I have one of those, same model Works great (or in TMF speak: "Works a treat!") and holds a charge a long time. Keep it in my car for winter and with me on the bike on longer rides. Great to have just in case, prudent and it does the job.
Great stuff Scott, good to know it delivers to it's promises! I had noticed it holds the charge a long time, have you used it to jump start your bike or car yet??
@@TheMissendenFlyer I've bought mine, its on the way. Been watching you on solo tours and really like the idea of pleasing myself where I go, how fast i get there and stop and take in the scenery when I like. Very appealing. Great to have this with me as back up. Going to try the Scottish north coast. Must have watched your tours to Scotland 50 times lol. Bought a 2018 gs 1200 and I absolutely love the thing. Keep making the videos it's great great viewing. Steve.
TheMissendenFlyer ... if you still adamant about going to Scotland Touring... call into mine on your way past (staffordshire) and pick up my old fall out suit .. it says it will take a full frontal direct hit from a scud missile (not tested !) you might stand half a chance if wearing that !!!. Have a good Trip matey... my advise is turn left not right and jump the ferry !!!!
makes you wonder why cars and bikes need such large batteries, I had a Honda CBF1000 which could drain it's battery in two to three days, this would have been a godsend. instead I bought a Yamaha and don't need one. But hey, he who dies with the most toys, wins.
You can buy Lithium-Iron (not a typo!) batteries now, which are way smaller than conventional lead/acid batteries and have higher cold cranking amperage as well as a better resistance to discharging when sat dormant.
I've just had a punt on this model....may buy another if it does what it says on the tin (at this price).... www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MQRSR8T/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Only problem I can foresee is what if your battery is hard to access? Are there cables that can be connected to a quick charge port for example? Last thing I want to be doing is taking stuff apart to get access to the battery, those crock clips wouldn't attach to my battery with it in situ in any case.
+susan morgan Yes primarily I'm going to be using it as a high capacity charger for my devices whilst on the road, should be testing that pretty soon - hoping I won't need to test the jump start capability but good to know it's there if I need it!
I also have one, (different brand) it starts my wife's k1200s right up. And charge my daughter iPhone, and mp3 player.,on long trips. Very nice gadget.
Tent: Vango Banshee 300 or Vango Tempest 300. A 5000mm hydrostatic head (that's the waterproofness rating) and room for two people with gear, hurricane resistant, ideal for Scotland.
Great review TMF and what a nice bit of kit. Looking forward to the mini-series of your Scottish tour when it happens. Check out Stuart Filmore's vlogs for some good camping kit. Thanks again for your time.
As always an unbiased review. I would like 'bigclive' on UA-cam to get a hold of one of these to see what makes it 'chooch'!!! Thanks for taking the time to produce this material. Kindest regards. Joe. PS Next time you are using the A82, let me know, lunch is on me.
I have the larger model, but used it to start a Ford 7.3 Diesel with two dead batteries. This was on a COLD New England winter day. (25-30 degree F). It surprised me!! Bought it for my GSA. So, if it will start a 7.3, the GSA should be no problem. Plus it is small enough to move around the bike. Here in the states there are smaller models available.
Were you considering Scotland because of their more relaxed attitude to land access or another reason? I’m guessing you are from SE England? Wales wouldn’t be a bad choice if so as there are plenty of basic campsites and the whole country can be covered comprehensively in a month or quickly in a week. You’ll still get to try out all the kit but you aren’t travelling miles. I’m Welsh I’ll admit but I’ve done quite a bit of ‘adventuring’ in the UK and Europe so I’m not biased. Realistically you need more than one ‘power pack’ as you always want a belts and braces approach. Also things like ruggidised phones are really important as is the nature of the power pack, if it falls to pieces from a small drop onto a rock then it doesn’t matter how good it is at starting V8 trucks. Still this product seems appealing for short planned breaks off-grid.
Cheers Jason - you guessed right, I'm near London, and I agree Wales is also fabulous, ridden there many times! Thanks for watching and stopping by - all the best - TMF
looks quite handy that, will keep it in mind thanks. on a side note i use a anker powercore 20100 (20,100 MaH) which is a mobile powerpack with 2 usb ports on it, great for charging the mobile when out and about.
If you do go that trip up to Scotland either head up to applecross taking the Bealach Na Ba road (craziest road in the UK surely) or if you have a few days spare the NC500. All the best Andy
+Rodney Mc caughey Hehe, well due my laziness (failed so far to buy a tent etc) I'm not sure I'll be camping after all - not usually my bag to be honest and the thought of a hotel after a long day in the saddle is appealing!
Thanks Faraz, well it's a personal choice, it does seem well made and you do tend to get what you pay for (usually!)...but I do take your point. Thanks for watching and all the best - TMF
I'd have thought the tracker drainage problem is pretty endemic.. they must have a constant source of power for obvious reasons and GPS needs quite a lot
That's impressive, the electric charge these Batteries have! Nowadays, with so many electronic devices that need to be charged... ps. Even for a coffee machine! Ha Ha Ha ha!
I've just been on Antigravity's site and found there are several options, including an XP10 (even more powerful), however this is more expensive and doesn't seem to come with all the accessories included, which is a shame. I like the idea of the carry case to keep everything in one place too.
