Jump start no-no's

andyvh1959 · 06-03-2021, 02:22 PM

Hopefully, brighter electrical minds can chime in here. When jump starting a motorcycle, my policy has been its ok to use another battery/power source, but battery alone. Do not jump start a motorcycle from a car, pickup, truck when the other vehicle is running. Off, ok, running, no.

WAY back in 1980 I jump started my 78 Honda CB750K from my running Toyota. Don't recall exactly the sequence, but most likely I had the jumper cables already connected on my running Toyota, then I connected to the bike. Well, the end result was the bike started but I really fried the wiring harness. To the point I removed the harness from the bike, de-loomed it and traced/repaired a bunch of small fried wires. I think I even fried the rectifier, which was separate from the voltage regulator back then.

Or, perhaps I had the jumper cables hooked up and the bike didn't quite crank over. So I then started the Toyota and perhaps a load surge through the jumper cables did the wiring harness damage? All I know is since that time I am very careful about jump starting a motorcycle.

andyvh1959 · 06-06-2021, 09:04 PM

Well, I thought by now someone would have taken the bait.

No one else has a bike jumping story they're willing to admit messing up, like I did?

ballbreaker · 06-07-2021, 11:30 AM

Only bike I have ever boosted is my 2007 Sportster. I used my battery charger with the boost feature. Seemed to work OK or was I just lucky?

**Sabre-t** · 06-07-2021, 12:05 PM

I have not boosted a motorcycle from a running auto, just from the battery. I have a lithium battery pack now with a booster attachment. I have boosted a couple of bikes with it, as well as several cars and trucks.
I would recommend the booster pack I have, but it's not available any more. It has an air pump, jumpers, USB power port, and a port for 12, 16, and 19 volts DC. It also has a red flashing emergency light and a flashlight built in. It's a Suaoki. They currently have models that have most of the above, but not the air pump, but there are other portable air pumps available.

DragonLady58 · 06-08-2021, 03:28 PM

I've started 5 auto's with my ElectraGlide, nary a problem....once with my Nomad, blew both my regulators (cheap caltrics)(never use them)....
Jumpstart with battery's only....after you hook them up, let the battery's sit to soak the bike battery, should start fine.

You can get booster paks to start these very large diesel engines in these heavy duty pickup trucks, piece o cake with a bike....

andyvh1959 · 06-08-2021, 04:33 PM

Yup. Connect the bike to the car, let it sit a bit, car not running, then try to start the bike.

Jllm02199 · 09-12-2021, 11:49 AM

NEVER jump any vehicle with engine running

mbarr10 · 09-12-2021, 01:19 PM

When I was in College I would use my Honda CX500 running to jump my AMC Gremlin in below zero temps. Looking back I now know it was dumb, but had to get to work. Always ground first and straight to the batteries, no frame grounding. It was just what I was taught.

Seems not everything my dad knew was smarter than I was, as I got older

mick56 · 09-13-2021, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jllm02199

NEVER jump any vehicle with engine running

Why not. I have done it loads of times with no problem. And i know i am not the only one.

**Sabre-t** · 09-14-2021, 09:38 AM

Never jump a MC from a running car or truck, but you can jump a car or truck with the other vehicle running. The important thing is to hook up the jumper cables correctly. Positive on the battery positive posts; negatives of both vehicles to a good grounding point on the frame, not the battery post. Unless the vehicle is positive grounded (extremely rare), then reverse those directions. I've seen a lot of folks hook both cables directly to the batteries of one or both vehicles and burn out circuit boards in some alternators, music systems, CPUs, etc. I have never seen any of those things happen when the cables are properly grounded.

I once jumped a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur with a Honda CRV. The only way the Honda could do it was with the engine running.

Now, imagine the embarrassment of a carload of snooty folks in a RR on the way to a wedding and needing to be jump started by a Honda!

mick56 · 09-14-2021, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabre-t

Never jump a MC from a running car or truck, but you can jump a car or truck with the other vehicle running. The important thing is to hook up the jumper cables correctly. Positive on the battery positive posts; negatives of both vehicles to a good grounding point on the frame, not the battery post. Unless the vehicle is positive grounded (extremely rare), then reverse those directions. I've seen a lot of folks hook both cables directly to the batteries of one or both vehicles and burn out circuit boards in some alternators, music systems, CPUs, etc. I have never seen any of those things happen when the cables are properly grounded.

I once jumped a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur with a Honda CRV. The only way the Honda could do it was with the engine running.

Now, imagine the embarrassment of a carload of snooty folks in a RR on the way to a wedding and needing to be jump started by a Honda!

, or orou
must be mssing something that everyone can see. Either that, or i am just plain stupicd

. fuck it anyway.

