Batteries and how long they should last

[Calothrix]

After you stop your engine using the kill switch, do you turn your key to the "off" position?  When I park my scoot in my garage, I usually leave the key in the ignition.  A couple times I forgot to turn the key off and it drained the battery.

[ts1]

I never shut off with the kill switch. This is an emergency switch which may have small electric contacts that erode (small sparks!) faster than the ignition lock.

[axy]

After you stop your engine using the kill switch, do you turn your key to the "off" position?  When I park my scoot in my garage, I usually leave the key in the ignition.  A couple times I forgot to turn the key off and it drained the battery.

Most people do not use kill switch, but the key has to be in off position when the scoot is not running.
This is because if the contact is on, the primary circuit of ignition coil is under current, and so is CDI, which may drain the battery.

[wordslinger]

I never shut off with the kill switch. This is an emergency switch which may have small electric contacts that erode (small sparks!) faster than the ignition lock.


..same here...i forgot, and left the keyswitch on for two whole days of not riding..(rare occasion)..

..it really dragged when i tried to start it...

[jprestonian]

Funny -- I always use the kill switch (and take the keys with me).
.

[Agent Bob]

This might be a good time to bring up the kick starter, if you have one. All bikes were once equiped with one, but I guess manufacturers thought they'd get rid of them along with center stands on most new bikes to save a few bucks. A few weeks ago while leaving the bank, I saw a guy at the stop sign waiting for an opening in traffic on what looked like a brand new and shiny red Suzuki sport bike. He had his opening, gave it some gas, and stalled the sucker on the spot. As I pulled away he was barely cranking it over on a week battery. A half hour later on my way back he was still there pulled over in the hot sun waiting for help. But hey, he saved a few bucks on the bike minus a kick starter.

[wordslinger]

Funny -- I always use the kill switch (and take the keys with me).

..to each his own...

 

[art]

 Ha! if i did that i'd have a pile of keys and wouldn't know what went where 

[axy]

This might be a good time to bring up the kick starter, if you have one. All bikes were once equiped with one, but I guess manufacturers thought they'd get rid of them along with center stands on most new bikes to save a few bucks. A few weeks ago while leaving the bank, I saw a guy at the stop sign waiting for an opening in traffic on what looked like a brand new and shiny red Suzuki sport bike. He had his opening, gave it some gas, and stalled the sucker on the spot. As I pulled away he was barely cranking it over on a week battery. A half hour later on my way back he was still there pulled over in the hot sun waiting for help. But hey, he saved a few bucks on the bike minus a kick starter.

Kick starting large displacement bikes is close to impossible and most large bikes after World war II do not have kick start.
You cannot realistically expect Suzuki GSXR to have it either.

Furthermore, to kick start such bikes (especially those with high compression and one or two cyls) you need de-compressor, that makes the bike more expensive and mechanically complicated.

All this is behind trend of gradually removing kick start from bikes as the displacement goes down and I guess the day will come when they will remove them even from 50 ccs.

I am happy that Agility 125 still has it and would not complain if I had it on People 250S. With motorcycles it is not a problem if your battery is dead because you can push start them. With scooters, you are f**ed.

[ts1]

Furthermore, to kick start such bikes (especially those with high compression and one or two cyls) you need de-compressor, that makes the bike more expensive and mechanically complicated.

The Xciting 500 has a decompression cam on its exit-camshaft. Obviously useful for an electric starter too.
If already a small scooter from Republik China has this mechanism...

[OldGuy]

Kick starting large displacement bikes is close to impossible and most large bikes after World war II do not have kick start.

Beg to differ. H-D's had them as late as '84.

[scosgt]

I use a float charger every nite on both scoots. Thus, I have a fresh battery every morning, no matter how little I ride.

The only time I had an issue was with a certain  brand of headlight modulator on my SYM. I pulled it out of the garage after having ridden that day (no battery tender) and it would not turn over. Hooked up a battery booster for about 10 seconds and fired right up.

I replaced that battery the next day, and the modulator unit with a different brand. No more problems, and the old battery is actually good. I think the modlator drew it down.

I also replace every possible bulb with LED. That gives back 21watts just for the brake light. you can pick up as much as another 20 for the position lights. And if you convert your turn signals to LED, WOW. When I plug in my tender, it goes red as soon as I activate a turn signal on the  S200 - they seem to draw a lot of juice.

Here is another trick:
Energizer sells a portable battery (about the size of a pack of cigarettes) that puts out 5V USB, 12V, and 20 V.
The 12V output is 2800 Mah.
So I have one of those Peak cigar lighter - cigar lighter charger plugs, three of those batterys, and a power cord I rigged up for 12V.

I can report that ONE of those batts with start a scoot with a mildly discharged battery in just a few minutes.
Remember, the standard battery is around 7-9 amps, this thing puts out 2.8 amps. so it can work pretty good as a charger. It is good insurance against a dead battery on the road!

And you can buy a new battery for your scoot at Wal-Mart for around $55 - that is for a Taiwan, NOT a China battery.

so the first time mine fails, I just install a new one.

[Agent Bob]

"Kick starting large displacement bikes is close to impossible and most large bikes after World war II  do not have kick start."

Beg to differ. My last bike was a 1978 XS650 Yamaha, a verticle twin, and all I ever used the last 15 years or so that I had it was the kick starter, since apparently the charging system was weak. Just had to get one cylinder on the compression stroke and put my weight on the lever, and she'd fire up in one or two kicks depending on temperature. The downside was, that when the tuning was off, she'd kick back, and drive the lever up my leg. Ouch!

[axy]

Beg to differ. H-D's had them as late as '84.

  This is pre-World War II design and mechanics, they do not count.

[axy]

"Kick starting large displacement bikes is close to impossible and most large bikes after World war II  do not have kick start."

Beg to differ. My last bike was a 1978 XS650 Yamaha, a verticle twin, and all I ever used the last 15 years or so that I had it was the kick starter, since apparently the charging system was weak. Just had to get one cylinder on the compression stroke and put my weight on the lever, and she'd fire up in one or two kicks depending on temperature. The downside was, that when the tuning was off, she'd kick back, and drive the lever up my leg. Ouch!

I did not say NO large bike has or ever had a kick start. I said that MOST do not have kick start. Most like roughly 95 % in the past 40 years.
650 cc is not a large bike. There are also 1300 and 1400 cc bikes... and 6-cyls.