That's certainly an impressive piece of kit. I carry something similar around on my bike, it's for using with the pump should I get a flat (it's happened a few times) or to jump start should the battery be low. I have a 12v socket in the top box to keep the jump start battery charged up. Good video TMF I enjoy the tech vids. Looking forward to all the camping gear tech vids too ;-)
Sorry DM may have to let you down there - I've been lazy of late and didn't get round to buying a tent etc, so I reckon my first tour of the year will likely involve comfortable hotels....
if you're thinking about a trip to Scotland then here's a good little site to look at www.motorcyclescotland.com/ particularly the routes section. I've done a few in the borders and they always have a good mix of fast A road, B road and some single lane stuff, basically something for everyone
no, just the cells cant survive the amps drawn from cranking the engine, no matter what the sellers/designers say, its all marketing BS. they make claims that break the laws of physics.... anyon running lithium based batteries on RC quads / cars etc can back me up on this, the C rating is the real deal and the MAX C discharge rate will never come near the peak 600amps etc from cranking as the pistons hit compression
...actually I've ditched the tent idea in favour of hotels/B&B's but thanks for the offer ;0) - the microstart will still be uber handy on the road though to keep my GoPro's etc all topped up :0)
Have a similar bit of kit as well and keep it stashed on my scooter all the time. Very handy and although I haven't had to use it on mine, I have surprised a couple of car drivers with it and helped out a few fellow riders at rallies that have thought they were clever charging their phones overnight on their bikes and been left with a flat battery at the end of the weekend (doh!) For touring and rallies, this now joins babywipes as 'essentials' for me! lol
That looks like a great bit of kit, can you please give me the link to where to look. Normally I think these gadgets are a bit rubbish but you are onto something here TMF.
Another great insight video how has the battery pack done over the year ? Some now come with a built in compressor whats your thoughts on them ? keep up the good work bud great videos Tony
Hi, just wondering if you still use this out in the field. Do you take the pack out on tours with you and do you still rate it after a year plus of use. Thanks Steve.
Nice review - looks like a very useful bit of kit. I saw there were a couple of batteries on your workbench - do you take them out of the bikes to keep them on the trickle charger or charge them up in situ?
+Andrew Tunnicliffe No they are just a couple of spares I have, one is (was) used to jump start my bikes if I needed it (before I had the microstart) the other is a new one for the Panigale I just never got around to fitting....
good piece of kit .is it safe to use starting a bike as bike electrics are not as strong as car ones which these are designed for ,often looked at them but always hesitated in buying one as advice I’ve had says there two powerful for bikes unless its bike design one or am i just worrying for nothing lol
any chance you could do a review of a bike tracker please. my friend's bike got stolen and I'm thinking of putting on a tracker but not sure which one.
+Alex Barclay Well the only trackers I know well are the ones I have fitted and I'm not sure I want to go into too much detail on that (for obvious reasons)....I'll think about it though! Cheers - TMF
Great gear review! I've been looking at these for some time now . My bike is new and made it through the New York City winter outside but I was always worried about coming out to a flat battery. This one is next on the long list of gear and gadgets to get
Those are nice, however one thing to keep in mind: The Ducati Multistrada battery ran a bit low a couple weeks ago and would turn over but just not light off (notoriously poor starting). Anyway, borrowed one of those from a buddy to jump it and.....the battery is so surrounded with stuff and the bolts which hold the positive and negative terminals on are so small that you can't get the clamps on it. Clamps look to be the same size as the one you have there. I would guess that many modern bikes have similarly inaccessible batteries.
Yeah, tried that too. The connectors, while similar, didn't fit. Maybe different models of "mini jumper" will have different connectors which are more forgiving. Anyway, keep up the great work.
Hi MF, do these devices use the same battery technology (some sort of gel) as the Machine Mart "Jump Start"? With those, you must not ever ever let them go flat or you can not recharge them. I had one and left it in the boot of my car so it would be handy if needed, and sure enough, it went flat and wouldn't recharge, I tried different ways to recharge it but to no avail. I bought a second one, kept that one on charge and that died after a year (used it once).
+Gordon Waltham I don't honestly know Gordon, there are no warnings in the manual about not letting it drain completely so I guess not....will report back if I have any issues!
try jump start your v8 with a flat battery with this 12 amp battery tell us how you get on ? (400 peak amps = nothing if you only got 12 amp/hours =12000ma)can you tell i am a bit sceptical
Rob Duncan these Devices use lithium polymer batteries. I use them regularly in radio control models. Believe me they are very powerful. The key to there high amp starting capability is something called "c rating" the average "c rating of a lithium polymer battery is 20C & can be as high as 80C. This is the amount of current the battery can release multiplied by the battery capacity. so for instance a 10amp battery with a C rating of 10C can supply a current of 100amps. So this device has a capacity of 12amp & it not unreasonable to assume a C Rating of 35C so 12amp capacity x 35c = 420amps that should start most vehicles
Sounds good on paper ok, how about a test with a car with flat from cold that would be a fair test . I don't doubt it is good for phones even your bikes but 30x v8 on a cold morning with flat i don't think it's up to that ? anyway thanks for your time
Hi Mr Flyer, Another excellent "Kit Review" my friend! I've seen these chargers being reviewed in the States last year, and was unsure how reliable Their claims of excellence was..... After seeing you endorse them, makes all the difference to my decision whether to purchase one or not.... Thank you Sir, you're a Gent! All the best, Ian
Thank you Ian - do bear in mind I haven't used it in anger yet, but it does seem a well made bit of kit and should be brilliant on tour. Thanks for watching and for your kind words - TMF
Like you I thought it would be a great idea... until I actually needed it. The 1200GS seems to have very fussy electronics that won't allow the starter to engage below a certain voltage. So while the antigravity battery had sufficient energy to start my bike, the bike still said no. It may be that the dead lead acid battery was pulling the Voltage down, I'm not sure, but I had to wait and charge up the lead acid battery enough (from dead flat) before the starter would engage at all. So before you rely on it, actually test it with a dead flat battery! Otherwise it's a great battery for charging your small devices.
