Bike dead

[Desert Rat]

Went out this morning to start it up and I have no electrics.  No idiot lights.  No anything.  The bike/battery is just under a year old.  I don't know if I inadvertently left the parking light on last night when I shut it off.

So...

Is it OK to use a regular 12v charger on a bike battery?   Can you jump start a bike with a car, or does that fry the bike electrics due to too many amps? 

I'm hoping it's just the battery and not something else.

[gsJack]

Riding year around here in NE Ohio I've jump started every bike I've owned including the 2 GSs at least a few times every winter.  Just turn off the car while jumping a bike and not leave it running like when jumping another car.  A charger with more than 1-2 amp output isn't good for a bike battery.

[Desert Rat]

My battery charger at home has a 2 amp trickle setting.  Use that then?

I was planning to get the battery tested first.  Will the testing equipment at most auto parts stores be able to test a bike battery?

[morganti]

I had that happen at work where I forgot to check the parking light.  I got a jump from a co-worker, apparently you are supposed to keep the car off when you jump start a bike.  But not knowing this at the time, the car was running when I jumped it.  I may have been lucky and nothing got fried, at least not that I know of.  But to be safe make sure the car isn't running if you jump start it. 

[Desert Rat]

The jump start question was a curiosity.

I'll charge the battery out of the bike on a trickle charger to be safe.

Like I said.  I hope that's all it is.  I hope it's not my ignition switch or something like that.  The bike still has a month of warranty left, but it's 20 miles from the dealership and I don't really have a way to get a dead bike to there.

[mach1]

Why wait diagnose the problem first hook up to a car and see if lights will go on if they do then charge your batt. If they don't then start eliminating different parts. A bike battery is not that fragile 12v is 12v a car/load tesster can do the same for your battery.

[DoD#i]

The bike still has a month of warranty left, but it's 20 miles from the dealership and I don't really have a way to get a dead bike to there.

Pick up phone. Call dealer.

"My bike, still under warrantee, is dead in the driveway. Come pick it up and fix it!"

However, if you just left the parking light on, charge it and go.

If you didn't just leave the parking light on, check the main fuse (not the spare, which is easy to find and confuses people - the fuse in actual use, which is slightly less obvious, being under that rubber cover, while the spare is sticking out of it).

[Desert Rat]

Got a pic of where that fuse is?

I'm at work and won't be able to check anything until I get home this afternoon.

I'll try charging the battery before calling the dealer.  Like I said, I have no idea if I lieft that light on.  I turned the key not looking at it, so I don' t know what position it was in. 

BTW, that parking light setting is stupid.  Has anyone disabled it?

[DoD#i]

It's legally required in some areas, and a good idea if you end up at the side of the road at night. However, adding a beeper to it might be a good idea - ideally something that beep-chirp-buzzed for 15-30 seconds, and then shut up if you REALLY wanted the thing on.


Here's the how-to for disabling it from the FAQ section:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=17998.0


The fuse is located under the tail plastic on the right side of the bike - more-or-less inside your right knee as you ride. I don't have a picture of it - perhaps someone else can find one (and perhaps add it to the Wiki.) There should be a fuse (automotive style blade fuse) stuck in a rubber cover - that's the spare. Inside the rubber cover is the one that's in use. 20 amps.

[Desert Rat]

Well, turns out that's probably what I did.  I pulled the battery and checked the main fuse.  The fuse was fine.  I put the battery on a trickle charger for a couple hours, dropped it back in and she fired right up.  Rode to work this morning without issue.

I feel kinda dumb and really hate that key setting now.  You can bet I'll always double and triple check where that switch is from now on though!

[DoD#i]

When getting off the bike, look at the tail light, or stick your hand behind it and look at your hand.

Make it a habit.