Hi guys, this is my first post so hello from Northern Ireland. 

I have just bought a 2012 oset 16 for my young cub as all the MX tracks are closed and he needs something to keep him occupied while this lockdown is happening as he's driving me insane lol!

Apparently the wee bike has been sitting unused for a year. I brought it home and charged it up for about 6 hours or so. All was good and I was surprised at the power delivery until the boy tried going up a steep hill. It just wouldn't pull him up. Its fine on a flat surface but absolutely useless on hills. My boy is 5 years old and 20kg in weight so surely this wee bike should be able to pull him no problem.

I've done some tests and one battery is showing 13.8v and the other is showing 12.3v. Would this be responsible for the lack of power? The main positive lead with the slot clip going to the battery is also not very tight. I crimped it with a set of pointy nose pliers to make it more secure but I think ill replace these as well.

Also, for the run time it literally only lasts about half an hour going round the garden. Once it goes to two lights on the handlebar the wee bike won't move at all with any weight on the back wheel.

Would the lack of power be something as simple as knackered batteries after sitting for a year or could it be something else? I'm a motocross guy so this electric stuff is all totally new to me.

Thanks in advance 

A fully charged 12v battery should read about 12.6v. A reading of 12.2v is only about half charged. 12v is apparently classed as flat.I remember this from testing a dodgy car battery. It’s surprising how little the resting charge without load has to drop to show a faulty battery.

That would explain the lack of power and short life(I assume)

 

My money would be on bad batteries, especially if they have been left flat for a long while.

Thanks guys! I've new batteries ordered so hopefully they solve the problem. I didn't know that a 12v battery was classed as flat. We learn something new all the time!

Don't give up on the old ones. Have a read of the Oset manual about balancing them, it does make a difference and you'll be able to use them as a an extra set.

 

Hi bud, yes I read about balancing them earlier. I'll need to buy one of the balancing machines.

I might let the old ones run completely flat and then recharge them from scratch and see if that works.

Yes, a spare set would most definitely be beneficial ?

We had oset 20 and bought lipo pack from your man in Kilkeel,  Boost batteries.  Made amazing difference, expensive and some clever people make their own but to me it was worth every penny for the extra fun it gave.  Made bike much lighter and lasted way longer than the lead acid ones

Yes my mate told me about him. Think they are roughly £500 a battery.  My wee boy rides an MX bike and that's his absolute passion so ill wait and see if he really likes the oset before shelling out £500 on a battery.  That and i think my wife will have a canary if i tell her i spent 500 quid on a battery lol!