Battery Fail

[Buck Mossie]

The battery on my 2011 R3R failed yesterday. Went to start it and nothing. No clicks, no lights, nothing... I tried to give a jump from a fully charged jump starter and it powered the gauges and lights but still would not crank... Tried again with a fully charged car battery, and again, gauges and lights, and starter would click, but not crank...

I pushed it in gear with the clutch in and let it out to try and move the starter and tried to jump it again with the same negative result. I checked all the fuses, and the wires going to the starter, and they all seemed good.

As this was the original factory battery from 2011, I purchased a new one from the local shop, dropped it in, and it fired right up... I have never seen a battery fail to the point, even when dead, that it would prevent an engine from starting when a fresh battery was trying to jump it...

You learn something new every day...

S/F

B

 

[Triple Trouble]

I've seen that on a bike before when one cell was completely shot. No jump start but it went with a bump start ( not a Rocket ) to get me home. A new battery fixed it right up too.

 

[Bedifferent]

That's why I put a new one in every two or 3 years. No battery, no go! If the battery doesn't deliver proper current for starting it can affect many things in particular your starter. A sure way to wreck a power tool is to run in on a cord or circuit that can't deliver the proper amount of current to the tool. There has to be some carry over when it comes to motorcycle batteries as well in my opinion.

Rocket Scientist is the king of using a battery till the very end. Quite a story he tells.

 

[Fingers]

Sometimes people get lucky with batteries I have a cousin who has been the same battery since 2005 for his generator andmower.

 

[Bedifferent]

Sometimes people get lucky with batteries I have a cousin who has been the same battery since 2005 for his generator andmower.

Some people do seem lucky and amaze me on how long they get away running on a battery. I never have a lot of confidence on anything smaller than a car battery. On my diesel truck I get about 7 years, but then again there are two of them and the dealer checks them at the oil changes. I try to make my own luck when it come batteries.

 

[smokit2]

Some people do seem lucky and amaze me on how long they get away running on a battery. I never have a lot of confidence on anything smaller than a car battery. On my diesel truck I get about 7 years, but then again there are two of them and the dealer checks them at the oil changes. I try to make my own luck when it come batteries.

Be sure and check the cold crank amps. I bought one of those super spiffy gel cells that were super light and did everything but the breakfast dishes. They never mentioned the CC amps... Turned out it was barely enough to crank the R3 on a warm sunny day.

 

[1olbull]

Be sure and check the cold crank amps. I bought one of those super spiffy gel cells that were super light and did everything but the breakfast dishes. They never mentioned the CC amps... Turned out it was barely enough to crank the R3 on a warm sunny day.

Good tip, Ray.
What is a good number for our Rockets?

 

[kipper]

I've had this in the bike for 3 years Still works well. Good CCA.

 

[1olbull]

I've had this in the bike for 3 years Still works well. Good CCA.

This TR B1500 for sure looks to be a GOODUN! CCA=465, L=6.9, W=3.5, H=6.2 inches.
So far I have found a Scorpion SSTX20HQ-FP - CCA 525, L=6.9, W=3.44, H=5.13 and
Earth X LTX36D - CCA 405, L=6.89, W=3.39, H=6.7

 

[scot in exile]

Some of you like getting yourselves in needless trouble I change my battery every three to 3.5 years with the wallyworld special and have never had a problem.