+Colin Richardson Thanks for the feedback Colin, I try not to let my batteries go dead flat as it tends to knacker them generally in my experience (If that happens I normally find a new battery is required for it to hold charge properly)...but your cautionary tale is noted! Cheers - TMF
TheMissendenFlyer I have a 'dashcam' plugged into the aux power outlet and occasionally the bike does not shut it off the power to that socket when the bike is turned off. Some sort of bug, but bmw says that's the way it works. On one occasion I had left the bike in the garage unused for a week and it had totally drained the battery. Luckily the battery seems to have recovered. This 'power outlet bug' was the main reason I kept the antigravity battery on the bike. That's two warnings for the price of one :-)
On the other hand rather than carry on holiday half the tools from Halfords pull out the wee silver BMW Motorad card from your wallet and a lovely man in a van will appear as if by magic and jump start your GS. Bonus good news no midges at present!
Two years from new but annually if you renew the warranty annually. Under £300 gives you pretty much full warranty and uk and European breakdown and recovery. Used mine once after an off on the NC500 last year and a fantastic service. Bike recovered from Durness and put through BMW workshop valeted and stored at no cost. BTW any used approved BMW gets a full year cover now irrespective of how long is left on the initial 2 year factory warranty.
Great review. I actually have a question about the Session camera. I just bought one and love its compact size but wondering what you use for a mic setup to reduce wind noise?
+PistolPete63 Well as you know there is no mic socket so you're limited to just sticking some foam or fur over the mic apertures - personally I don't bother and just use the inbuilt Mics as they are (hoping it doesn't get too windy!). The only shortcoming of the session really...
It seems most places are out of stock of these. When you search it on Google there are quite a few horror stories of them swelling and blowing up! So be careful. I may do a little more research on them. Great videos though.
I'd be curious to know if it actually does start larger cars, and maybe diesel engines. I got one (similar but not the same) last year and it couldn't start my VW 1.9 Campervan. I had to get one of the much larger versions.
that is interesting piece of kit. I am off to Highlands end of May for 7 days. Really excited about this trip, just staying in B&Bs for a sake of saving on faff associated with camping... and lack of camping gear as well. if you going there around same time we might bump onto each other. ;)
+alf uckett ...actually I've been a bit slack on getting the camping gear so I suspect I'll be hotel & B&Bing it after all - still a handy gadget to have on the bike though when you're out for a long day with phones, cameras etc....thanks for watching - TMF
TheMissendenFlyer yes i agree they are a cracking piece of kit... i do own a lesser back up stand alone charger and use it all the time on tours !!.... mine doesn't jump start trains thou !! lol
I'm sure if you stuck those crocodile clips on the right bits and hit the "boost" button you could do just that :0) ....have you got your new bike yet by the way??
Well, the Sprint is performing well on my daily commute and after a back-breaking track day at Bedford yesterday including a 90 minutes ride before and after I'm having a rethink and am now swaying back to a Trumpet air cooled twin. I'm pretty sure I can get away with an addition to the fleet whilst one of the others is "up for sale".
That looks a handy bit of kit - could do with longer leads for charging croc clips though - I suppose the reason they aren't bigger is to keep the storage size down. Steve
When you go to Scotland, I'd recommend using Fort William as a base for exploring the West coast - I did this a few yrs back when I took my son up for a week - we had a blast. Riding home we had the A82 back down to Glasgow to ourselves as we left early in the morN - GLORIOUS RIDE. Further on when we got onto the M6, my son fell asleep on the back of the bike (1100RT with panniers and top box) - promptly pulled into the next services and filled him with coffee and a king size mars bar before setting off again!! Steve
+Steve Edwards Cheers Steve, my intention is to travel around Scotland in a big loop so will stay somewhere different each night - Fort William is en-route though. Out of interest how did you know your lad had nodded off??
I had intercom, but the reason I knew was that I overtook a bloke in a van and he signed to me that the boy had nodded off -the top box (GIVI) has a pad on it to rest your back against and he had the palms of both hands on top of the panniers - I guess as we were going in a straight line and not changing direction/gear it got a bit easier for him to relax and he just nodded off. We had set off at 5.30am because he wanted to be home early afternoon to see his mates. I made sure we had enough stops after that, and we rolled onto the drive around 4pm after riding about 460 miles - as you know the RT is an accomplished mile muncher, very easy to ride long distances especially when you have to slab it for a good part of the route. Steve
Scotland is awesome! Toured around twice - based in Pitlochry first time (great roads, beautiful scenery, and easy access for many places, incl. a few distilleries!), and then went west (based in Drymen, next to Loch Lomond, and again fantastic riding, wonderful landscape, and places like Oban/Fort William relatively close). If I lived in the UK, Scotland would be my choice. The people are so friendly, too! Look forward to listening to your impressions. Have a great trip! All best, R.