06-03-2021, 02:22 PM	#1
andyvh1959 Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 775	Jump start no-no's Hopefully, brighter electrical minds can chime in here. When jump starting a motorcycle, my policy has been its ok to use another battery/power source, but battery alone. Do not jump start a motorcycle from a car, pickup, truck when the other vehicle is running. Off, ok, running, no. WAY back in 1980 I jump started my 78 Honda CB750K from my running Toyota. Don't recall exactly the sequence, but most likely I had the jumper cables already connected on my running Toyota, then I connected to the bike. Well, the end result was the bike started but I really fried the wiring harness. To the point I removed the harness from the bike, de-loomed it and traced/repaired a bunch of small fried wires. I think I even fried the rectifier, which was separate from the voltage regulator back then. Or, perhaps I had the jumper cables hooked up and the bike didn't quite crank over. So I then started the Toyota and perhaps a load surge through the jumper cables did the wiring harness damage? All I know is since that time I am very careful about jump starting a motorcycle. __________________ My $1200 Vulcan, to start from. Login or Register to Remove Ads Last edited by andyvh1959; 06-03-2021 at 02:32 PM.
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06-06-2021, 09:04 PM	#2
andyvh1959 Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 775	Well, I thought by now someone would have taken the bait. No one else has a bike jumping story they're willing to admit messing up, like I did? __________________ My $1200 Vulcan, to start from.
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06-08-2021, 03:28 PM	#5
DragonLady58 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Somewhere South of Alaska.... Posts: 2,373	I've started 5 auto's with my ElectraGlide, nary a problem....once with my Nomad, blew both my regulators (cheap caltrics)(never use them).... Jumpstart with battery's only....after you hook them up, let the battery's sit to soak the bike battery, should start fine. You can get booster paks to start these very large diesel engines in these heavy duty pickup trucks, piece o cake with a bike.... __________________ --------------------- Don't start no schit, there won't be no schit.... My Sarcasm is directly proportional to the amount of Stupidity involved --------------------- VBA#03239 VROC#37400 VRA --------------------- 2014 Vaquero 2001 Nomad FI 2003 Street Glide (sold) 1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold) 90s BUBF Bobber (sold) 2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold) 1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold) 1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold) Suck It Up & Ride! Login or Register to Remove Ads
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06-08-2021, 04:33 PM	#6
andyvh1959 Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 775	Yup. Connect the bike to the car, let it sit a bit, car not running, then try to start the bike. __________________ My $1200 Vulcan, to start from.
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09-12-2021, 11:49 AM	#7
Jllm02199 Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Morrow, Ga. Posts: 830	NEVER jump any vehicle with engine running __________________ 02 1500 Nomad (07 1600 Motor) 160,000 Red & Black 12" mini apes Galfer lines (6' over) EJK Dobeck Reckless Fairing. Led H4 headlight All LED lights Rockford Fosgate radio
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06-07-2021, 11:30 AM	#3
ballbreaker Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: canada Posts: 487	Only bike I have ever boosted is my 2007 Sportster. I used my battery charger with the boost feature. Seemed to work OK or was I just lucky?
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06-07-2021, 12:05 PM	#4
Sabre-t Join Date: May 2015 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 838	I have not boosted a motorcycle from a running auto, just from the battery. I have a lithium battery pack now with a booster attachment. I have boosted a couple of bikes with it, as well as several cars and trucks. I would recommend the booster pack I have, but it's not available any more. It has an air pump, jumpers, USB power port, and a port for 12, 16, and 19 volts DC. It also has a red flashing emergency light and a flashlight built in. It's a Suaoki. They currently have models that have most of the above, but not the air pump, but there are other portable air pumps available.
	0

09-12-2021, 01:19 PM	#8
mbarr10 Sr. Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 1,567	When I was in College I would use my Honda CX500 running to jump my AMC Gremlin in below zero temps. Looking back I now know it was dumb, but had to get to work. Always ground first and straight to the batteries, no frame grounding. It was just what I was taught. Seems not everything my dad knew was smarter than I was, as I got older __________________ Please post back after you have solved any issues 2016 1700 Vaquero 10/4/2016 2007 1500 Classic W/ Reckless Fairing, 42,000 miles 2004 600 Honda Shadow 18,000 miles 1989 500 Honda CX Custom 55,000 miles 1973 400 Kawi Triple 5,000 miles
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09-14-2021, 09:38 AM	#10
Sabre-t Join Date: May 2015 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 838	Never jump a MC from a running car or truck, but you can jump a car or truck with the other vehicle running. The important thing is to hook up the jumper cables correctly. Positive on the battery positive posts; negatives of both vehicles to a good grounding point on the frame, not the battery post. Unless the vehicle is positive grounded (extremely rare), then reverse those directions. I've seen a lot of folks hook both cables directly to the batteries of one or both vehicles and burn out circuit boards in some alternators, music systems, CPUs, etc. I have never seen any of those things happen when the cables are properly grounded. I once jumped a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur with a Honda CRV. The only way the Honda could do it was with the engine running. Now, imagine the embarrassment of a carload of snooty folks in a RR on the way to a wedding and needing to be jump started by a Honda!
	0