Jumper Cables + Car battery + Motorcycle battery = Bad news??

[EatACookie]

Hey guys, this may sound silly. but I left my lights on my motorcycle all night long in the garage and I forgot about it... This morning I tried to jump start it with my vehicle's battery and my motorcycle..

Well, I took off the cables thinking I had enough charge for my bike to run, but it didnt, so I put the cables back onto the battery, but this time I put the (+) wire on the (-) side of the motorcycle battery on accident and now I wont even get a blimp on the neutral indicator or anything at all. Total silence from my motorcycle.

So i figured I must have short circuit the spark plug... Unless It's something else..

Is it the spark plug I need to replace and if so, whats the part and model number???

So to clarify whats wrong with my bike

-No lights coming on when in the on position i.e neutral light, oil light, headlamps etc.
-no noise when trying to start bike

Thanks for the help guys!

[BaltimoreGS]

The main fuse is probably blown.  If memerory serves it is on the right side of the frame near the battery.  The actual fuse is enclosed in rubber and there should be a spare one you can see if it hasn't already been used.

-Jessie

[jestercinti]

Generally speaking, it's not always wise to jump from a car. It's not the volts, but the amps that cause problems.  Maybe a compact car, but a larger car could fry an electrical system of a motorcycle.

My 2 cents.

[adidasguy]

Connecting the power backwards can fry everything. The ignition control will fry with reverse voltage. The voltage regulator can fry, too. The battery can be damaged.

The least possible thing is just the fuse blew (the one under the rubber cover, not the spare!).

Amperage is not a problem except that something with too much current can attempt to charge the battery too fast - which can fry the battery. That's why you don't charge a bike battery from the car - there is too much current which will try to charge the battery too fast. That's the only place where too much current would be bad.

You're best to jumper with the car off. Then start the bike and disconnect the car asap. Let the bike charge itself so you do not overcharge the battery.

The reverse voltage may not be a thing you are going to be happy with. Possibly the ICU and voltage regulator are dead. then the battery can also be damaged.

[EatACookie]

Thanks guys. I went ahead and went to the local auto store, and bought myself a motorcycle friendly wall outlet charger and a new battery.

Thanks for helping a newbie out.

I pulled out the fuse and yes it was the fuse causing the problem.. I might'ave saved myself 50 dollars if I knew to check the fuse first before buying a new battery. :l

at least I learned a lot because of this small incident.

I love working on my bike, i'm actually tempted to go to a motorcycle mechanics course because of my bike and you guys.

[jestercinti]

Good to know that it won't fry the system, just the battery when hooked up properly.

Always been told its a bad idea. Used to jump riding lawn mowers with a 78 Buick and it seemed to muck up the electrical system in the mower. Used that logic to bikes since that is a somewhat similar simple electrical system.

Glad it was nothing serious.

[EatACookie]

okay guys. more sad news

I changed the fuse, and sadly, its still giving me the same problems... So not only did the fuse get fried something else along the way got fried as well.. Im having a local mechanic come, pick up my bike and transport it to his shop to work on it. pretty decent rate. 50 dollars for pick up 75 an hour in shop and probably as well as parts... better than the 150 an hour at the dealership.

still... my pocketbook is going to feel it

[adidasguy]

The ignition control and the regulator are solid state components. They don't take well to a reverse voltage on them.
Probably both will need replacing. Probably should be replaced to prevent a likely future failure.

[noworries]

And it's so easy - no matter how often you've done it - to slap the clamps onto the wrong battery terminal! I force myself to mantra "check the red, check the red" when I have the charger leads in my hands but that didn't stop me making the sparks fly last week as I touched the incorrect terminal! Luckily the old Dad had always insisted that I disconnect a battery from the vehicle before charging and that habit saved my bacon last week!
Currently (ho, ho, ha,ha, barf!) got a battery tender on delivery from ebay and I'm looking forward to hooking up its remote charger lead thingie to the bike. I'm finding that as Winter sets in here in Oz that the battery is a bit weak some days.

[mike10]

  Never jump start a bike from a running car. Car not running OK. Well, thats what I heard. I hope you didn't damage a lot.

[Twism86]

I have jumped my GS from a car battery plenty of times, but the cannot be running!! Its perfectly fine if the car is off.

Always check polarities...........

