Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition) | Page 18 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

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Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Always a good idea to check battery terminals if there are any battery/charging issues. If they are loose of corroded you can also have symptoms that mimic a bad battery. (And it costs nothing to check._

..Tom
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

PrivatePilot said:
Quite possibly just a surface charge.

Logic dictates the battery can't be at 100% SOC if it couldn't start the bike, so it was clearly in a low SOC already. Your bike has a small 200w stator. A 10 minute ride no matter what speed and RPM you drove at wouldn't be enough to replenish any significant amount of actual charge to the battery, especially after it was further depleted by attempting to unsuccessfully start the bike to begin with using the starter.

It would be enough to provide a light surface charge however which can indeed provide false OCV readings. Go turn the key on and leave all the lights running for 5 minutes or so, turn it all off, and test it again immediately after.
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To be honest with you man, I really don't care. It's an $80 battery that has survived the last 2 winters by starting the bike every 3 or 4 weeks for 2 minutes or so, and will survive this one as well by doing the same thing. I might care more if you were coming from a place of personal experience, but I know you're reverberating everything you read 5 minutes ago off of a Power Probe article, so I'm less sympathetic.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Your call, and don't even get me started on the whole starting the bike and idling it for a few minutes all winter long. Lots of unnecessary wear and tear happening there. But again, your call.

A battery tender would solve many of your issues. They're not expensive.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

PrivatePilot said:
Your call, and don't even get me started on the whole starting the bike and idling it for a few minutes all winter long. Lots of unnecessary wear and tear happening there. But again, your call.

A battery tender would solve many of your issues. They're not expensive.
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Yeah I've had a Noco tender in my Amazon wish list for like 18 months. I just have to get one and wire it up to fit the other half quick disconnect that I've already got installed on the bike.

Either way a charger will have to wait until the new year. Trying to pick up a Jeep XJ this week for a winter project. Need some $$$ to find a rust free one.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

The battery tender jr's go on sale at CT all the time. Get the app "flipp" and just check it periodically. I picked up a batter tender Jr. for $24.99 in the fall at CT 2 years ago. If you don't have an outlet near your bike, just take the battery out and top it up throughout the winter.
I've even found that even if the battery is just sitting in a warm room (no tender), rather than a cold garage, it has been fine in spring for start up as the cold weather wasn't draining that extra amount.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Sitting at -30 all winter is perfectly fine as well so long as it’s actually fully charged – it’s sitting in freezing temperatures in a depleted state that will cause a battery to freeze and become garbage.

I leave both batteries in the bikes. But I do leave a tender on both all winter as well.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Rode into work this morning and found the parking lot covered in salt. Living in the city, I've been lucky to avoid most of the recent rounds of salt and brine, but this might be the end of the season for me.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Great ride in this morning in Burlington. Tuesday looks like a no go but Wed and Thurs looks promising. Not seeing any salt on the roads yet around here.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

I went for a short ride to my 2nd office (forks) to get some computer work done, and I saw someone ride by on a white R6 with yellow wheels. But, I think that's it for a couple of weeks from what the forecast looks like.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

First-year rider here, when is it too cold to ride and what temperatures are basically too dangerous to ride? The cold doesn't bother me I'm just worried about slipping and sliding. Thank you
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

That can depend on a lot of factors. Cold and dry, you can get away with a lot. Throw in a warm sunlit patch where the snow has melted and refrozen, and you could have a nasty little skid pad. Salt can form a loose surface similar to sand.
I would recommend as a first year rider, you call it soon and don't push your luck. Next spring, be careful with the sand traps that can snare new and experienced riders alike. Next fall you'll be better able to judge for yourself the risks of late season riding

Sent from my Redmi 4A using Tapatalk
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Went out for a little ride yesterday (looking for a herd of Buffalo.) Port Perry, Pontypool, Millbrook, Bewdley, Gores Landing, Roseneath (Where the Buffalo Herd were,) Cobourg, Port Hope, Back up CR10 to Millbrook and then home. Nothing Challenging (Devitt Rd and Waite had snow off the tire tracks.) Somewhere in there I saw another rider I think heading south on 57 or 35, maybe 28 but not really sure.

..Tom
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

jeff96 said:
That can depend on a lot of factors. Cold and dry, you can get away with a lot. Throw in a warm sunlit patch where the snow has melted and refrozen, and you could have a nasty little skid pad. Salt can form a loose surface similar to sand.
I would recommend as a first year rider, you call it soon and don't push your luck. Next spring, be careful with the sand traps that can snare new and experienced riders alike. Next fall you'll be better able to judge for yourself the risks of late season riding

Sent from my Redmi 4A using Tapatalk
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Thanks!
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

I rode to the gym and back last night. 20km round trip, nothing too crazy, but it always feels good to get out at this time of year even if its only for 20 minutes or so. Bike won't be put away until the roads have been raped with salt.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Had to be downtown for work all week last week. Was able to ride in from Scugog Wednesday & Thursday. +/- 2hrs each way. All good. Now that I'm out of town and live on a dirt road, I need to pick and choose my end of season riding days.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Max527 said:
First-year rider here, when is it too cold to ride and what temperatures are basically too dangerous to ride? The cold doesn't bother me I'm just worried about slipping and sliding. Thank you
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I'd be wary of the tires turning into hockey pucks, especially if you`re on OEM rubber. Take it slow in the corners and don't rip it.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Evoex said:
I'd be wary of the tires turning into hockey pucks, especially if you`re on OEM rubber. Take it slow in the corners and don't rip it.
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Couldn't agree more, OEM rubber is the worst.

For the record, if you're one of those who start the bike up every few weeks and let it idle in hopes of charging the battery, then you are doing yourself a disservice as well as both your motor and battery.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

I used to just disconnect the battery and take it upstairs to keep it out of the cold. Then I got lazy...

Last couple of years I just left it in the bike. When it comes time to start it in the spring, it usually has enough juice to crank. If not, it's a bike... As long as it still lights up the dash, you can just push start it and go for a ride to charge the battery. If I had a fancy lightweight battery then the tender and all would make sense but otherwise it's more hassle than it's worth.

If you're really concerned, just take out the battery and store it somewhere in the house. Guess how they sit in storage before you buy them...
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