+richard0807 Thanks Richard - yes I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with Scotland, been there many times by car but only once by bike so far....stay tuned for my full report in due course!
I have one of those, same model Works great (or in TMF speak: "Works a treat!") and holds a charge a long time. Keep it in my car for winter and with me on the bike on longer rides. Great to have just in case, prudent and it does the job.
Great stuff Scott, good to know it delivers to it's promises! I had noticed it holds the charge a long time, have you used it to jump start your bike or car yet??
Yes, helped a kid that needed a jump start at my son's high school and it worked on a pickup truck. That was proof enough for me.
+Scott Peterson Wow, great stuff - thanks for that (I've had a few doubters comment here that it would jump start a vehicle)....
@@TheMissendenFlyer I've bought mine, its on the way. Been watching you on solo tours and really like the idea of pleasing myself where I go, how fast i get there and stop and take in the scenery when I like. Very appealing. Great to have this with me as back up. Going to try the Scottish north coast. Must have watched your tours to Scotland 50 times lol. Bought a 2018 gs 1200 and I absolutely love the thing. Keep making the videos it's great great viewing.
Steve.
Hi TMF, I like how Nippy Normans are using your review on there website, they couldn't do any better, keep up the good work.
+Alan McQuaker Are they? :0) I'll go have a look...
I was curious about one, you have answered all my questions. Thanks.
Great stuff - cheers Bob....
make sure you get the midge zapping adapter for that device. ... because believe me if your going to camp in Scotland you will need it !!!.
+alf uckett Well I'm planning on going soon, hopefully before the main midge season gets underway....
Then it'll be useful for a heated sleeping bag.
:0)
TheMissendenFlyer ... if you still adamant about going to Scotland Touring... call into mine on your way past (staffordshire) and pick up my old fall out suit .. it says it will take a full frontal direct hit from a scud missile (not tested !) you might stand half a chance if wearing that !!!. Have a good Trip matey... my advise is turn left not right and jump the ferry !!!!
Drumbo French hahahahaaa excellent mate !
makes you wonder why cars and bikes need such large batteries, I had a Honda CBF1000 which could drain it's battery in two to three days, this would have been a godsend. instead I bought a Yamaha and don't need one. But hey, he who dies with the most toys, wins.
+Rob Pollock Hehe, I'm not sure about that but agree with your main point! Cheers for watching - TMF
You can buy Lithium-Iron (not a typo!) batteries now, which are way smaller than conventional lead/acid batteries and have higher cold cranking amperage as well as a better resistance to discharging when sat dormant.
Rob Pollock I was thinking exactly the same...
I've just had a punt on this model....may buy another if it does what it says on the tin (at this price).... www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MQRSR8T/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you get fed-up with the camping, the white house bikers b&b in conon bridge is an excellent central location for touring the highlands.
Only problem I can foresee is what if your battery is hard to access? Are there cables that can be connected to a quick charge port for example? Last thing I want to be doing is taking stuff apart to get access to the battery, those crock clips wouldn't attach to my battery with it in situ in any case.
TMF......Camping.......in Scotland, Can't wait for that little adventure! Watch out for the midges.
Yeah OK so I've downgraded my ambitions due lack of going shopping for a tent etc....now looks like I'll be staying in hotels and B&Bs :0)
I would like to see what its like in the field first, but looks good THANKS Mr FLYER, cheers Mick.
+susan morgan Yes primarily I'm going to be using it as a high capacity charger for my devices whilst on the road, should be testing that pretty soon - hoping I won't need to test the jump start capability but good to know it's there if I need it!
sounds to good to be true. start a couple of bikes with it first then maybe a v8
...if only I had a V8 to try it on! :0)
Excellent review, as always. That looks like a must-have accessory for any cycle touring....
I reckon so - cheers....
This may we'll be the mother of all gadgets!... Thanks for sharing...
Indeed! ...and you are very welcome...TMF
I also have one, (different brand) it starts my wife's k1200s right up. And charge my daughter iPhone, and mp3 player.,on long trips. Very nice gadget.
Cheers Morten, good to know, I've yet to use mine in anger!
I've been carrying a Noco GB30 on my bike for a year now, pretty similar device and a really good backup
+Bikers Quest Yes a bit of additional peace of mind as much as anything.....
Tent: Vango Banshee 300 or Vango Tempest 300.
A 5000mm hydrostatic head (that's the waterproofness rating) and room for two people with gear, hurricane resistant, ideal for Scotland.
+338 Too late I'm afraid! Maybe next time....
Great review TMF and what a nice bit of kit. Looking forward to the mini-series of your Scottish tour when it happens. Check out Stuart Filmore's vlogs for some good camping kit. Thanks again for your time.
Thank you for watching once again 007, good to have you along....
As always an unbiased review. I would like 'bigclive' on UA-cam to get a hold of one of these to see what makes it 'chooch'!!! Thanks for taking the time to produce this material. Kindest regards. Joe. PS Next time you are using the A82, let me know, lunch is on me.
Cheers Joe - I'll hold you to it!
