Jump Starting a R1100RT

[Rick Ward]

How does one jump start the R1100RT?

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Rick

 

Depends on--

 

If the 1100RT has an external battery (+) jumper post on it (it was a BMW kit or can be homemade) then just use that.

 

Otherwise hook the ground cable to an assessable grounding point (like upper shock bolt or ??)

 

Then clamp the red positive cable to a long screwdriver & manually hold the screwdriver tip to the battery (+) post (not tidy but works)

 

 

[Rick Ward]

Thanks D.R. I read in the owners manual that it may be necessary to jump it off and i lifted the seat and saw no battery and i thought it would have been nice of BMW to describe how to perform the jump.

[Michaelr11]

The battery is directly in front of the air box cover, right underneath the back end of the gas tank.

[AndyS]

BMW is NOT going to give you the very practical but potentially dangerous get out that DR has provided you with.

That is why BMW fitted the extender kit to the later 1150's (which you can fit to the the 1100). If you do go down this route, make sure you buy the rubber cover as well.

[Rick Ward]

I think that this kit would be a wise investment..the tupperware, while is very beneficial also makes other simpler operations more laborious. Thank you all for your input. Any idea of the cost of the extender kit?

 

[AndyS]

http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=51765

sheet 61-2311

items 9 $14.58 - Extension strap

item 10 $14.00 - Special bolt

item 11 $ 5.68 - safety cap

item 12 $ 1.88 - washer

[eddd]

 

I went a different direction. I wanted to be able to easily provide a jump to another bike while also making it easy to receive one for my bike. My solution was to simply add a battery cable with lugs on each end. One end was connected to the starter where the bike's battery cable connects. The cable was then strapped to the bike terminating near the left side's black triangle piece. The exposed lug was securely covered with electrical tape. (I always carry a small roll of premium tape with me.) I left enough slack at the end of the cable to make it easy to attach any jumper cables that were available. At most all that might be required is to remove the left bag for easier access. Perform the jump to or from your bike, re-wrap the exposed lug, and you're on your way in no time.

 

 

[tallman]

Nice adaptation.

[Rick Ward]

The battery cable idea als came to mind while pondering this A.M. but I will have to uncover the bike remove the seat etc. and visualize what you have described. Can you post a pic? Thanks. RW

[Selden]

I made a couple of extenders abojut 1" long from thick brass stock, so that jumper clips could be connected without removing the bodywork, just the seat. The negative terminal is unshielded; I used a piece of shrink wrap tubing to cover the positive terminal; this can be slipped off when I need to connect.

 

[dirtrider]

The battery cable idea als came to mind while pondering this A.M. but I will have to uncover the bike remove the seat etc. and visualize what you have described. Can you post a pic? Thanks. RW

 

Moring Rick

 

A lot of us used to do the short battery cable extension (seems better/easier than

precisely drilling the plastic for the BMW parts.

 

Only difference is we would hook directly to the battery (+) post then terminate the

short cable under the seat.

(some would run both a (+) cable & a (-) cable)

 

We would solder a ring terminal on the end of the short extension cable with the ring

cut off (just the metal barrel soldered on) then slide a tight fitting rubber vacuum

cap (rubber cap) over the exposed metal barrel. (easy, cheap, & very effective).

 

I never did but I have also seem some just run from the starter (large post) then let

the cable hang down through a zip tie loop (same metal termination & rubber cap to protect

it from shorting)

 

 

Edited January 31, 2017 by dirtrider

[eddd]

The battery cable idea als came to mind while pondering this A.M. but I will have to uncover the bike remove the seat etc. and visualize what you have described. Can you post a pic? Thanks. RW

 

I've looked back through all my picture files, and I guess I never took/saved a picture of the setup. The bike itself is long gone, but the video in the link might help.

 

 

At around the 7:30 mark you can see where the cable from the battery attaches to the solenoid above the starter motor. That is where you put one end of the battery cable. The cable is then secured where ever it is convenient until you get to the frame near the rear part of the black triangle.

