seemed logical to me. My old 1984 Ford Escort Wagon was pretty finicky when it came to cold weather. So I try to have it turn over again...

No dice, but this time I notice it doesn't try with as much gusto...

"Odd," I mutter "seems like the battery doesn't have much of a charge." "I know, I'll just kick start it, let it rev for a little bit, and that should be enough of a charge to get me going."

After about 3 tries of kick starting, it fires to life. Success!!!

...well not really. It was about 20 seconds in to the idling at 1200 RPMs that my wife walked out and asked me what I was doing at Quarter to 7 in morning.
"Trying to get my bike to charge the battery enough for it to not die on me." I say with no recognition of the second half of the sentence. It only took one more time for me to get it.

"It's 6:45 in the morning! People are sleeping!"

"What?"

She then gives me the "you heard me and are just letting the facts slip through your mind" look.

"oh."

I shut the bike down and slowly make my way to the truck in the pokiest manner ever.

I spend the better part of Friday researching different ways to test your battery, how to recharge it, and how to see if it is more than just a dead battery.  I decided to take a look after work and put my new knowledge I gained to work.

..To Be Continued...