I have the larger model, but used it to start a Ford 7.3 Diesel with two dead batteries. This was on a COLD New England winter day. (25-30 degree F). It surprised me!! Bought it for my GSA. So, if it will start a 7.3, the GSA should be no problem. Plus it is small enough to move around the bike.
Here in the states there are smaller models available.
+jrschrum Excellent bit of intell - thanks jrschrum
Were you considering Scotland because of their more relaxed
attitude to land access or another reason?
I’m guessing you are from SE England?
Wales wouldn’t be a bad choice if so as there are plenty of basic
campsites and the whole country can be covered comprehensively in a month or
quickly in a week. You’ll still get to
try out all the kit but you aren’t travelling miles.
I’m Welsh I’ll admit but I’ve done quite a bit of ‘adventuring’
in the UK and Europe so I’m not biased.
Realistically you need more than one ‘power pack’ as you always want a
belts and braces approach. Also things
like ruggidised phones are really important as is the nature of the power pack,
if it falls to pieces from a small drop onto a rock then it doesn’t matter how
good it is at starting V8 trucks.
Still this product seems appealing for short planned breaks
off-grid.
Cheers Jason - you guessed right, I'm near London, and I agree Wales is also fabulous, ridden there many times! Thanks for watching and stopping by - all the best - TMF
looks quite handy that, will keep it in mind thanks. on a side note i use a anker powercore 20100 (20,100 MaH) which is a mobile powerpack with 2 usb ports on it, great for charging the mobile when out and about.
+Bob Yes I have one of those too, this is like one of those on steroids (and not a whole lot bigger to be honest!)....
If you do go that trip up to Scotland either head up to applecross taking the Bealach Na Ba road (craziest road in the UK surely) or if you have a few days spare the NC500. All the best Andy
Yeah the NC500 is part of the plan (weather and arthritic shoulders permitting!).....thanks for watching - TMF
Definitely be prepared for the midges.
Wee camped last year on Isle of Harris.
Storm blew up. No tents were left.
I'm done with camping 👎
+Rodney Mc caughey Hehe, well due my laziness (failed so far to buy a tent etc) I'm not sure I'll be camping after all - not usually my bag to be honest and the thought of a hotel after a long day in the saddle is appealing!
Really like these new video's thank you for your time ... Mark
Glad you approve :0)
"Four Lights, Sorry five lights" is that a Star Trek TNG reference?
+Tucker Not intentionally no (although I’m a huge TNG fan)....
I'm going to buy this for hiking the back country as you need something to keep those devices charged. Thanks again for the product review.
Good idea Chris, great for that I reckon, holds it's charge for a good while too so should be handy - cheers - TMF
Would certainly give you peace of mind on tour, could always do with another gadget, cheers
+Sir Ride A Bit My thinking exactly..
Great review - as usual - but c'mon that's way too pricey for what it is.... £79.99 makes it worth a punt!
Thanks Faraz, well it's a personal choice, it does seem well made and you do tend to get what you pay for (usually!)...but I do take your point. Thanks for watching and all the best - TMF
I'd have thought the tracker drainage problem is pretty endemic.. they must have a constant source of power for obvious reasons and GPS needs quite a lot
Indeed....
That's impressive, the electric charge these Batteries have! Nowadays, with so many electronic devices that need to be charged... ps. Even for a coffee machine! Ha Ha Ha ha!
+Sérgio André I like the sound of that!
May be my next purchase for my bike. Great review!
Thank you FB...
I've just been on Antigravity's site and found there are several options, including an XP10 (even more powerful), however this is more expensive and doesn't seem to come with all the accessories included, which is a shame. I like the idea of the carry case to keep everything in one place too.
Yeah it's a neat bit of kit - thanks for watching - TMF
That's certainly an impressive piece of kit. I carry something similar around on my bike, it's for using with the pump should I get a flat (it's happened a few times) or to jump start should the battery be low. I have a 12v socket in the top box to keep the jump start battery charged up. Good video TMF I enjoy the tech vids. Looking forward to all the camping gear tech vids too ;-)
Sorry DM may have to let you down there - I've been lazy of late and didn't get round to buying a tent etc, so I reckon my first tour of the year will likely involve comfortable hotels....
TheMissendenFlyer LOL. I believe you.......
if you're thinking about a trip to Scotland then here's a good little site to look at www.motorcyclescotland.com/ particularly the routes section. I've done a few in the borders and they always have a good mix of fast A road, B road and some single lane stuff, basically something for everyone
Thanks Harry - I'll check that out....
please dont buy a lithium jump start for cars above 1.2l petrol and never for a diesel
+lez briddon What due risk of fire you mean?
no, just the cells cant survive the amps drawn from cranking the engine, no matter what the sellers/designers say, its all marketing BS. they make claims that break the laws of physics....
anyon running lithium based batteries on RC quads / cars etc can back me up on this, the C rating is the real deal and the MAX C discharge rate will never come near the peak 600amps etc from cranking as the pistons hit compression
Great video as usual. Will you be kind enough to video a bit of your tour for your fans please TMF? ⛰🏕🏍⛰
+Rotherider Of course! You can count on a mini-series of that one :0)
Thanks TMF, I should have looked at the description.
+Dougie No worries....
Seems to good to be true, I think you should perform a cold cranking exercise on the GS! I can lend you a tent, in fact you can have it!!