 

Sorry, that's as best as I could come up with as far as an illustration.

[Rick Ward]

Very good stuff here. I thank you all for sharing. I will adopt one of these soon.

[dirtrider]

Very good stuff here. I thank you all for sharing. I will adopt one of these soon.

 

Morning Rick

 

You CAN jump the bike if needed with the long screwdriver trick so you can wait

on adding a dedicated external jumper cable or parts until you have the tupperware

removed for other service.

[Michaelr11]

 

Photo of the BMW positive terminal extension. Installed on my R1100RT.

 

[tallman]

Very good stuff here. I thank you all for sharing. I will adopt one of these soon.

 

Morning Rick

 

You CAN jump the bike if needed with the long screwdriver trick so you can wait

on adding a dedicated external jumper cable or parts until you have the tupperware

removed for other service.

 

This.

More than once when a bike had sat at owners and we picked up, needed to get it running...works.

[Rick Ward]

Yes sir, this has been enlightening...several possibilities and the screwdriver trick until I can decide which option. Thanks DR.

 

Rick

[Charles Elms]

That extension bar on the + terminal looks hot. I think I would wrap it in tape except for the covered end. I've been known to drop wrenches, screw drivers, etc.

[Lowndes]

Rick,

 

If you need a solid place to connect GROUND jumpers without scratching up paint, etc, get an extra #10 SPECIAL BOLT(see AndyS's post above) for a few bucks and replace the left jug's lower cam sprocket cover screw with it. Same thread, same length, stainless steel. Makes a very good grounding point, and is the same lug as the one under the black "+" cover in the top right.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2017 by Lowndes

[szurszewski]

That extension bar on the + terminal looks hot. I think I would wrap it in tape except for the covered end. I've been known to drop wrenches, screw drivers, etc.

 

It is kind of amusing that it ends in a covered "terminal" after being a fully exposed bar up to that point...

 

[AndyS]

But it is fully hidden with the bodywork, so it doesn't need shrouding except for the stub at the end which has the nicely removable (& restrained) boot.

[Michaelr11]

That extension bar on the + terminal looks hot. I think I would wrap it in tape except for the covered end. I've been known to drop wrenches, screw drivers, etc.

 

It is kind of amusing that it ends in a covered "terminal" after being a fully exposed bar up to that point...

But it is fully hidden with the bodywork, so it doesn't need shrouding except for the stub at the end which has the nicely removable (& restrained) boot.

 

Exactly Andy. The back end of the gas tank covers the flat length of the extension and only the rubber covered stub sticks out.

 

[Rick Ward]

I thank each of you for your replys; they have been very informative and helpful.

 

RW

[SmittyB]

I tigged a stainless bent flat washer to the head of a stainless steel bolt and attached it to the starter battery cable terminal instead of the flat washer that was there. The threaded portion of the bolt sticks through a hole I drilled in the side of the plastic starter cover. The portion of the bolt that sticks through has a piece of rubber fuel hose over it.

 

Works great.

[dirtrider]

I tigged a stainless bent flat washer to the head of a stainless steel bolt and attached it to the starter battery cable terminal instead of the flat washer that was there. The threaded portion of the bolt sticks through a hole I drilled in the side of the plastic starter cover. The portion of the bolt that sticks through has a piece of rubber fuel hose over it.

 

Works great.

 

Afternoon SmittyB

 

Plastic starter cover?-- It sounds like you have an ® bike not an (RT) as the RT doesn't have a starter cover as the entire starter area is covered by the plastic Tupperware.

[Selden]

That extension bar on the + terminal looks hot. I think I would wrap it in tape except for the covered end. I've been known to drop wrenches, screw drivers, etc.

Look closely at the photo: the + is covered with a piece of shrink wrap tubing.

[SmittyB]

Yes R1100R.

Sorry.