Dead Battery on an R1100RT. Best Options?

[jimaiken]

I took my RT from the heated confines of my office's garage to the carport at my condo. And VOILA, cold weather last night killed the battery.

 

I'm trying to consider my best option.

1. Strip off the plastic, remove & recharge the battery. (Royal PITA)

2. Haul off to the local dealer for a battery replacement. (Royally expensive PITA)

3. Push start and return to said heated garage and attach to a trickle charger. (Seems to be the most attractive option but don't know if it will push start)

4. Charge using a .....? (Unknowns -- what charger? will it charge through the dash?)

 

Would really appreciate your thoughts.

 

Jim

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

You can charge through the powerlet plug in the dash.

You can also do the battery change yourself if you have rudimentary tools. Remove only left side tupperware.

Battery Tender.

[Fraidycat]

If you have a BMW male plug and a battery tender you can charge your battery via the power plug on the dash as 74c5 has said. It will probably take 2-3 days charging before it goes on 'float' (maintenance).

I've not had much luck push starting a dead battery but I think that could be because it's hard to get the motor to turn over---maybe in fifth gear? I know that push starting will work with a magneto charging system but I don't know for sure if a Beemer will start with a totally dead battery----some of the old timers on this forum would know though and I'm sure somebody will reply to that issue.

[Michaelr11]

Yes, you can charge it through the accessory outlet.

Look at the parts fiche for the R1150RT. You can add the extension for the positive terminal to the R1100 which will give you access to positive and ground without removing any plastic. Parts 9-12 on the 61_2311 - BATTERY, MAINTENANCE-FREE drawing.

Buy a new AGM sealed battery - about $55 http://www.staabbattery.com/product/sla-12/UB12220-V.html - no relationship with the vendor but I have bought the battery.

Very difficult to bump start the bike if the battery is dead. You've got to have enough juice to run the computer and fuel system and sparkplugs.

[AndyS]

Would really appreciate your thoughts.

 

Jim

 

Hi Jim, welcome to the Forum.

Fill out your profile so we know a bit about you and your bike.

 

If it is a later 1150 it will have extension +ve terminal, so you can just pop the rubber cover off the +ve post and clamp your charger on that and the -ve on the chassis post. and away you go.

 

Also when back to a convenient point, replace the battery because yours must be on it's way out and you don't want to get caught in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery.

 

Andy

[notacop]

One problem with push starting newer bikes, the electronics like to have 12 volts to work. Not like points and alternators of yore that made power when turned. You could have a 3 mile downhill and it would probably not ever turn over.

If your battery is of unknown age, best get a new one.

[jimaiken]

Thanks, everybody!

 

After reading the responses, here's my plan:

 

Attach a trickle charger to the bike and be patient for 2 - 3 days, waiting for the battery to build a charge. Once done, return the bike to my office's garage and replace the battery.

 

My fuzzy memory seems to recall a time years back, though, when I was unable to recharge the battery with a trickle charger. Will the trickle charger do the job, or is there a more certain alternative with a more powerful charger that connects through the dashboard?

 

Thanks again!

 

Jim

[Mr. Frank]

I have that UB12220 battery which I got from Batteries ASAP. They cost half as much as other batteries and I have had good service from mine. You have to ream the posts a bit and shim the top strap because it is slightly smaller than OEM.

[NonComp]

My fuzzy memory seems to recall a time years back, though, when I was unable to recharge the battery with a trickle charger. Will the trickle charger do the job, or is there a more certain alternative with a more powerful charger that connects through the dashboard?

Depends on the battery. For example, for the Odyssey battery, they state right in their owner's manual that a 2amp trickle charger will not charge a depleted Odyssey battery. They can take 10 - 20 amps.

 

A modern digital automotive battery charger like the one that I have will do just fine in all circumstances. You can monitor voltage and amperage, set amperage limits, boost (up to 75 amps) to start, it cycles to load and then trickle charge and has a desulphating cycle. All for the price of a Battery Tender.

 

Remember that your bike's charging system will put out about 4 - 6 amps if the battery is fully discharged and you have jump-started it (another option).

 

I think that you can bump start some bikes, but you need enough charge in the battery to power up the fuel injection pump. Usually most successful when you just don't have enough volts to turn over, but still have enough to power up the lights etc.

[Selden]

Thanks, everybody!

 

After reading the responses, here's my plan:

 

Attach a trickle charger to the bike and be patient for 2 - 3 days, waiting for the battery to build a charge. Once done, return the bike to my office's garage and replace the battery.

 

My fuzzy memory seems to recall a time years back, though, when I was unable to recharge the battery with a trickle charger. Will the trickle charger do the job, or is there a more certain alternative with a more powerful charger that connects through the dashboard?

Sounds like a reasonable plan. A charger with a desulfate mode might work better than a trickle charger, but if the battery is old, it's still a dicey proposition, and I wouldn't trust it. If you can get the bike going, great -- ride it to a place where you can work on it in some comfort, and replace the battery, then, if possible, keep the new battery on a smart trickle charger all winter.

[philbytx]

If you don't know the age of the battery, IMHO, replace it with a good SLA battery like a Westco or Panasonic or, even better, an Odyssey!

 

Then, when installing the new battery, add the battery extension kit from the 2004 and later RT's which are Part Numbers 9 through 12. This will enable you to jumpstart your bike if it ever happens again

[kmac]

Buy a buddy a beer, and the two of you push the bike into the garage/basement area where it is warmer. Then I would replace the battery, they are not cheap per say, but it is cheap insurance overall.

 

Then i used the Battery tender connector that is supplied with the trickle charger here ( http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/60/950/ITEM/Battery-Tender-Junior-Charger.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch ) to have a permanent connection point for many reasons. I then zip tye the end of the charger lead to the frame near the rear footpeg. now I have a direct hot wire to the batt that I can use to jump it or charge it or even plug in some accessory. In the trickle kit there is a second adapter that will plug in to the new hard wired lead that has spring clamps so you can jump to a car, or even connect to a full size charger if needed for future use.

[Treetopflyer]

FYI for those out there in a battery bind in the future, Walmart has an EverStart AGM, model ES20LBS, that is rated at 18Ah and fits my '96 R1100RT. Costs $61 w/ $9 core charge. Its a Yuasa YTX20LBS relabelled for Walmart. You'll have to fill it and give it the proper initial charge, super easy though. Could have saved some ducks and bought another variety online, but my ride would not have been ready to roll in 4 hours.

[Eckhard Grohe]

If you don't have a de-sulphation mode type charger you can get a little kit from Barker Aircraft. No relationship or commercial interest, etc.