Believe I know the answer to my question but checking with more knowledgeable folks than myself. After experiencing a dead battery in SLC last July, I recently picked up a battery booster kit. The supplied short cables can't reach both terminals on my K (no problem with the R). So would boosting the bike's battery work if one were to simply attach to the positive connection and snap the negative claw onto a piece of the bike's frame? As I recall used to do that when jumping a car battery. Will this technique cause any problems doing this with the bike?
-
Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password. If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?
-
Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.
The Election forum is here: Election Forum
Battery Question, Not Brand Related
- Thread starter Paul_F
- Start date
Paul,
To jump or boost an early K, attach the positive cable to the positive terminal on your battery and the negative cable to the bolt on the transmission just above the shift lever where the negative cable from your battery is attached.
That way you have as direct a connection to your battery as possible (assuming the ground cable is tight and in good condition). If it isn't, that's probably why you had to jump or boost your battery in the first place.
To jump or boost an early K, attach the positive cable to the positive terminal on your battery and the negative cable to the bolt on the transmission just above the shift lever where the negative cable from your battery is attached.
That way you have as direct a connection to your battery as possible (assuming the ground cable is tight and in good condition). If it isn't, that's probably why you had to jump or boost your battery in the first place.
pglaves
#13338
I agree with Lee as far as K bikes are concerned. Of equal interest are bikes like a F650GS or Voni's F800S where battery connections are hard to reach and require plastic removal. On my F650 Dakar and her F800S I ran a single large conductor from the battery to under the seat. I use a large wirenut screwed on the end of the wire. To jump from or to the bike then requires a positive connection to this conductor and a negative connection to a good ground.
On R1100 and R1150 bikes I jump to the big connector at the starter from the battery since this is the same as connection to the battery about 15 inches away. And of course, the negative to a good ground point on the engine or frame.
Paul,
To jump or boost an early K, attach the positive cable to the positive terminal on your battery and the negative cable to the bolt on the transmission just above the shift lever where the negative cable from your battery is attached.
That way you have as direct a connection to your battery as possible (assuming the ground cable is tight and in good condition). If it isn't, that's probably why you had to jump or boost your battery in the first place.
This bolt, Lee?
Attachments
Ergo...
...And you know whereof thou speaks, since its likely you’ve done it a time or three...
...on most every BMW model and a few other makes, one might assume.
...And you know whereof thou speaks, since its likely you’ve done it a time or three...
...on most every BMW model and a few other makes, one might assume.
That's the one.
Since there is some corrosion ON the bolt and several other connectors have been added to that location, make sure that the surfaces BETWEEN the various connectors and the bolt threads are clean and don't have any corrosion like the bolt head.
pglaves
#13338
I used 6 guage.
pglaves
#13338
I used a crimped and soldered connector at the battery positive post. I then stripped about 3/4 inch of insulation at the other end and soldered the strands together. I then installed a fairly large wirenut to shield the end of the wire. These have worked very well on two bikes: my F650 Dakar and Voni's F800s.
Paul
I tend to go overboard on my connectors, think it comes from owning a radial engine airplane, so much shaking standard connectors work loose
Jim
pglaves
#13338
I think that in the short term a good crimp would be sufficient but I tend to crimp stuff and then solder the connection too. I am confident that this will provide a solid connection that will outlast any internal combustion engine equipped motorcycle - and we now have one over 400K miles and several over 100K miles.
