Was just curious about this. Since I have a 2 up seat and bags on those 4 bolts...I was wondering if there is an easier emergency way to jump start without removing the seat? I'm not an electrical guy....but there must be a more readily available positive lead to use to connect jumpers or battery charger cables? Thx
There isn't anything stock that I'm aware of. I've used the plug for my battery tender once, and I've heard of people on other bikes wiring in a few extra leads for this exact reason.
Since your bike is carbed, couldn't you just pop start it?
Pop start? Is that the same as push starting?
Yeah, you push it along with the clutch pulled in, then once you're moving at a decent clip you pop the clutch and the motor turns over.
can you not do that with efi motorcycles? I know you can with efi cars, etc. I've done it with both of mine (perks to having manual transmissions).
Two answers here..
First the seat..remove the bolts securing the seat and replace them with wing (butterfly) bolts then you don't need tools to remove the seat..
Second.. go to a scrap yard and get a thick red battery lead, about 10" is more then enough, it has a ring connector on one end that will easily bolt to the positive post of your battery, feed the other end of the lead out to one side where you can clip on to it.. A dab of solder will prevent the exposed end from fraying or splaying..now go to your local TV repair shop and they sell 7mm coaxial cable which they get delivered on 100 metre reels..the end of the cable is protected by a small rubber cap about 1/2" long and they will probably give you one..just press this over the bare end of your new lead and this will prevent it from shorting to the frame..
Now all you need to do is pull the rubber cap off, connect the positive jump lead to the new cable end and connect the negative jump lead to the bare frame or engine..
Or you could just buy a new battery and check the charging system with a $10 digital multimeter from Home Depot.
John
Quote from: pcarrell on October 15, 2014, 15:24:12 PM
Yeah, you push it along with the clutch pulled in, then once you're moving at a decent clip you pop the clutch and the motor turns over.
The big problem with doing this, or more like, trying to do this with a Kawasaki, is the fact that you need to have the transmission in AT LEAST 2nd gear, third would be better, but with the positive neutral finder, you can't do that....I know this for a fact. We tried to bump start one of the training bikes after the student left the ign on, and it just couldn't be shifted into 2nd....
Quote from: Troll on October 15, 2014, 19:32:49 PM
The big problem with doing this, or more like, trying to do this with a Kawasaki, is the fact that you need to have the transmission in AT LEAST 2nd gear, third would be better, but with the positive neutral finder, you can't do that....I know this for a fact. We tried to bump start one of the training bikes after the student left the ign on, and it just couldn't be shifted into 2nd....
Ahhhhh, didn't know!
Quote from: gdrudd13 on October 15, 2014, 16:05:03 PM
can you not do that with efi motorcycles? I know you can with efi cars, etc. I've done it with both of mine (perks to having manual transmissions).
The 1500's need battery power to run, so pop starting is not an option.
I did a setup on mine. It's in the Mods section under electrical, ( emergency jumper ).
Thin cables and connections like those in the mod may melt.
To remove the seat as advised and use jump leads with bigger, secured, clamps is the better option. Many a time though, cold twin engines with a dead battery only run, and will keep running, on one cylinder only. Not that I am so experienced but I have been there.
A cable with a plug for a charger can be preferable. As long as the wires have no chance of being physically damaged. The maximum possible charge of batteries is 1/10 of the Amperage. For quick charging one could push this a little further but not even 1/10 when the battery reaches its maximum capacity and never beyond that point.
Find and keep an old 12 Volt DC transformer plug and charge the battery attended within the hour. No sparks, no smoke, no glitch. For safety one should check the battery, the transformer and the wires for not overheating. Batteries with shorted plates can melt their plastic and get dangerous. Home made chargers have a fuse in the plus cable.
Street rodders and race car builder have the same problem accessing battery leads. John has the best solution but instead of a cap on the end of a wire lead you can use these remote cable leads (lugs).You can fish the added cable through the left side cover and attaché these lugs to the iside of of the cover. They have rubber caps that revent any chance of arc.
Another solution is what I just installed on my bike. I added a power port (looks like a cigarette lighter socket) to the side cover of my bike. While I can not jump start my bike with these wire I can charge the battery. I currently have my automatic battery tender plugged I to this socket for winter storage..
I have this installed on my bike. It comes with tender and jump start outlet. If you buy the additional kit with the male end and clips you can boost without removing the seat.
http://www.eklipes.com/All-Products/EK1-110