...actually I've ditched the tent idea in favour of hotels/B&B's but thanks for the offer ;0) - the microstart will still be uber handy on the road though to keep my GoPro's etc all topped up :0)
grear review and a must have bit of gadgetry....thanks.
+max bull Thanks Max....
Very handy product. Thanks for sharing
+MUNRO MUSIC You're very welcome - TMF
Have a similar bit of kit as well and keep it stashed on my scooter all the time. Very handy and although I haven't had to use it on mine, I have surprised a couple of car drivers with it and helped out a few fellow riders at rallies that have thought they were clever charging their phones overnight on their bikes and been left with a flat battery at the end of the weekend (doh!)
For touring and rallies, this now joins babywipes as 'essentials' for me! lol
+Dave D Yeah that's my thinking too Dave, daft not to take one! Cheers - TMF
I have no need for one, but enjoy your videos, happy Easter 🐣TMD
Cheers Steffydog, same to you...
That looks like a great bit of kit, can you please give me the link to where to look. Normally I think these gadgets are a bit rubbish but you are onto something here TMF.
+Dougie Check out the link in the description...
6:35 I thought you had a bucati (the Chinese version) Turns out it was just the lighting.
+TheFakeAssassin ....thought you said bukaki for a minute!
The antigravity batteries are amazing but are so expensive!
+Gerhard Symons True, but you do tend to get what you pay for quality wise (I've learnt to my expense!)....
Another great insight video how has the battery pack done over the year ? Some now come with a built in compressor whats your thoughts on them ? keep up the good work bud great videos Tony
Yes it's worked a treat - even jump started my Range Rover with it a while back! Great bit of kit.....
That looks a great devise, something that will really pull you out of the $€¥#
My thoughts exactly....
Hi, just wondering if you still use this out in the field. Do you take the pack out on tours with you and do you still rate it after a year plus of use. Thanks Steve.
Yes I still use this - I even used it to jump start my old diesel Range Rover a while back - incredible bit of kit for its size....
thats the thing for pokemon hunters :)
+dimmube I'll have to take your word for that :0)
I love the badminton rackets hanging up among brooms. Dunno why, I just kind of picture you playing sports with the brooms.
now im wondering how this one is quality wise compared to those £30 ebay ones
+TobiasProtector Well you could probably make a reasonable guess!
The video must be popular as I've just gone to the link and its out of stock!
So I understand! Oops! :0)
Nice review - looks like a very useful bit of kit. I saw there were a couple of batteries on your workbench - do you take them out of the bikes to keep them on the trickle charger or charge them up in situ?
+Andrew Tunnicliffe No they are just a couple of spares I have, one is (was) used to jump start my bikes if I needed it (before I had the microstart) the other is a new one for the Panigale I just never got around to fitting....
good piece of kit .is it safe to use starting a bike as bike electrics are not as strong as car ones which these are designed for ,often looked at them but always hesitated in buying one as advice I’ve had says there two powerful for bikes unless its bike design one or am i just worrying for nothing lol
+Kate Clapperton Well it's sold by Nippy Normans which is a bike supplier so I personally don't have any concerns using it....
Pity they don't include a USB C adapter.
+David Holden well they have the mini and micro USB, not sure I know what a USB C is to be honest!
Looks good and impressive but not 150 quid impressive ,, I'll wait till the price comes down to about 80 quid ,, I'm in the rac,,cheers shane
+shaneweightman :0)
any chance you could do a review of a bike tracker please.
my friend's bike got stolen and I'm thinking of putting on a tracker but not sure which one.
+Alex Barclay Well the only trackers I know well are the ones I have fitted and I'm not sure I want to go into too much detail on that (for obvious reasons)....I'll think about it though! Cheers - TMF
Just review two or three that you recommend. We don't have to know what you use. Thank you for writing back. Keep up the good work.
If only it were that easy! :0)
Hey, you have 250,000 subscribers . If anyone can, is you. Don't let us down. 😃
Sorry, 24,569 🤣🤣
that's a phenomenal piece of kit. I'm gonna get me one of these.
Yeah I thought it looked pretty good....
Hmmm well worth buying for sure
+Richard Seekins Well I reckon it's a great insurance for having on the road - will see how useful it is soon! Thanks for watching - TMF
Great gear review! I've been looking at these for some time now . My bike is new and made it through the New York City winter outside but I was always worried about coming out to a flat battery. This one is next on the long list of gear and gadgets to get
+Meat and Motorcycles Yeah, handy little gadget I reckon....
I have a similar problem ,,with my speed,, leave it for a month and sometimes ,, flat battery cheers shane
+shaneweightman Yes it's a right ball-ache isn't it....
Nice garage, Ducati and review.!
Thank you Ian!
Looks like a great piece of kit! 👍🏻
Yeah, it is - thanks for watching - TMF
They have quite a few to choose from
Not sure I follow Boodieman72?
Never mind all that electric gadget malarkey, we're waiting for the full review of the Slazenger Panther Event badminton racquet :-)
+Callover Pete You are a man of great taste - and a fellow sports fanatic I'll wager?
In my day sir, (Yonex preferring teenager)but right knee ACL now goosed so no S1000RR or R1 or running for me nowadays.
What journeys your reviews take us on, this time from battery charger to midge prevention:-0. Nice bit of kit though! Regards, Jon.
