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Portable Jumpstart Batteries for motorcycles?

T

TylerW

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Oct 14, 2002
Location
Rochester, NY
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One of my bikes has an underbuilt and overstressed charging system, and as such, from time to time thumbing the starter will produce a hesitative wheeze and stumble instead of the satisfying romp into turning fuel into sound. Disappointing when it happens at home, but a nightmare if it happens anywhere else.

I've been seeing these portable jumpstart batteries crop up all over - they're very portable, have ports to keep a cellphone alive, and produce enough wallop to jumpstart a small car. I know that when you jumpstart a bike from a car, you do the car's engine off to keep the abundance of amps from killing the bike's electrical system - Would that mean that these batteries would be dangerous to use on a bike? how many amps is too many?

Here's an example of what I'm talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portab...481501746&sr=8-10&keywords=jump+start+battery
 
Safe to use. A battery will only deliver what the device hooked up to it will draw.

What kind of bike? There may be ways to upgrade your charging/battery system.
 
Any 12v system will do the job assuming it has the amps to get it done. I scooped this number to jump my track bikes, and charge my laptop at the track. Works like a top; just remember to plug it in after each use, or if it's going to sit awhile.

ETA: I'm assuming you replaced the battery just in case that is the actual issue.
 
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I highly recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MYA6OCW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

It's only half an inch tall (top to bottom) so it fits right under my seat. 5.25" x 3" long and wide

I have a 1000cc V-Twin (which can require a lot of power) and it starts that puppy up just fine. I got it after much research (for best size to power ratio) because I had an odd, occasional no start situation I couldn't track down (now solved, two bad diodes on my original reg/rec). So now it's really just a backup but I also bought the harness that goes direct to the battery because Ducati, in their infinite "wisdom", decided to make it a major PITA to get to the battery without taking off all the cowling on the front end. The harness is also just more convenient. I still carry the clamps under my seat for other folks. But if I need to jump my bike i just hook it up, hit the starter button and off I roll...
 
for at home usage???

under $20.usd less when on sale.
a cheep trickle charger from harbor freight.

just plug in the bike when you park it for the day. always will have a full charge in the batt.

.
 
Darkness! said:
I highly recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MYA6OCW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

It's only half an inch tall (top to bottom) so it fits right under my seat. 5.25" x 3" long and wide

I have a 1000cc V-Twin (which can require a lot of power) and it starts that puppy up just fine. I got it after much research (for best size to power ratio) because I had an odd, occasional no start situation I couldn't track down (now solved, two bad diodes on my original reg/rec). So now it's really just a backup but I also bought the harness that goes direct to the battery because Ducati, in their infinite "wisdom", decided to make it a major PITA to get to the battery without taking off all the cowling on the front end. The harness is also just more convenient. I still carry the clamps under my seat for other folks. But if I need to jump my bike i just hook it up, hit the starter button and off I roll...
Click to expand...

I carry this one too after killing my battery a few times. F parking lights...
 
I got the one from Costco... saved my ass one day when I left the concours ign switch on
 
I bought mine from The Snap-On truck about 3 years ago for $200.00.
They are now $79.00 at Cycle Gear.
2 things were at play here.
1) Because I was impatient, had to have it NOW.
2) Because Snap-On.
 
gixxerjeff said:
I bought mine from The Snap-On truck about 3 years ago for $200.00.
They are now $79.00 at Cycle Gear.
2 things were at play here.
1) Because I was impatient, had to have it NOW.
2) Because Snap-On.
Click to expand...

I'm left to conclude that the snap-on truck is the adult equivalent to the ice cream man?

[youtube]Vg-csjbwo5s[/youtube]
 
I knew a fellow who's motorcycle charging system needed a replacement part, I forget what it was, but it needed to be ordered. He needed the bike as a daily commuter, so he bungied an auto battery to the passenger seat and rode the bike with positive loss electrical energy for over a week, re-charging the auto and the bike batteries nightly.

So I'm wondering, how useful would these small emergency-use battery packs be for such use, a constant, somewhat low-watt drain (headlight disconnected)? Anyone knowledgeable about this?

Lex
 
Lex Talionis said:
So I'm wondering, how useful would these small emergency-use battery packs be for such use, a constant, somewhat low-watt drain (headlight disconnected)? Anyone knowledgeable about this?
Click to expand...

I believe it would work fine as a temporary total loss system, but I think the guy here that would have absolute knowledge would be "ST Guy"
Fwiw, as with different price points, they come with varying amp/volt capacities so obviously a low end one may not be the best option.
 
I'll probably pick up one of these very soon.

TPd7i4r.jpg
 
gixxerjeff said:
I believe it would work fine as a temporary total loss system, but I think the guy here that would have absolute knowledge would be "ST Guy"
Fwiw, as with different price points, they come with varying amp/volt capacities so obviously a low end one may not be the best option.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the vote of confidence though I question if I'm worthy.

It would certainly work. The only question is for how long. It will work longer the less the demand on the battery(s). Definitely unplug your headlight. Leave turn and brake lights working for safety. Disconnect any other unnecessary draw. Bump start the bike if possible as starters are a big drain on the battery. And remember that if your bike is fuel injected, the fuel injection pump will shorten battery life. And to a lesser degre, if carbureted AND it has a pump because it's not gravity feed, that too will shorten battery life.

If you can find out how much your ignition and pumps draw, current wise, you can calculate a rough idea of how long it would run.

I knew a guy who lost the charging system on his ST and did as mentioned above...a car battery strapped to the seat. It got him from Idaho to New York. He simply pulled it off the bike at night and charged it up in the hotel room.
 
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