Evilchicken0 Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 The SB6 famously uses two small 12v batteries and ordinary ones die quite quickly. There's no electricity in my garage so I bought a DC to DC Optimate, a big caravan battery and a sack trolley. They didn't die as quickly. Then lithium came in and when the last pair died I fitted a pair of Motobatt lithium (red print) batteries. Their CCA is higher than the last pair of standard Motobatts. But - is there a way to start the bike from cold ??? I turn on the ignition wait a while and try to start it but but the engine just isn't spinning fast enough. I stick jump cables on it and it starts but that's not going to help me if I'm out and about. Suggestions .... 🤔🤔🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollygiant Posted August 21 Report Share Posted August 21 I have a lithium battery on my Mille and I turn he ignition on and flick the starter a few times without engaging it and when I had lights on it, I'd flash them a few times to 'warm' the battery and then tried firing it up. If was slow to turn I'd do it all again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 21 Author Report Share Posted August 21 2 minutes ago, jollygiant said: I have a lithium battery on my Mille and I turn he ignition on and flick the starter a few times without engaging it and when I had lights on it, I'd flash them a few times to 'warm' the battery and then tried firing it up. If was slow to turn I'd do it all again. I've tried turning the lights on for a bit before but it's the same. I put the batteries on charge tonigh. The charger flashed (to prep the batteries for charging) then the charger had no lights ... I'll check it tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssray Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 I was going to say I'd read that putting the lights on for a bit warms the battery up a little and it works better, looks like you've tried that. Could you ring up a optimate type plug on a power pack type battery? Use that initially to get it started 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 I have an 11 year old Lithium battery in my GSXR600. I just hit it. If it's a bit sad I whack it on charge for 30 to 45 mins and then hit it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 22 Author Report Share Posted August 22 I put the batteries on charge but other than the intial flashes to set the batteries up there are no leds showing. I assume they're charged - but after the the engine ran up I'd have thought they were charged anyway I'll email Motobatt and see what they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 Mine has been stone motherless flat. Like, flat line _____________________. 30 mins on charge and BZzzZzZZZZZzz vroom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srad34 Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 (edited) I just switch the ignition on for 30 seconds before starting the CB5 which has a baby Shido lithium battery on it….seems to do the job 🫣 Edited August 22 by srad34 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansp1 Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 I had a tiny undersized lithium battery on the sp, when cold pressing the starter button for a second warmed it up sufficiently that another attempt a few seconds later always fired it up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damnthistinleg Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 It's always worth going through all of your battery connections and making sure everything is clean, free from oxidation and of course, nice and tight. Same goes for any engine/chassis earths. You could have a fully-charged battery the size of a diesel/electric submarine's accumulator and it won't improve matters until you've dealt with any unwanted resistance on the connections. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calimero Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 I've got an Aliant on my KTM, I always make sure I hit the kill switch. In winter as I do not use the bike I remove the battery and store it indoors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeyJim Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 generally I hear mixed things about motobatt; they are sometimes referred to as motoshatt. people seem to love them, or have problems with them. I put a Shido lithium into the RC8R a few years ago, ironically replacing a motobatt lead-acid jobby. it has been faultless and has never failed to start the RC8R which is no mean feat, given it's a whopping 600cc per cylinder and a mahoosive 13.5:1 compression which must be about as high as it ever gets on a production bike (?) I just turn the ignition on and hit the starter, it normally fires up straight on button. