How do I start with a dead battery?

[trepetti]

Woke up this morning and was going for a nice early-morning ride and battery dead. Slow crank followed by the clattering main relay. Fuel system charges, just can't get enough spin out of the starter.

Bump starting is a pssibility, might give that a try but street is level and don't want to get too far from home with a bike that still won't start.

I store my bike in my buddie's garage off-season, and or course that is where my Battery Tender is

So, the question is about jump starting.

I know that if I use my car I need to leave the car off so as not to overload the bike's electrical system.

I also have one of those 'Booster Packs', a Stanley that specs show:
500 amps INSTANT On: 5 seconds, 300 amps Off: 1 Minute.

I don't want to do ANYTHING that might risk damage. The bike is just for recreation.

QUESTION: Is the Booster Pack a safe option?

 

[trepetti]

OK, so the question is now academic...just bought another Battery Tender...

But would still like to know...

 

[FB400]

you should be able to bump start the bike with by rolling it fast in 2nd gear. I would think you could do this with 100 feet or less.

Put it in 2nd roll it fast as you can while holding clutch in and ignition turned on.
Pop clutch all the way out and see if starts but pull clutch back in immediately after it fires.

 

[iSteve]

You really don"t need to push that fast to bump start a bike also 10ft should be enough. I started my neighbors GSXR for her last week in her driveway.

 

[Andz]

I agree, I have bump started mine in second gear with 5 or so paces. It's all in the coordination!

 

[Marcin]

If possible get someone to push U while U are sitting on the bike. When the engine wakes U might be surprised, not use the clutch soon enough end off she goes...

 

[Motogiro]

Woke up this morning and was going for a nice early-morning ride and battery dead. Slow crank followed by the clattering main relay. Fuel system charges, just can't get enough spin out of the starter.

Bump starting is a pssibility, might give that a try but street is level and don't want to get too far from home with a bike that still won't start.

I store my bike in my buddie's garage off-season, and or course that is where my Battery Tender is

So, the question is about jump starting.

I know that if I use my car I need to leave the car off so as not to overload the bike's electrical system.

I also have one of those 'Booster Packs', a Stanley that specs show:
500 amps INSTANT On: 5 seconds, 300 amps Off: 1 Minute.

I don't want to do ANYTHING that might risk damage. The bike is just for recreation.

QUESTION: Is the Booster Pack a safe option?

To answer the jump start question, you can use a car as long as the engine is off or you can use a booster pack. The booster packs are just portable 12 volt dc storage batteries.

 

[trepetti]

Thanks cliff. Am I to assume that if car and booster are both available the. Booster is preferred? Or no real difference?

 

[Motogiro]

Thanks cliff. Am I to assume that if car and booster are both available the. Booster is preferred? Or no real difference?

The car battery will generally have more current reserve to help jump start your bike.
My neighbor has a Sportster and I couldn't jump him from a car battery. I plugged him into my battery tender for a few hours and it started. Almost like that twin had no compression release! Needed lots of current to spin it.

Sent from Moto's Motorola

 

[MattR302]

Ignition switch on, put it in neutral, run alongside the bike until as fast as you can, hop on, clutch in, pop it into 2nd gear, let the clutch out.

If you have hard luggage, it helps to remove them first if you try this method, otherwise it's hard to jump onto the bike while running with it.

 

[zpdrumer]

Totally agree with Matt. This happened to me at work last week. I left my lights on all day (my key comes out even in the on position) took off all my luggage and bump started it. I've bump started old batteries before. But not like this. I had to give it some really good speed to work at all. Initially the fuel pump even the clock weren't working.

I also use 1st gear not 2nd. I've never got it to work in 2 so I stick with 1. With a higher gear ratio I would think it helps move the engine more with slower speed, but I could be wrong

 

[Dry Martini]

I always put it in 1st (2nd would be easier) hold clutch in run along side bike, then jump on and then dump clutch.


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