Jump starting an early 2004 roadster?

[Sparky]

Hey folks --

Long time lurker here.

My bike is stored outside and a lack of use because of a new baby coupled with cold weather has drawn my battery down far enough that it won't start.

Did a search of the forums and found a lot of topics on battery charging, but none on how to jump start a roadster. Since the battery is buried so deep under the tank, I would rather not tear it apart to reach the terminals.

I understand that later 2004 models have a place to access the positive anode, and absent that, I can do so by removing the starter cover. I have no idea where ANY of these things are.

Any directions, preferably with pictures, would be very appreciated! As would any pointers on jump starting the bike....

[DJ Downunder]

I would try roll starting it...if that's not poss...your twin spark 04 should have the new external terminals for attaching the jumper leads onto.

My 02 doesn't have them...hopefully someone who has can post a pic for you showing them on yours.

You should have the accessory socket fitted and get a charger..that's the best way to go. http://www.sierrabmw.bigstep.com/Images/pluswhite.gif



DJ

[jetblack]

Be careful, I recall having read that these connections are for charging only and should not be used for jump starting. Best check first.

[R4R&R]

Hey Sparky, I too have an early '04 model which didn't have the jumping terminals (yes, those ARE for jump starting.) I bought the positive terminal from my dealer last year (I think it was less than $10) and it was simple to install. Otherwise the best way to jump start one of these things is to take the starter cover off. I see you're in NOVA - let me know if you want to hookup some time and I'll be glad to show you. You don't want to try to push start this bike unless you have a long hill to roll down - I know this from experience!

[CycleRob]

Both my new home's driveway and the street out front are really steep downhills. I've roll started my bike many times when I'll be making the short 5 mile trip to the Mall or the Bank. I put it in the right gear, clutch in, roll away, wait for at least 25mph road speed, turn the key on with my right hand and ease the clutch out in THIRD GEAR!!. Second has too much engine compression braking and usually chirps the rear wheel whereas 3rd doesn't.

I've never let my 4 year old WestCo MaintFree battery get even mildly discharged . . . . maybe that's just me.

[DJ Downunder]

I've roll started mine a few times just for the fun of it.

I can do it on the flat and in about 30'..second gear.. and pop the clutch and bounce on the seat ..timming is everything.

3rd gear and down a hill like CycleRob said is the best way.

My friend down the road has asked me to roll start his Harley a few times..I've done his in about 20' no probs.

All those years of push starting dirt bikes and big road trails bikes has paid off..

DJ

[boxermania]

Robbie.....recently retired, fairly new digs and you have roll started your bike several times already?

Is this a fun thing, that's out of character for you......come on let me in on the bottom line.....you can't be getting tha lazy to push the start button.

Or just trying to master the tecnique just in case!!!

[Boxer]

Oh what I would have given for a nice steep driveway like Robbie's back when I had my kick-start-only Harley.

I think Rob's thinking more about his starter and battery and not so much about the little extra effort of rolling that baby downhill. Why waste a good hill, if it's right outside your door.

Oh wait a minute. We've hijacked Sparky's thread!

Sparky, I have always used a Battery Tender on my lead acid battery and it has never been dead. That's really the way to go, like DJ says. Since I have never had to jump mine, I have no suggestions on that procedure. Sorry. I DO know you have to keep the auto that your attached to not running.

[Sparky]

I would try roll starting it...if that's not poss...your twin spark 04 should have the new external terminals for attaching the jumper leads onto.

My 02 doesn't have them...hopefully someone who has can post a pic for you showing them on yours.

You should have the accessory socket fitted and get a charger..that's the best way to go. http://www.sierrabmw.bigstep.com/Images/pluswhite.gif



DJ

Yeah, but my'04 twin spark was one of the first produced, and I don't think it has the external terminals (at least not that I can see). I heard that it was a running change during the '04 model year.

I've got the accessory socket so I would use a Battery Tender, but the problem is I live in a town house and where I park it is nowhere near an electric outlet (I would have to run an extension cord across three neighbors' lawns, a sidewalk, and up a short flight of stairs). So a charger isn't a great solution either (at least not until I move to a place with a garage).

Bump starting is a possibility, but it has sat unstarted for so long now that I suspect that if I were to try to bump start it down a hill, I would end up with an unstarted bike at the bottom of a hill.

What I would like to do is pop off the starter motor cover and hook up the positive connection there, as I have been told is possible, but I don't know where the positive connection is (all of the visible wires are black).

If anyone has a picture that shows me exactly where to hook up the positive cable, that would be a great help!

[DJ Downunder]

I'll take a pic of one today.

DJ

[priapismic]

Why not remove the seat, and lift the fuel tank a bit? The battery terminals are accessible, right behind the air box. You'll probably have to lift the tank a bit more than the prop supports allow, and even then you'll have to wiggle your fingers in there, but I've done it to wire accessory lights directly to the terminals, and that meant removing the bolts and everything with my fingers squeezed in there. Use a block of wood to prop the tank up higher than the support struts.

And remember to use jumper cables that are made for motorcycles. There's a whole list of Do's and Don'ts when it comes to jumping a dead battery that I won't get into here, but that can be found with a thread search.