+JLO Staff Cheers Jon, I aim to please - might do a cookery segment next ;0)
OK, I'll scrap that idea then... :0)
Those are nice, however one thing to keep in mind: The Ducati Multistrada battery ran a bit low a couple weeks ago and would turn over but just not light off (notoriously poor starting). Anyway, borrowed one of those from a buddy to jump it and.....the battery is so surrounded with stuff and the bolts which hold the positive and negative terminals on are so small that you can't get the clamps on it. Clamps look to be the same size as the one you have there. I would guess that many modern bikes have similarly inaccessible batteries.
Yes very good point, I’d use the wiring I have fitted to trickle charge them to jump start them if I had to...
Yeah, tried that too. The connectors, while similar, didn't fit. Maybe different models of "mini jumper" will have different connectors which are more forgiving. Anyway, keep up the great work.
I want to see it start something!
Oops, sorry, should have thought of that!
I got a similar battery from MCM Electronics (USA) for $63 US. 18000mah. Many potential uses !
+desrecording Nice one...does it come with all the adaptors etc? ....that was a lot of the appeal of the micro start for me...
all adaptors including ipod connectors, phone, etc.
Nice one...
Hi MF, do these devices use the same battery technology (some sort of gel) as the Machine Mart "Jump Start"? With those, you must not ever ever let them go flat or you can not recharge them. I had one and left it in the boot of my car so it would be handy if needed, and sure enough, it went flat and wouldn't recharge, I tried different ways to recharge it but to no avail. I bought a second one, kept that one on charge and that died after a year (used it once).
+Gordon Waltham I don't honestly know Gordon, there are no warnings in the manual about not letting it drain completely so I guess not....will report back if I have any issues!
Yes the Machine Mart manual did warn not to let it go completely flat 😰
try jump start your v8 with a flat battery with this 12 amp battery tell us how you get on ? (400 peak amps = nothing if you only got 12 amp/hours =12000ma)can you tell i am a bit sceptical
+Rob Duncan Unfortunately I don't have a V8 to test it on! That is what the blurb on the box claims, I'm pretty confident it'll start my GS though :0)
Rob Duncan these Devices use lithium polymer batteries. I use them regularly in radio control models. Believe me they are very powerful. The key to there high amp starting capability is something called "c rating" the average "c rating of a lithium polymer battery is 20C & can be as high as 80C. This is the amount of current the battery can release multiplied by the battery capacity. so for instance a 10amp battery with a C rating of 10C can supply a current of 100amps. So this device has a capacity of 12amp & it not unreasonable to assume a C Rating of 35C so 12amp capacity x 35c = 420amps that should start most vehicles
Sounds good on paper ok, how about a test with a car with flat from cold that would be a fair test . I don't doubt it is good for phones even your bikes but 30x v8 on a cold morning with flat i don't think it's up to that ? anyway thanks for your time
Lol yes B&Q sounds much better and yes great gadget 👍
Erm B&B l mean Rudy predictive txt😂
+Malcolm Pritchard ...gotta love all this smart tech eh!?
But does it make tea??
Err, nope, you got me there Geoff.....
Hi Mr Flyer,
Another excellent "Kit Review" my friend! I've seen these chargers being reviewed in the States last year, and was unsure how reliable Their claims of excellence was..... After seeing you endorse them, makes all the difference to my decision whether to purchase one or not....
Thank you Sir, you're a Gent!
All the best,
Ian
Thank you Ian - do bear in mind I haven't used it in anger yet, but it does seem a well made bit of kit and should be brilliant on tour. Thanks for watching and for your kind words - TMF
handy bit of kit
Indeed it is! Thanks for watching - TMF
Like you I thought it would be a great idea... until I actually needed it. The 1200GS seems to have very fussy electronics that won't allow the starter to engage below a certain voltage. So while the antigravity battery had sufficient energy to start my bike, the bike still said no. It may be that the dead lead acid battery was pulling the Voltage down, I'm not sure, but I had to wait and charge up the lead acid battery enough (from dead flat) before the starter would engage at all. So before you rely on it, actually test it with a dead flat battery! Otherwise it's a great battery for charging your small devices.
+Colin Richardson Thanks for the feedback Colin, I try not to let my batteries go dead flat as it tends to knacker them generally in my experience (If that happens I normally find a new battery is required for it to hold charge properly)...but your cautionary tale is noted! Cheers - TMF
TheMissendenFlyer I have a 'dashcam' plugged into the aux power outlet and occasionally the bike does not shut it off the power to that socket when the bike is turned off. Some sort of bug, but bmw says that's the way it works. On one occasion I had left the bike in the garage unused for a week and it had totally drained the battery. Luckily the battery seems to have recovered. This 'power outlet bug' was the main reason I kept the antigravity battery on the bike. That's two warnings for the price of one :-)
Great value! Thanks Colin :0)
On the other hand rather than carry on holiday half the tools from Halfords pull out the wee silver BMW Motorad card from your wallet and a lovely man in a van will appear as if by magic and jump start your GS. Bonus good news no midges at present!
...how long does that magic card work for? I suspect mine has long since lost it's efficacy...
Two years from new but annually if you renew the warranty annually. Under £300 gives you pretty much full warranty and uk and European breakdown and recovery. Used mine once after an off on the NC500 last year and a fantastic service. Bike recovered from Durness and put through BMW workshop valeted and stored at no cost. BTW any used approved BMW gets a full year cover now irrespective of how long is left on the initial 2 year factory warranty.
