Bike jumper cables.

[Scott SouthwellMember]

Prior to the Old Bull Poker Run at Warchoppy my bike hadn’t been fired up for about 5 months. As expected seeing the battery is over 2 years old and I don’t have one of those flash battery minder things she was flat. I charged the battery and it was fine for the Poker Run but now a couple weeks on it’s dead again. Time for a new battery.

This got me thinking about jump starting the DRZ in the bush. As most would know the DRZ comes standard with electric start only, no kicker. This seems to be coming more common with new bikes. I think the new Husabergs don’t even have a provision to fit a kicker.

I went down to Jaycar and bought a metre of black and red 12G wire and some small alligator clips, cost less than $10. I soldered the clips to the ends of the wires and done. Small, light jumpers but would they start the bike.

Now the DRZ battery is so flat it only just makes a tick noise when you hit the starter button. Hooked the cables between the DRZ and my car and the DRZ fired up almost instantly.

I then sabotaged the DRZ so she wouldn’t fire, as I was keen to see if these cable would handle a bit of cranking. I cranked it over for about 30 seconds, it cranked at a constant rate and the cables didn’t get hot. I haven’t tried the cables between two bikes yet but I can’t see it being a problem.

Mounted under right hand side panel.

[ChrisMember]

Great Stuff Scotty.. I was thinking about this myself.. $10 what a bargain…

I spoke to Action Suzuki and it will cost approx $500 to add the kicker.. $350 of that is the kicker kit.. :woohoo:

Cheers…
Chris………..

[Jeffrey SmithMember]

I tried to get one fitted to mine but Chris Watson, which is who I bought the bike off refused point blank to fit one. He said they were a waste of money as without power fro the battery it wouldn’t work anyway. Personally I think that is a crock of shite, I have flattened the battery on the trails before and was able to clutch start it so why wouldn’t I be able to kick start it. I kind of lost interest in the idea after a while, I’m sure if I got stuck in a gully with a flat battery I would revive the plan though.

The jumper cables look the poo though Scotty, I would have killed for a set last weekend riding up at Pokolbin at one stage.

[Nick JacksonMember]

I did fit a kick starter to my Drz and have only had to use it once , I mainly did it as I often rode alone so no way to jump a bike and with the loose surface and long hills I didn’t want to chance my luck trying to clutch start !!

the jumper leads look great Scotty and what a bargain I will make a set for sure ,it could help out those with no kicker

[RoyMember]

Not sure if the drz is the same but my old 2003 wr250F and my 2009 300exc both kick start and run with the battery disconnected (ie no battery). Can’t see why the drz would be any different. If it clutch starts it will kick start.

Love the jumper leads too by the way.

[Mick PilgrimMember]

The jumper leads look good Scott, all you need for a bike.
I was going to make up a small set to take away on the Camerons corner ride JUST IN CASE

Mick

[Aaron WildeMember]

People with electric start bikes suck yes you heard it right you are all a mob of *&$! until i get one and then you will just bearable! Bring on the stories of failed electric legs!!

[dennis da menaceMember]

real bike have kickers Scotty :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

HTFU :laugh: :laugh:

[Mick PilgrimMember]

Aaron wrote:

Quote:

People with electric start bikes suck yes you heard it right you are all a mob of *&$! until i get one and then you will just bearable! Bring on the stories of failed electric legs!!

Unfortunately ??? a lot of manufacturers now are not providing a back up kick starter with their electric leg bikes. But I would not own a bike without the magic button these days (Going soft// Yep) Most fuel injection systems require a decent size battery to operate. :ohmy:
I can just see you going up to your local Hells Angel group telling them quote “People with electric start bikes suck yes you heard it right you are all a mob of *&$!”
:laugh: :laugh:

Mick

[alanMember]

my bikes got a back up kick starter but is crap to use give me a jump start anyday. don t mind using kick starters that work properly

[Adrian LeeMember]

white rocket wrote:

Quote:

my bikes got a back up kick starter but is crap to use give me a jump start anyday. don t mind using kick starters that work properly[/quote

rocket can you please change your avatar im having trouble concentrating on your posts :laugh:

[Scott SouthwellMember]

Aaron wrote:

Quote:

People with electric start bikes suck yes you heard it right you are all a mob of *&$! until i get one and then you will just bearable! Bring on the stories of failed electric legs!!

Maybe someone should say that to Ollies brother who’s RMX got put back on the trailer at the poker run with a broken kicksarter. :laugh: :laugh:

I’m sure we could bring on the storys of broken and stripped kickstart mechanisms. I remember when the WR400 first come out there were heaps of 2T riders converting to 4T with no idea of what TDC was. Yamaha must have sold a million of those kickstarters.

It’s a fact of life more bikes are coming Elec only and not just trail bikes, eg Husaberg. No dought as manufacturers look to remove excess weight for there bikes it will be hard to justify having two starter mechanisms and one will have to go. At the moment the market is dictating most rider want electric start, even 2T bike now have them. Shit even Tony Cairoli factory KTM350 MXGP bike is electic start.

We all lived with only one starter mechinism in the past and anyone who has ridden long enough will know that even kickstarters are not fail proof.

[Adrian LeeMember]

I wouldnt buy a bike without a magic button.I have only had to kick my WR once and that was on the kenda rally this year.Both bike and rider were cold and didnt want to start :laugh:

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