[Worm]

Every time an electrical issue comes up, we get the "Don't jump from a car cause it will fry your electrical system" posts. This is completely false! If you hook the cables up incorrectly, it can and will fry your electrical system though.

Our batteries have a 12V potential and can supply 100-150 CCA (cold cranking amps). Most car batteries are 12V and able to supply 500-600 CCA. I can see where this could be thought of as a problem but we have to realize, the battery provides the potential, the load "pulls" the current (amps). If you attach a car battery to a motorcycle, the starter is still only going to pull the amps that it needs to run.

Think of the electrical system as a river, when you hit the starter, you are dropping a pipe into that river and syphoning off water. You can only syphon what the pipe with hold no matter how big the river is. That's what happens when you hit the starter. It's connected to the "river" but the pipe will only allow as much as it needs to flow through.

Here's how I do it when jumping from the car, which happens more than I care to admit because I don't have a garage so hooking up the tender is a pain in the rear.

1. Position bike as close to the car battery as possible to make sure the cables will reach, remove seat, pop the hood on the car.
2. Connect positive(red) to dead battery.
3. Connect positive(red) to car battery.
4. Connect negative(black) to dead battery.
5. Connect negative(black) to car battery.
6. Start the bike.
7. Remove negative(black) from car battery.
8. Remove negative(black) from dead battery.
9. Remove positive(red) from car battery.
10. Remove positive(red) from dead battery.
11. Put jumper cables in tail/tank/saddle bag because your battery might be dead when you go to leave work later!

I always hook to the dead battery first, just in case I accidentally touch the clamps on the opposite end of the cable together. Since the battery is dead, or nearly anyway, the resulting discharge of electric will be minimized. Less sparks!

As a side note, it's always a good idea to have eye protection and gloves but.....I never have them handy!

[adidasguy]

Worm is correct about electricity.

However, why do you have to bother with a tender? That's a sign your battery doesn't hold a charge. Save yourself all the work and get a new battery. Spring for a LiFe battery: $99 for stock power (still more than lea/acid) or $150 for the 14a model. They hold a charge for a year.

I am always mystified by people who live by their battery tender. I've never used one. Never needed one. I always had a good battery. If a person had to connect their car to a charger, they'd replace the battery. Why not the same with a bike? Batteries are supposed to stay charged. if they don't, they're no longer a battery.

[bombsquad83]

There is plenty of cases where a battery tender is necessary.  Batteries will lose a charge slowly no matter if they are in good condition or not.  Some of us don't get out to ride enough all year to keep the battery charged.  Others are lucky like yourself to have enough time to ride and live in a place where you can ride all year.

[adidasguy]

I went for LiFe batteries. They hold a charge for a year.
Maybe you need a tender after 4 months. I'll go with that.

When I hear of those that need one even for a week (even a month) - that's time for a new battery.

Tender should only be needed:
1. Left lights on and I'm at the bottom of a hill so can't push start up a hill
2. OR it has been 4 months or more

[burning1]

Jumping from a car is fine, so long as the car isn't running.

We've discussed this "the amps that kill it" thing, and have found absolutely no evidence to support the conclusion. Having the wires backwards will cause problems though.

[Worm]

I ride about 2.5 miles to work every day so after a few weeks, my battery is getting low and I'll have to jump it from the car if I don't pay attention to the starter slowing down. When I do realize the starter is turning a little slow, I'll put the tender on it overnight and be good to go for another few weeks. When I do more long rides, I don't have the problem as often.

There isn't enough in the slush fund for the battery right now. So unless it completely dies on me, it won't get changed for a while. I have been shopping for batteries though and I'll keep the LiFe ones in mind. I'm looking at fork springs and a replacement rear shock before the battery unless it dies on me!

[adidasguy]

Odd. 2.5 miles should take care of it.
I ride 0.5 miles to work. Quite often I put on 1.8 miles in a day with 3 starts/stops. Never have a battery need a tender.
I have charge/status LEDs on my bikes. After about a minute at 2k RPM, they turn green meaning battery is recharged.
I think you have electrical problems somewhere.

Front springs and battery you should change.
As for rear shock, I'm not sure why so many feel they need to change it or if its a fad. Adjusting the preload a notch or two helps a lot. I still have stock shocks, though I've replaced the really old ones with new ones.