Fair do's - as I suspected mine ran out some time ago....
Great review. I actually have a question about the Session camera. I just bought one and love its compact size but wondering what you use for a mic setup to reduce wind noise?
+PistolPete63 Well as you know there is no mic socket so you're limited to just sticking some foam or fur over the mic apertures - personally I don't bother and just use the inbuilt Mics as they are (hoping it doesn't get too windy!). The only shortcoming of the session really...
Thanks so much!
No problem Pete....
will this gadget be able to jump start your GS, I am saying this becouse the GS as a perticular batery access
+Marcos Morais That's one of the reasons I got the micro start so I hope so! Not had to try it yet though....
humm .... without a quickconnect cable it will be a mission, to jump start a GS , but not impossible though ......
Yeah good point - I may need to connect some fly-leads to the battery terminals for just such an eventuality!
It seems most places are out of stock of these. When you search it on Google there are quite a few horror stories of them swelling and blowing up! So be careful. I may do a little more research on them.
Great videos though.
Did you try the Nippy Norman link I provided?
I did and it said sold out.
Oops!
very handy
+Ken Morrison That's what I thought....
I'd be curious to know if it actually does start larger cars, and maybe diesel engines. I got one (similar but not the same) last year and it couldn't start my VW 1.9 Campervan. I had to get one of the much larger versions.
Not needed to try it on a car yet, but will report back if/when I do!
I expect you to get on your bike and go hunting for vans that have a dead battery. This is a public service you're running here, don't you know! ;)
Oh and keep up the good work. Your buzzfeed click-baity lacking videos are most appreciated.
Thank you Jamie....
that is interesting piece of kit. I am off to Highlands end of May for 7 days. Really excited about this trip, just staying in B&Bs for a sake of saving on faff associated with camping... and lack of camping gear as well. if you going there around same time we might bump onto each other. ;)
Pawel Kisiel ... stay well away from this mans tent/campsite !!! your doing the right thing staying behind glass/brick . he will only do it once !!
+alf uckett ...actually I've been a bit slack on getting the camping gear so I suspect I'll be hotel & B&Bing it after all - still a handy gadget to have on the bike though when you're out for a long day with phones, cameras etc....thanks for watching - TMF
TheMissendenFlyer yes i agree they are a cracking piece of kit... i do own a lesser back up stand alone charger and use it all the time on tours !!.... mine doesn't jump start trains thou !! lol
:0)
Can also be used as an emergency defibrillator (probably).
I'm sure if you stuck those crocodile clips on the right bits and hit the "boost" button you could do just that :0) ....have you got your new bike yet by the way??
Well, the Sprint is performing well on my daily commute and after a back-breaking track day at Bedford yesterday including a 90 minutes ride before and after I'm having a rethink and am now swaying back to a Trumpet air cooled twin. I'm pretty sure I can get away with an addition to the fleet whilst one of the others is "up for sale".
+Bucks Biker I'm liking your thinking - I've used a similar tactic in the past :0) Which Trumpet is top of the list?
Back to Scramblers, ideally the matt green one but they are few and far between.
I love the old scrambler...especially with some decent pipes...
That looks a handy bit of kit - could do with longer leads for charging croc clips though - I suppose the reason they aren't bigger is to keep the storage size down.
Steve
+Steve Edwards Yeah I reckon you're right Steve, cheers - TMF
When you go to Scotland, I'd recommend using Fort William as a base for exploring the West coast - I did this a few yrs back when I took my son up for a week - we had a blast.
Riding home we had the A82 back down to Glasgow to ourselves as we left early in the morN - GLORIOUS RIDE.
Further on when we got onto the M6, my son fell asleep on the back of the bike (1100RT with panniers and top box) - promptly pulled into the next services and filled him with coffee and a king size mars bar before setting off again!!
Steve
+Steve Edwards Cheers Steve, my intention is to travel around Scotland in a big loop so will stay somewhere different each night - Fort William is en-route though. Out of interest how did you know your lad had nodded off??
I had intercom, but the reason I knew was that I overtook a bloke in a van and he signed to me that the boy had nodded off -the top box (GIVI) has a pad on it to rest your back against and he had the palms of both hands on top of the panniers - I guess as we were going in a straight line and not changing direction/gear it got a bit easier for him to relax and he just nodded off.
We had set off at 5.30am because he wanted to be home early afternoon to see his mates.
I made sure we had enough stops after that, and we rolled onto the drive around 4pm after riding about 460 miles - as you know the RT is an accomplished mile muncher, very easy to ride long distances especially when you have to slab it for a good part of the route.
Steve
...luckily no harm done!
Scotland is awesome! Toured around twice - based in Pitlochry first time (great roads, beautiful scenery, and easy access for many places, incl. a few distilleries!), and then went west (based in Drymen, next to Loch Lomond, and again fantastic riding, wonderful landscape, and places like Oban/Fort William relatively close). If I lived in the UK, Scotland would be my choice. The people are so friendly, too! Look forward to listening to your impressions. Have a great trip! All best, R.
+richard0807 Thanks Richard - yes I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with Scotland, been there many times by car but only once by bike so far....stay tuned for my full report in due course!