Battery drained, need urgent advice!

Star Lord

I think my battery has drained somehow, and I'm now stuck in town with my bike feeling like an idiot...
Any suggestions for what I can do to get home with my bike?

daenerysstormborn3

Push start? Whereabouts are you stuck?

Star Lord

Showing my novice-ness... How do I do a push start? In near Camden street/portobello

johnayo

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

I think my battery has drained somehow, and I'm now stuck in town with my bike feeling like an idiot...
Any suggestions for what I can do to get home with my bike?

Who are you insured with? You may have breakdown cover.

daenerysstormborn3

Get yourself to any bit of a slope, sit on bike, turn on ignition, push off as hard as you can with your feet, clutch in, in neutral, when you've gained enough speed with your push, flick into second gear, as you're clicking into second, give a little jump on the seat to gain traction.

Leave the bike tick over when you get home.

Soundman

Find a nice flat section of street. Stick her in second. Start running like fcuk with the clutch in and ignition on. Once you get to a decent speed jump on the bike while you release the clutch. With any luck the bike should start up. Grab the clutch in quickly and compose yourself. Do not turn the bike off.

Myrddin

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Showing my novice-ness... How do I do a push start? In near Camden street/portobello

Pull the clutch in, put the bike in 1st or 2nd gear, roll the bike forwards then till you get a bit of speed/momentum {ignition on}...then pop the clutch. If the bike fires up, pull the clutch back in then so not to stall it

Soundman

Or as pixie said, a slope if you can.

daenerysstormborn3

As you're new and I'm pretty sure it's a cruiser you have, I wouldn't suggest running with the bike, definitely sit on it.

Soundman

Easy enough to run with a cruiser. Some of them are lighter than their sports bike counterparts.

daenerysstormborn3

Soundman wrote: »

Easy enough to run with a cruiser. Some of them are lighter than their sports bike counterparts.

Ah, just that he's new enough, the bike kicking into action might take him by surprise and as he's in a busy part of town, there'd be a bit of traffic around, wouldn't like the bike to get away from him.

Soundman

Good thinking, Pixie.

blu3r0ri0n

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Showing my novice-ness... How do I do a push start? In near Camden street/portobello

1) Put it in second gear and leave ignition on
2) Pull the clutch in and leg it... with the bike
3) Jump on the bike and drop the clutch, when you hear the engine try to tick over pull the clutch in and rev it. Might take a you a few goes, easier to do downhill.

Good luck!

Soundman

blu3r0ri0n wrote: »

easier to do downhill.

Unless it doesn't work the first time.

daenerysstormborn3

OP let us know that you manage to get the bike home, leave it tick over when you get home. I'd get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning just in case you have the same problem and you need to find another way to work.

Soundman

How are you getting on? I can come out to you if you need? Should take me about 15/20 minutes this time of night I guess.

Star Lord

Had a couple of mates try push me, but not a tick out of it. Ignition lights come on, lights will come on, but starter does nothing!

daenerysstormborn3

I'm hoping the silence means he's motoring

EDIT - oh no coil? starter motor? Do you know a man with a van to get you home?

Soundman

Have you tried shorting the starter relay? Make sure you use something insulated so you don't do yourself a mischief if you do try it. Let me know if you need me to come out. I don't have a huge amount of knowledge but I might be able to help.

The Nutty M

I know this may sound stupid but did you check the handlebar switch is in the engine run position.

daenerysstormborn3

The Nutty M wrote: »

I know this may sound stupid but did you check the handlebar switch is in the engine run position.

Good point. Check your killswitch OP. If the bike was parked on the street all day, someone may very well have sat on it and flicked the switch, or you may have done it yourself by accident.

Soundman

That might explain the no starter sounds.

Star Lord

Kill switch was fine, toggled it to be sure, but still nothing. Recovery guy on his way, mates going to give me a lift home after.

daenerysstormborn3

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Kill switch was fine, toggled it to be sure, but still nothing. Recovery guy on his way, mates going to give me a lift home after.

Ah feck OP, that's a balls starter motor or generator would be my guess so.

Soundman

Keep us updated anyway, mate. Recovery guy going to be able to bring it to your house? Have you got a charger and a multi-meter?

Soundman

Do you by any chance have an alarm with immobiliser installed? Could the immobiliser be acting the maggot?

Star Lord

No, I'll get him to bring it to a garage. Friend suggested JPs, I was thinking maybe Cotters (nearer me and my work) any thoughts?

I've no tools really, and no immobiliser

Soundman

JPs is grand, so is Cotter's as far as I have heard. I was asking because if you were near me you could borrow the charger and I have some tools (socket set, multi-meter, other bits and pieces) here too if you needed. I'm in Fairview.

Soundman

Also a mechanic I use in Crumlin is pretty awesome too if that is easier still?