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 22 Author Report Share Posted August 22 1 hour ago, MonkeyJim said: generally I hear mixed things about motobatt; they are sometimes referred to as motoshatt. people seem to love them, or have problems with them. I put a Shido lithium into the RC8R a few years ago, ironically replacing a motobatt lead-acid jobby. it has been faultless and has never failed to start the RC8R which is no mean feat, given it's a whopping 600cc per cylinder and a mahoosive 13.5:1 compression which must be about as high as it ever gets on a production bike (?) I just turn the ignition on and hit the starter, it normally fires up straight on button. Yes the Bim is 13 or 13.5 compression ... posh pistons 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo S2 Posted August 22 Report Share Posted August 22 Lithium on the BMW. Never a problem, put it on charge for a few hours every winter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svingel Posted August 23 Report Share Posted August 23 Could it be an issue that they're wired in tandem or parallel ? (can't remember which on the Bim) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSXR814 Posted August 24 Report Share Posted August 24 On the road bike I turn on ignition, whack the full beam on for about 10 seconds and then fire her up, never had an issue in 4 years ish but it does get used quite a lot. I had a few Shido ones that would take a charge but wouldn't hold it for long so I ditched them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 25 Author Report Share Posted August 25 On 8/23/2024 at 10:16 PM, svingel said: Could it be an issue that they're wired in tandem or parallel ? (can't remember which on the Bim) Parallel I think. Both traditional and lithium batteries are wired the same so I'm not sure why there would be a difference. The traditional batteries drop their charge - I kept them on the DC to DC trickle charger. These don't loose charge but it's no comfort if I can't start the bike from cold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svingel Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 My thinking was if the lithiums doesn't like being wired in that way? There's something with the lithium cells having to be "balanced" during charging. If the same applies during discharge, perhaps? I'm not an electrician, just picking up stuff that I've read 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damnthistinleg Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 3 hours ago, svingel said: My thinking was if the lithiums doesn't like being wired in that way? There's something with the lithium cells having to be "balanced" during charging. If the same applies during discharge, perhaps? I'm not an electrician, just picking up stuff that I've read Multiple (individual) cells should certainly be in balance when charging/discharging but it's not an issue when using more than one car/bike battery in parallel, as they will each have an internal BMS to manage their cells. (Remember that a battery is simply group of individual cells in a convenient package). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svingel Posted August 25 Report Share Posted August 25 4 minutes ago, Damnthistinleg said: Multiple (individual) cells should certainly be in balance when charging/discharging but it's not an issue when using more than one car/bike battery in parallel, as they will each have an internal BMS to manage their cells. (Remember that a battery is simply group of individual cells in a convenient package). Thanks for clarifying 👍. I was literally just fubmling in the dark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 29 Author Report Share Posted August 29 I checked them at 12.7v then after running the bike it's 13.2v. A day or so later it's still 13.2v I bought one of those small jump-start units. Motobatt haven't replied 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svingel Posted August 30 Report Share Posted August 30 On 8/29/2024 at 10:29 PM, Evilchicken0 said: I checked them at 12.7v then after running the bike it's 13.2v. A day or so later it's still 13.2v I bought one of those small jump-start units. Motobatt haven't replied Any chance of fitting just a single lithium, with enough cracking amps? And volts, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 30 Author Report Share Posted August 30 1 hour ago, svingel said: Any chance of fitting just a single lithium, with enough cracking amps? And volts, of course. It would mean having the front subframe remade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svingel Posted August 31 Report Share Posted August 31 1 hour ago, Evilchicken0 said: It would mean having the front subframe remade Hm, a bit impractical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted August 31 Author Report Share Posted August 31 6 hours ago, svingel said: Hm, a bit impractical The headlights come right back onto the batteries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevb Posted September 7 Report Share Posted September 7 On 8/30/2024 at 11:56 PM, Evilchicken0 said: It would mean having the front subframe remade I run a Shorai (LFX-14A2-BS12?) in my SB6. No need to mod anything, fits in one side of front subframe with a bit of padding. Not cheap unfortunately, especially if having to add cost of charger. I turn on the lights to warm it up. May be comparable in price to 2 x Motobatt? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilchicken0 Posted September 7 Author Report Share Posted September 7 3 hours ago, trevb said: I run a Shorai (LFX-14A2-BS12?) in my SB6. No need to mod anything, fits in one side of front subframe with a bit of padding. Not cheap unfortunately, especially if having to add cost of charger. I turn on the lights to warm it up. May be comparable in price to 2 x Motobatt? I'll have a look at them 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
426hemi Posted September 10 Report Share Posted September 10 Anti gravity do some small case lithium batteries with high cranking cca, not the cheapest batteries but they’re quality kit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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