Jumpstart AK550

[jpalamaro]

Before I get admonished by an ADMIN, I did use the search engine. Without a doubt, getting to the battery 'in the field' and not in my garage could be a daunting experience should the vehicle need a jump start. So, I thought I'd put an insulated + post with a #4AWG battery cable to the positive terminal, figuring I could pick up ground (-) easily enough.
I have 18 inches/~47cm #4 AWG cable to 'run someplace'. Has anyone done this on the AK550 specifically. BTW, I just don't want to have a heavy lead hanging out, mainly for aesthetics reasons.

I've read some posts on parasitic draw, and sadly I buttoned up everything (easy enough to measure as I have the meter), but there is a parasitic draw (not measured yet) as reattaching the negative terminal, a definite 'spark' at the post. I'm not sure if the AK550 has a CANbus, relatively new owner, but something is drawing current. My BMW motorcycles, new models, all seem to draw about 3-5 ma. Thanks in advance.

[jpalamaro]

ha, replying to my own thread. Perhaps someone has caught the POS jump start point at the starter?

[rjs987]

I didn't put such a large gauge wire on my battery but I did add a bit to my tool kit to be able to get to the battery on the road easily. Sure, it takes a little time since there are a few fasteners to take off to remove the windshield, brackets, and top front cover but that's really not so bad to me. This is specifically why I added the tools to my onboard kit that I mention about in my thread here:
https://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=32020.0


And since I have read up on the issue with battery drain being a little bit more than on other bikes, and to prevent this from happening while at home, I bought a Deltrans Battery Tender Plus to plug into the battery tender cable that the dealer where I bought my AK installed into the right glove box. I plug it in every time I park the bike in my garage. I also carry on the bike a Slime mini compressor and tire plug kit when I travel. But the compressor must have a 15 amp fuse cable and the standard Battery Tender cable is only 7.5 amps and is only an 18 ga wire, too small a wire for 15 amps safely for very long. So I replaced that cable with a 16 ga wire sized version and a 15 amp fuse so I can use it for more than just my Battery Tender. See that write up here:
https://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=31921.0


Back in Dec after I had mine for about a month I tested how long the battery maintained a voltage level without being plugged into the Battery Tender and without being out for a ride. I detailed that little experiment here:
https://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=31950.0


I only did that test for 5 days, maybe 6 since I didn't ride it again until the next day after day 5. My conclusion remains that the bike can sit for almost a week and still start up fine, but the battery will do better if full charge is maintained... thus the Battery Tender. Just the nature of batteries.


I ride to motorcycle camping events that last 4-6 days, sometimes 7 days. I did the above checks to see if I needed to be concerned about going camping and letting the bike sit the entire time I was there. The one thing to point out about those events however is that they are camping and RIDING events so it is rare that a day goes by while there that I would not ride someplace. So I know the battery will hold plenty of charge for those events while away from the Battery Tender.


I also wanted to be sure to mention that I did and do a few things to help extend the battery life starting the day I bought my AK. First thing I did was look up why the Noodoe screen glowed a few times every time I approached the AK even though I didn't have the keyless fob on me. I found that Noodoe on the bike sensed the BT on my phone (NOT the fob) and that glowing is called Welcome Screen. That is a setting in the Noodoe app on your phone that you can turn off. I turned it off in Noodoe so my AK no longer is using battery to constantly try to sense when my phone is near. I also turn off BT on my phone just to preserve battery life on the phone. Something I have always done when it is not needed for my Sena helmet headset or any other device... like Noodoe on the AK. I also made sure that the most current updates were put on the AK through the cell phone Noodoe app.


Another thing I do is when I am not just stopping for a photo op or to get gas in the tank but when I want to park the bike for the day or for a longer time I make sure to turn the knob to the LEFT OFF position. This is the only position that actually completely turns the bike off. If the knob is turned to the RIGHT OFF position the dash lights and engine turn off BUT the bike is still ON and that will cause more battery drain than if the bike is actually turned off. This RIGHT OFF position should only be used when you fill the gas tank or stop very briefly for a photo or some other very temporary stop reason. Another thing about using that RIGHT OFF position is that while you are away ANYONE can turn the knob back to ON, start the engine, and ride away all without having the fob anywhere around. So be careful which OFF position you leave the bike in.


Doing these things I don't see that I will ever need to jump start my AK unless the battery dies while on the road. That is a rare enough occurrence that I don't mind needing to remove the shield and top front cover to get to the battery. And that is made even more rare a happening since connecting a battery charger or maintainer to the cable I have in the right glove box is likely enough to bring the battery up to be able to start the bike. Only when that doesn't do it will I ever need a jump start. So very rare.

[rjs987]

BTW- I, and others, have posted a lot of info in the Technical-How To sub forum about the AK 550. Don't forget to go back in the pages of the sub forum to see more than shows on just the first page. There is a lot of info in threads in the General sub forum also. So keep looking through and reading. If you don't find what you are looking for just ask.


Oh, And welcome to the forum.