jump-starting a motorcycle?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, AB, Canada
Boost a bike? Hey all, my bro ran into a problem on Saturday. He owns a Suzuki TL1000s with some of the R cladding...Looks and sounds badass and is fast as hell. Anyway, he left the key in when he came over for an hour or two and when he came back, the battery was dead from the auto headlight and ignition being left on...yeah, I know. Like completely dead...no lights or anything. We tried roll-starting it a few times without any luck.
it sat off to the side for a day and we tried again...but it wouldn't roll-start and the battery was dead still...so we tried boosting it with CAA. The bike started when it was hooked up to the truck...no problem...but as soon as the juice was cut from the truck, the bike would quit...no charge in the battery at all. We tried charging the battery for almost a minute with the truck...but same deal...it wouldn't hold a charge. Nothing at all.
I've boosted cars before...but never a bike...are we missing something here?
it sat off to the side for a day and we tried again...but it wouldn't roll-start and the battery was dead still...so we tried boosting it with CAA. The bike started when it was hooked up to the truck...no problem...but as soon as the juice was cut from the truck, the bike would quit...no charge in the battery at all. We tried charging the battery for almost a minute with the truck...but same deal...it wouldn't hold a charge. Nothing at all.
I've boosted cars before...but never a bike...are we missing something here?
try and take the battery out and run it on a trickle charger. Motorcycle batteries dont do to kindly to quick charging. If after about 4-6 hours on a charger the battery still wont hold a charge then get a new one.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 1
From: Just This Side of Damnation
I resurrected a motorcycle battery once from an old biker tip I read about.
A discharged battery developes a coating of sulfate (sulphite?) on the lead. The coating prevents the reaction between the plates and the acid from taking place. A very light charge can sometimes reverse this to a small degree.
I poured out and saved the acid. I was careless and got stuff in it so I had to go get some new acid. I got mine at a John Deere dealer. They have lots.
Then I made about a gallon of water/baking soda mix. I poured it into each battery cell. It foamed greatly! I poured it out after a while and repeated over and over. About ten times or better. I had to mix up a lot more.
Eventually the foaming lessened. I poured the mix out for the last time and rinsed each cell about five times to get all the mix out. Baking soda and water neutralized the acid and foamed away the coating. Be sure you drain out as much water as you can.
I then replaced the battery acid, gently shaking the battery to get air to the top of the cells, and made sure the acid was topped off in each cell and was at the correct level.
I trickle charged it overnight. Viola! A battery that worked! I had more time than money, so it was worth it. I bought a new one after a short while. It was mostly an exercise to see if it worked. It did.
But be realistic. If your buddy drives the bike in heavy traffic or in places he DOESN"T WANT TO BREAK DOWN IN, he needs to spring for a new battery. Sure you can jump the battery with another battery, but you need a dependable battery for a motorcycle.
A discharged battery developes a coating of sulfate (sulphite?) on the lead. The coating prevents the reaction between the plates and the acid from taking place. A very light charge can sometimes reverse this to a small degree.
I poured out and saved the acid. I was careless and got stuff in it so I had to go get some new acid. I got mine at a John Deere dealer. They have lots.
Then I made about a gallon of water/baking soda mix. I poured it into each battery cell. It foamed greatly! I poured it out after a while and repeated over and over. About ten times or better. I had to mix up a lot more.
Eventually the foaming lessened. I poured the mix out for the last time and rinsed each cell about five times to get all the mix out. Baking soda and water neutralized the acid and foamed away the coating. Be sure you drain out as much water as you can.
I then replaced the battery acid, gently shaking the battery to get air to the top of the cells, and made sure the acid was topped off in each cell and was at the correct level.
I trickle charged it overnight. Viola! A battery that worked! I had more time than money, so it was worth it. I bought a new one after a short while. It was mostly an exercise to see if it worked. It did.
But be realistic. If your buddy drives the bike in heavy traffic or in places he DOESN"T WANT TO BREAK DOWN IN, he needs to spring for a new battery. Sure you can jump the battery with another battery, but you need a dependable battery for a motorcycle.