[Sparky]

Why not remove the seat, and lift the fuel tank a bit? The battery terminals are accessible, right behind the air box. You'll probably have to lift the tank a bit more than the prop supports allow, and even then you'll have to wiggle your fingers in there, but I've done it to wire accessory lights directly to the terminals, and that meant removing the bolts and everything with my fingers squeezed in there. Use a block of wood to prop the tank up higher than the support struts.

Really? I didn't realize the terminals could be accessed without removing the tank altogether, which is a task I would rather not undertake. I'll take a look at it.

And remember to use jumper cables that are made for motorcycles. There's a whole list of Do's and Don'ts when it comes to jumping a dead battery that I won't get into here, but that can be found with a thread search.

Hmm -- I was under the impression that the only rule was to make sure the donor vehicle (in particular if it's a car) not be running. I jumped my old K75S many times from a non-running car using standard car jumper cables ....

[CycleRob]

Sparky,

The most important thing in jump starting is to follow procedures that, without explanation by anyone so far, are designed to minimize the connection spark and therefore the damaging voltage spike. That's why the donor is not running when you make the connections.
Some bike mfgr's with marginally overdesigned alternator diode banks and/or fear the customer may not follow the common sense hookup sequence, will insist the donor vehicle be NOT running, so RTFM.

With that in mind, if the weak battery is really low, I recommend you start the donor's engine AFTER all jumper connections are made, then wait and let it run connected for 10 minutes to charge the bike's battery, then you can more easily start the bike. If you don't need to run the donor vehicle, leave the now running bike connected to the donor vehicle at least 2 minutes at 2,000 rpm to replace the chunk of power taken from the non running donor and it'll also minimize the disconnect spark/spike.

The starter solenoid has two fat cables attached by copper nuts. The battery cable is the top one, the lower one is the starter motor power. Use the top one!! Be very careful the jumper clamps do NOT also contact any Aluminum or steel parts!! Make the final "snap shut", no bounce, no arcing-sputter connection at the dead vehicle's fat engine bolt. Don't use the bike's cylinder fins, they're painted and non conductive.

You should also have your riding gear ready so you can either ride the still running bike an hour plus -or- better yet, ride the bike to a place where AC power and an overnite charger is waiting.

[bikermeow]

4 days after taking delivery of my then 4-yr old bike, the batt went dead on me. Previous owner did not tell me that the batt needs changing. Turned on the bike, there's light but not enuff batt juice to initiate a start. Pushed the bike (i'm less than 150 lbs) and managed to start it, 3rd try.

A few guys I spoke with were surprised tat i could start the bike, as they thot that fue inection bikes need batt to push start. A tech later told me that chances were that with the lights showing when I turned the key, there were sufficient juice to inject the first golden drops of petrol to fire the bike up.

Juz sharing ...

Cheers

Meow

[cmack]

Why not remove the seat, and lift the fuel tank a bit? The battery terminals are accessible, right behind the air box. You'll probably have to lift the tank a bit more than the prop supports allow, and even then you'll have to wiggle your fingers in there, but I've done it to wire accessory lights directly to the terminals, and that meant removing the bolts and everything with my fingers squeezed in there. Use a block of wood to prop the tank up higher than the support struts.

And remember to use jumper cables that are made for motorcycles. There's a whole list of Do's and Don'ts when it comes to jumping a dead battery that I won't get into here, but that can be found with a thread search.

This technique does and will work. As noted, just make sure that you use low profile jumper cables so you don't falsely ground against the tank or anything else in the vicinity. I did this technique when I first picked up my new/used R back in Jan. 04. The bike had sat for about two months without being ridden, and it was below zero the day I picked it up. It fired a few times but didn't start. The guy didn't know you needed to pull up the fast idle lever to the second position to start it when cold... that's how little he had ridden it! We hooked it up to one of the portable jumper stations with a lantern/radio etc. with the technique described above, and it fired right up (with a little twist of the throttle, since I wasn't aware of the fast idle either). There's plenty of room to work with the tank propped up. Give it a shot!

[DJ Downunder]

Sparky...I popped into my dealer today...three parts are needed to mount that positive terminal on our bikes.

A bracket...a washer...the post and the rubber cap.....total about $30 Aussie...about $20 US......that's not bad.

They said you could also buy a new starter cover with both holes or drill out my own.

DJ

[Sparky]

A belated thank you to everyone who responded.

What with a newborn infant and the vagaries of winter weather, I was only able to try to jump it today and take it for a ride.

I found the spot where the accessory positive solenoid would be, if it were there, but it's not.

Instead, I followed the directions to hook up on the correct bolt on the starter motor (of course the wire to it was black, just to instill confidence) and it fired right up. Took it for about a 1.5 hour ride and it seems to be nicely charged.

Of course, now we just have to see if the battery will hold the charge. But -- hey -- if it doesn't, at least I now know how to jump it!

[chris]

Just wondering where the external terminals or auxilliary terminals would be on my 03 1150 in case I ever have to jump start it? It has no power socket so I think I'll be fitting one soon.