Wr250x starting problems / empty battery

Ey ! Please forgive me for not knowing much about motorcycles. You should know that I love riding them. A couple of days ago I left the ignition in my 2008 wr250x on, and as a result killed the battery. The next day I was in a rush and probably did something stupid when I decided to start it with the clutch down the hill from my house. Only ran it for a few minutes and noticed engine light was on. Drove it back home and parked it. Charged the battery. Now start engine runs vigorously and it seems there is plenty of power, but the sound that usually appears when turning ignition (the fuel pump I assume) is not there and the engine wont start. It actually did start for a second and then it died. Error Code is 46.

Please help an idiot, sincerely Eivind.

Code 46 = power supply to the FI system is not normal.

That comes from the Yamaha Service Manual.
I'd have the battery tested on a real, bona-fide, genuine, for-real MOTORCYCLE battery tester, like at your local Yamaha dealer.

YZEtc wrote:

Code 46 = power supply to the FI system is not normal.

That comes from the Yamaha Service Manual.
I'd have the battery tested on a real, bona-fide, genuine, for-real MOTORCYCLE battery tester, like at your local Yamaha dealer.

Thank you! Could I have messed up the fuel injection by starting the bike without a functioning battery a couple of days ago?

So you pop started the bike and it started. You took the battery out to charge it. Now it cranks over nicely, but the engine doesn't fire up. Did i get it right?

When you turn the key to the "on" position all your lights turn on, headlight, dash etc? The neutral light is on and the check engine light is on? Did I miss anything?


If I got it right then I would say you screwed something up when you pulled the battery to charge it. Maybe you hooked something up wrong momentarily and fried a fuse. They are located opposite the radiator next to the coolant reservoir tank. You have to take a plastic panel off to access them.

Do you have a voltmeter?

I wish there was a way to have a beeping sound when you leave the ignition on but the engine isn't running. That's always been a concern of mine, that I kill the engine with the red switch and don't notice the headlight is still on, and the battery dies and I'm stuck somewhere with no kick starter. Or that I crash somewhere, the engine dies and by the time I wake up or get to the bike the battery is dead.
I know it's a safety feature (and a street legal requirement) that the headlight stays on when the engine dies, but I wonder if there's a way to disable that. After all, the headlight doesn't come on until the engine is running initially anyway...

Just curious rambling. I hope you can fix your problem, I'm curious as to what happened so I can learn from it.

GusinCA wrote:

I wish there was a way to have a beeping sound when you leave the ignition on but the engine isn't running. That's always been a concern of mine, that I kill the engine with the red switch and don't notice the headlight is still on, and the battery dies and I'm stuck somewhere with no kick starter.

I have no idea what the OP's problem might be.  But I can help you with yours.

Keep your fingers off that red switch and turn the bike off and on with the ignition key.

Been working for me since 2008... ever since the first time I used the red switch out in the boonies... and then had a little walk...

I recall a few threads here where people have had battery go dead and that causing some rather complicated issues.

Things like the speedometer going completely haywire. ECU's getting messed up.

I believe these bikes are VERY VERY sensitive to voltage drops in the charging system and operating system.

After reading a few threads like this I'd never recommend bump starting a wr250r/x

I'd recommend fully charging the battery to best of one's ability, and if bike still does not start I'd say it's time for a new battery.

Bump starting a motorcycle with a dead battery seems to be "safe" ONLY on bikes with carburetors.   

And +1,000,000 to what Jager said. Never use the kill switch. Always use the key.

GusinCA wrote:

I wish there was a way to have a beeping sound when you leave the ignition on but the engine isn't running. That's always been a concern of mine, that I kill the engine with the red switch and don't notice the headlight is still on, and the battery dies and I'm stuck somewhere with no kick starter. Or that I crash somewhere, the engine dies and by the time I wake up or get to the bike the battery is dead.
I know it's a safety feature (and a street legal requirement) that the headlight stays on when the engine dies, but I wonder if there's a way to disable that. After all, the headlight doesn't come on until the engine is running initially anyway...

Just curious rambling. I hope you can fix your problem, I'm curious as to what happened so I can learn from it.

You know I love my WRR but...

The more I own it the more I am not sure that I would want a bike with FI for some serious backwoods DS riding.

The FI is just too much of a liability. If you should drain the battery or should have the battery fail you won't have enough juice to run the fuel pump so even with a kick starter you are stuck. You can bump start it but even then it is likely to run like crap. I have seen this happen on my buddy's WRR when his battery dropped a cell in a parking lot.

I know they teach you to shut off your bike with the kill switch in the MSF classes but I generally do not do that since the power is still on to the electrical accessories. Again I have told a number of riders on the trail that their headlights were still on after we stopped for a break. Combine this and FI and you are really asking for some drama in your life.

At first I thought the setup on the Beta was archaic. There is an AC and DC circuit on the bike with the DC circuit basically charging the battery for the magic button. Hell it doesn't even have a key, which does cause me concern at times (until my buddy lost the key for my WRR on one of our DS rides). You push the start button or lay into the kick start to start the bike and you push the kill switch to stop it. The headlight is on the AC circuit so as soon as the bike stops it is off. I think there is only like 100W of power available with very little on the DC side so you aren't going to put on any electrical accessories. I thought I was going to miss the FI setup but after playing around with the jetting on the FCR carb I am very pleased. However, the lack of a full subframe and available aftermarket luggage support can make it a challenge to use the bike as a long distance DS ride. Not too mention the additional periodic maintenance requirements.