Star Lord

Soundman wrote: »

JPs is grand, so is Cotter's as far as I have heard. I was asking because if you were near me you could borrow the charger and I have some tools (socket set, multi-meter, other bits and pieces) here too if you needed. I'm in Fairview.

Based out in Clondalkin, so nowhere near, but thank you!

Soundman

Ah no worries. Hope you get sorted. If you want my mechanic's number who, as I said, is in Crumlin, just let me know.

peckerhead

The Nutty M wrote: »

I know this may sound stupid but did you check the handlebar switch is in the engine run position.

Read my mind... happened to me once when I was starting out and boy, was my face red!

Star Lord

Turned out it was the battery!
The recovery guy jumped the bike off his van, and away I went!

Thanks for all the advice lads and ladies!

Soundman

Happy out. At least it's an easy fix.

arybvtcw0eolkf

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Turned out it was the battery!
The recovery guy jumped the bike off his van, and away I went!

Thanks for all the advice lads and ladies!

Now go back and re-read bump starts :P

Unless you're trying to turn over/bump start a ready heavy engine (HD V-twin, BMW etc) they're easy once you get the hang of it.

CJhaughey

Malachi Uninterested Saber wrote: »

Now go back and re-read bump starts :P

Unless you're trying to turn over/bump start a ready heavy engine (HD V-twin, BMW etc) they're easy once you get the hang of it.

For big singles, I put mine in gear, pull it back against the compression so its just after TDC and then bump.
The extra swing you get from not having to force the piston over compression really helps.

paddy147

CJhaughey wrote: »

For big singles, I put mine in gear, pull it back against the compression so its just after TDC and then bump.
The extra swing you get from not having to force the piston over compression really helps.

So you put the bike in gear and then walk the bike backwards for a bit

Then you bump it by going forwards and letting the clutch out to fie the engine

Is that what you mean?


Thanks.

CJhaughey

paddy147 wrote: »

So you put the bike in gear and then walk the bike backwards for a bit

Then you bump it by going forwards and letting the clutch out to fie the engine

Is that what you meean?


Thanks.

Yep you have it. It means the engine isn't swinging straight into compression as you let the clutch out.it has one full revolution before compression starts.

positron

Yep, always practice bump starting - you never know when it will come handy. Learned it the hard way when Fazer's battery went down (after me leaving the ignition on all night.. doh!)

goodlad

Even walking my bike is a pain in the hole. I cant even get onto it unless its on the side stand.

I couldnt imaging getting onto it while holding it let alone running with it and then jumping on, lol

paddy147

CJhaughey wrote: »

Yep you have it. It means the engine isn't swinging straight into compression as you let the clutch out.it has one full revolution before compression starts.

Thanks.....happened to me a good few years ago (2008 actually) with my SP1.

Absolute biatch of a bike (1000cc V-Twin Superbike) to try and jump start.
I gave up in the end,as I just couldnt get it to fire up,and it left me panting for breath from trying so much.:(:o

KamiKazi

Sp1 has two cylinders working against each other, so you can't apply the same theory of putting it in the right position for bump starting etc.

paddy147

KamiKazi wrote: »

Sp1 has two cylinders working against each other, so you can't apply the same theory of putting it in the right position for bump starting etc.

So how would you bump start an SP1,Ducati or any similar V Twin superbike?

KamiKazi

paddy147 wrote: »

So how would you bump start an SP1,Ducati or any similar V Twin superbike?

I honestly wouldn't even bother trying. Even my old SV650 was a nightmare to bumpstart.

paddy147

KamiKazi wrote: »

I honestly wouldn't even bother trying. Even my old SV650 was a nightmare to bumpstart.

Thats what I did back in 2008 with the SP1.I gave up as I was knackered from it.

Took the battery out and charged it up for a few hours instead.

galwaytt

CJhaughey wrote: »

Yep you have it. It means the engine isn't swinging straight into compression as you let the clutch out.it has one full revolution before compression starts.

Wouldn't be keen on 'backing' an engine that way.......timing chain tensioners only work in one direction. ...and that's not backwards.

Go forward maybe, but not back. ....

CJhaughey

galwaytt wrote: »

Wouldn't be keen on 'backing' an engine that way.......timing chain tensioners only work in one direction. ...and that's not backwards.

Go forward maybe, but not back. ....

You are only pulling the engine back to after TDC, not over the compression stroke.
I read an interview with Freddie Spencer years ago that detailed how he had to push start the RS1000RW, back when all races were dead engine starts.
Fast Freddie wasn't that big a guy and he was having problems starting that beast.
A little HRC mechanic was watching him struggle and came over put the bike in 3rd gear and rolled it back until it started to feel resistance and then walked forwards and let the clutch out and it fired up straight away.
I don't consider it an issue and have done it many times over the years with no problems.

Soundman

How you getting on, horse? Get the bike sorted? Did it just need a decent charge or was there anything else afoot?