Rode the bike to a local BBQ place today. No problems going there, but when I got ready to leave, Crystal Blue wouldn't start. The buddy I met tried to jump me to no avail.
After a small non-motorcycle crowd gathered to help, we just figured I needed a new battery. All the helpers left and my buddy was going to take me to Cheap Battery Heaven (Walmart). I thought I'd try one last time, and realized the connectors weren't tight. I tightened those, and low and behold, it started right up.
After an embarrassing 30 minutes, I learned an important lesson:
Before you think you have a bad problem, check the little not-so-obvious things.
You guys that take long trips often probably know this, but it's more for those of us that ride around town and take shorter trips.
P.S. Lesson 2 - Invest in motorcycle-specific jumper cables. It was a bear just trying to connect regular jumper cables to the Versys battery. I have a 2009 and the more recent models may be better, but just in case...
How old is your battery? Remove connectors to sand off the oxidation from top of battery terminals, and underneath connectors, clean and reconnect battery.
Thanks Invader. I'll check and sand it tomorrow. I'm one of those that seems to only check the most basic things (oil, tires, chain), but forgets the small or hidden stuff. That's why I'm glad I can rely on y'all.
for jump starting bikes i have a set of gater clips from an old battery charger i keep in y\my bike tool kit, they clip on to the tight motorcycle battery terminals nicely then are easy to clip jumper cables to
I think it got most people one time or another. I remember putting a new starter on a 1974 Toyota celiac and than finally figuring out it was a bad battery connection.
I was lazy with my grip warmer install and didn't patch it into a wire that was ignition-hot, and have killed my battery twice by leaving it on, both times was able to push start and it went back on the tender at home. I fixed that issue now but I still picked up one of the LiPo portable jump starters.
the PO of sylvester did the same thing, worse he used a wire tap to steal power from a wire instead of hooking it to the battery, now has been fixed and moved to a switched aux fuse block i installed but im still waiting for the day the green death eats thru the wire where he tapped it and i loose power to w/e that wire goes to (i think its the ecu):frown2:
(note in picture not the wire im holding put the red wire tapping into the white one, that is what the PO did )
Walmart. $60. Carry it in my tank or tail bag. Also use it to start my riding lawn mower for the past year, because I am too cheap to buy a new battery for it. The clamps are very small, and the whole unit weighs very little. There are numerous brands, at varying prices but, nice peace of mind carrying one around.
After cleaning terminals I always apply Di-electric grease (silicone) to post and clamps. Prevents corrosion and waterproofs connections. I apply it to every electrical connection on motorcycles before putting together. Have done this for many years and have never had a problem with electric connections.
Heres what i had on my 09 Versys and its now on the FJR. Has come in handy more than a few times helping other people and myself when i forgot to turn off the flood lights once or twice....... powerlet jumper cables ....http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...ayYmH4eFNOhMzJrc-e8iKfoSJ-gPk_CogMBoCyB7w_wcB On the Versys...I had the half connected to the battery and stored under the seat. Then all you have to do is take off the seat and connect the other part with the alligator clips on. You could mount it somewhere that you don't have to take the seat off if you want...
Heres what i had on my 09 Versys and its now on the FJR. Has come in handy more than a few times helping other people and myself when i forgot to turn off the flood lights once or twice....... powerlet jumper cables ....Powerlet Real Motorcycle Jumper Cables - RevZilla On the Versys...I had the half connected to the battery and stored under the seat. Then all you have to do is take off the seat and connect the other part with the alligator clips on. You could mount it somewhere that you don't have to take the seat off if you want...
Thanks for the responses. You always come up with great stuff. I've got to check out those battery chargers/tenders. I'm torn between the Walmart one and Joe's video one. Kinda handy to put in a top bag or tank bag.
In all honesty, if I needed another jump starter, or if my current one fails (Whistler Jump & Go), I would most likely purchase the Anti-gravity brand, if for no other reason than they seem to be very popular, and have impressive claims. There are vids out there, check them out. Here is one of their products:
I shopped and shopped and shopped and shopped the Lithium jump starters before I landed on my stanley. The challenge with a lot of them is that their output is lying and/or a LOT of them don't have backflow prevention, so if you get it started and don't disconnect it within about 10 seconds, it'll blow up, and lithium fires are bad, bad news.
The stanley I got at walmart for $45 is 12000mAh confirmed, usb outputs, backflow protection and some pretty intelligent starting options. It's also got a dongle that plugs into the cigarette lighter of a car so you don't *have* to use the clips in that kind of scenario. I dunno why my walmart had it for that price, everywhere else it's about $90.
Thanks for the tip
Mine is dead (22 years old) and will be replacing soon
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