Member Contributer expvet Posted June 19, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 19, 2016 Would using something like this (picture attached) to jump start the bike be dangerous on a 6th gen? It is a 500 amp with 1000 amp peak jump starter. I know about the compact lithium ones but am looking for something that could also start my car (V6 Accord) and when needed supply some temporary power for a power tool via an inverter. Hear a lot of back and forth about too much power for a motorcycle battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2FAST4U Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 I don't know the answer to your question but let me share something with you that happened to me eight years ago. My bike wouldn't start and I knew it was the battery. Since I wasn't at home and I had roadside assistance on my insurance policy, I called for roadside assistance. Somebody showed up about 45 minutes later and pulled out something that looks similar to what you see in the picture you posted. I'm by no means an expert on electrical systems and so, knowing that what he had was probably designed for cars, I asked him whether or not it would send more juice to my bike than it was designed to handle. My concern was that it would fry some component of my electrical system (or possibly all of it.) In his opinion, it was safe and so I told him to go ahead and jump start my bike with it. My bike started right up and I had no problems afterward. The reason my battery didn't have much juice left is because it was a hot summer day and I when I shut my bike off, I left the ignition on and waited for the radiator fan to shut off. The fan was on for quite a while due to the heat and that's what I believe drained my battery (I had done that several times that day). I no longer do that and have always found that when I start my bike up again (whether in a few minutes or an hour), the engine had cooled sufficiently on its own. I also know (from experience) that one can safely jump start a motorcycle with a car and standard jumper cables designed for cars. I've been riding motorcycles many years and have done that, too. A little off topic, but what part of Brooklyn are you from? I've been there more times than I can count. My favorite neighborhood is Windsor Terrace (just south of Park Slope). It's so clean, peaceful, and quiet there. I remember everyone was always nice and respectful and nobody ever bothered anyone. And, unlike Manhattan, no one was ever trying to impress anyone. I always liked Prospect Park, too. I remember it never had all the hustle and bustle of Central Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Mohawk Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 Your bike works on 12volts & draws from the battery what ever a page it needs, be that at startup or low revs when the generator is not making enough juice. So long as you ONLY connect the jump leads or jump pack to the battery terminals everything will be fine. All the systems protective fusing etc is still in place to protect your bike systems. If if your battery is dead, then it's dead. Adding a high amperage source in reverse, which is how barre rise get charged will attempt to charge your battery to, so you should only at tech jump source for the few minutes it takes to start the engine. Once running dis connect the jump source. Remember to ensure you connect the terminals the right way round. Positive first on negative earth vehicles, like VFR's etc. Also ensure the donor vehicle is running BEFORE you connect the cables, don't try to start the donor after the cables are attach or it will try to draw energy from YOUR battery to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 Exactly. When the first reg/rec on my VFR750FL was failing (long before I discovered the WOTL, and internet forums--which did not yet exist) I found myself stranded at Blackwell's Corner store in the middle of nowhere, California, with a dead battery. Just wanting to get home to LA after the Grand Prix at Laguna Seca I purchased a cheap car battery and the proprietor gave me several feet of lamp cord he had laying around. I found some room in my Krauser K2 top box for the battery and ran several lengths of the cheap wire to the battery terminals under the seat. Needless to say, I made it home with no further problems at all... Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2FAST4U Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 You put a car battery in your top case and used lamp cord to connect it???? What a sight that must have been!!!! It just goes to show what you can do when you're in a pinch and think outside the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Lorne Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 12 hours ago, Mohawk said: Also ensure the donor vehicle is running BEFORE you connect the cables Hmm, best to leave the donor vehicle not running. 22 hours ago, expvet said: Would using something like this (picture attached) to jump start the bike be dangerous on a 6th gen? It is a 500 amp with 1000 amp peak jump starter. No worries, only the voltage of the battery pack matters. The resistance of the circuit, e.g.. starter motor, determines the current flow. Think of it this way, a teeny tiny light bulb in your house doesn't blow because it is connected to a ginormous hydro-electric or nuclear power plant ;-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 I should add that those jump starter packs often have--you guessed it--motorcycle batteries in them. Certainly the one I took apart a few years ago did! Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2FAST4U Posted June 20, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 After that incident from eight years ago, I bought these at a dealership for $20. As you can see, they don't take up a lot of room and easily fit into a backpack. Although I've never had to use them on the road, I can tell you they work well. The cables are 8 ft. long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer expvet Posted June 20, 2016 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2016 Thanks for the replies. Seems like a safe way then to give the battery a boost when needed. I leave a Scorpion pager alarm on at night and when it rains for a few days or with some chilly fall nights the battery can be iffy on workday mornings. Hasn't happened much but it is a PITA to be geared up and not have enough juice to fire up and too much drama to get the car, jumper cables, ect. This way I can just hook up, fire up and go. The ride to work is a good 45 minutes so the battery can charge up on the way. I also like the AC power outlet, if you need a quick dremmel or such no need to drag out extension cords outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dustin Posted June 21, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 21, 2016 I guess I have to ask: What about just hooking your bike up to a battery tender? I'm guessing if you live in Brooklyn it's a good chance you don't really have your own garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer expvet Posted June 21, 2016 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 21, 2016 Exactly the case. When I put the bike in storage for the winter at a local storage facility I take the battery out and connect it to a tender but during riding season it is street parked. I have to alarm it at night so if it rains for 3 or more days it can be iffy to start. Now I just have to pick a good jump starter. I would go with one of the new compact lithiums but I would like the power outlet option for whenever I might need to power a tool. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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