Thanks Doc, in my 40 years of riding experience I have learned 1 crucial thing, you have to know your Harley like a U.S. Marine knows his rifle, if you don't your setting your self up for walking a long distance.
I was stranded on my 2018 Road King about 4 weeks ago. It was a very cold day mid 20's if I recall, and I went into a phone store and forgot to switch of the ignition switch! When I came out about 75 minutes later the bike was clicking and making weird noises. It was totally dead. I called a local dealer and asked advice and they told it could be jumped and where the starter stud was. They said if you jump from a car DO NOT leave the car on. I started walking to a parts store to get cables but was able to reach someone that had a portable booster box. They came over and it started right away. one clamp on the stud another clamp on the frame. I put it on a tender when I got home and the battery has been fine ever since. LESSON LEARNED. Happy New Year everybody and thanks for another great vid Doc! I'll have to make one of these just to have in my bag. I was able to reach the starter stud on my bike without any problem.
Yeah, if you jump another car, the way to do it is to hook up the jumper cables, start the donor car and let it run (perhaps revving it to 2000 rpm or so for better charging) for 5 or 10 minutes to help build up the charge in the dead battery. Then TURN OFF the donor car and try to start the car with the dead battery. Otherwise, when the car with the dead battery starts, the sudden voltage spike from its alternator can fry computer components, or at least confuse them into malfunctioning.
I have a Buture jump pack .Good thing about the Buture is it will transfer the power from the Buture to the bike battery .You don't need to jump start , just plug it in to your charge cable ( i put one one my battery for my garage optimate 7 day 24 hour chargerv) And after say 15 / 20 mins just disconnect the Buture and start the bike with nothing connected .it works same in a car except you plug it in the cig lighter socket ( it comes with all the adaptors ) sit in the car for say 15 / 20 mins pull it out of the cig socket and start the car .its a portable jump start come charger .
This is one of my worries. Bc with the newer Harley anyone could just come by and turn the power switch on and walk away ( when you’re not there ) Then you’d return to a dead battery bike.
Hi Doc, great idea. Just one suggestion - your tool touches the starter stud at a single point, and there's a lot of current (100 amps +) flowing through that tiny contact point when you hit the starter button. I would suggest filing a narrow V instead of a circular notch on the end. Now you have two points of contact instead of one, and the narrow V angle increases the contact force. Both features make it less likely to leave a burn mark on the stud. Other than that, an excellent tool to have handy.
Great tip. I made something similar a few years ago. Take snips and cut a v shaped notch at the end instead of using a file to make rounded groove. Thanks!!
I carry the plain non HD branded Noco booster with me but never used it, now I'll have to look @ my bikes & check. I have saddlebag power ports & SAE to cigarette lighter adapter to charge but I like this better.
That's a fantastic idea. Thank you again Doc Harley for sharing what seems to be a infinite amount of knowledge. Keep em coming. Happy new year to you and yours.
What a great idea! I always carry my mobile jump starter around in my car and my bike but always had to take off my seat and so to get to the battery in case I needed it, will make myself one of your jumper arms to have it a lot easier with less working on bike My jump starter had helped a lot of people so far
I have same type jump box as Doc They have harness you can buy goes from box to battery or plus to battery and negative to ground Zip tied along frame under seat area Easy to attach box like you would a battery tender leads Have 09 FXSTC
great video......where do you suggest stickin the earth/ground cable so not to mark or get arc marks (coz most of our bikes are chrome or painted?)...thanks..
Nice video. I truly respect and do get solid tips from you Doc. I have been following your sage advice. Your method is simple old school. For me, the new school is to get a copper or aluminum bar instead of the pipe. The newest school is to create an SAE connector for the battery. Alligator's 10-awg extension is also a plus to actually connect to a car battery.
@@Jonathan-L You'll melt your pigtail or blow its fuse if you try to jump start through the battery tender pigtail. It's for charging the battery, not jump starting. Compare the wires in your battery tender with jumper cables - there's a reason the jumper cables are huge.
I have same ,but i dont use it to jump start .i use it like a portable battery charger to transfer from the power pack to the bike battery .I disconnect before i start bike.
Something I haven't thought completely through. I want to get a small jump box but hadn't considered how to jump the bike with it. This is a simple and very usable tool. You have a new subscriber. Thank you Doc. Jake
I carry a small jump starter as well as a set of Yousa Motorcycle Jumper Cables. The clamps on motorcycle jumper cables are small, and fit well on the starter post under that boot. Tons of hassle to try to get under the seat and ECM of many touring models.
@@Richard5873 GOOLOO Upgraded GP3000 Jump Starter 3000A Peak Car Starter (Up to 9L Gas or 7L Diesel Engine) 12V Jump Box Auto Lithium Battery Booster SuperSafe Portable Power Pack with USB Quick Charge, Type-C Port. Best on the market. I have 3 of them. Charges via USB - C phone charger. Cranks just about everything. Power bank also charges phones, powers usb items, too.
Doc that is a very good idea there, might want to make the curve for the stud slightly smaller but if it works go for it. On my Oldwing, well that is what we call it as it is 30 years old, we can access the positive cable relatively easily. Yes I did exactly as you noted, had to jump it to get it going as had a bad case of HUA, Head Up -ss, and it worked fine. Some people cringed but hey it worked. As for the Damn BMW, either you make an emergency pigtail and install it when you change the battery. Yep again HUA, and on the BMW made a short 10 gauge leads off of the battery to a homemade nylon hookup point. I guess I have to much time on my hands and a shop full of toys. You can't jump it but you can charge it at a rather healthy rate if needed. I use this as a place to slow charge the battery. Change the battery out on a Oil Head BMW 01, ONE, Uno time and you will see just how over-engineered and under-thought-out Germans can be, either that or they are still trying to get even with the Allies for those 2 disagreements some years back.
I took the auto train from Sanford, Fl to Washington DC. I remembered to put my bike in transport mode before it was loaded on the train so when I arrived I was good to go. Unfortunately several others had not done the same and had dead batteries. I had a small booster pack and spent the next 2 hours jumping motorcycles.
I can’t understand why Harley Davidson doesn’t install a jumpstart pigtail like they do the charging tender pigtail. NOCO makes one, easy, safe and cheap. NOCO makes the HD branded chargers and jumper already. The jumper pigtail plugs right into the jump box. It’s just a fact of life your going to have a dead battery on the road at some time with a machine no matter how well you take care of your battery. Having to disassemble half of the bike to jumpstart it is ridiculous and could be impossible requiring a tow truck instead of a jumpstart. I have the NOCO jump pigtail on both my Softails.
You are talking about the same company that doesn't put heel/toe shifter on $40K bikes. They are probably trying to figure out how to sell big twins with one cylinder and then raising the price for their new weight saving package.
Hi Doc, another great vid. I have a 2018 lowrider, got it new. It has 60 g's miles on her. Doc when should I get a new battery, she's runnin great now.
A Harley-Davidson battery could be good up to 4 years. Understand each year after installation the battery will loose a percentage of CCA. First year no problem. Second year a little less by the end of the 3rd year it would be well to start budgeting for a new one. Mileage only counts if you make a lot of very in town short trips or you have a lot of accessories draining the battery. The life of a battery is extended with a smart battery tender….Doc
Yeah, I just jumped my son's bike a few days, ago. I used an adjustable wrench I had in my bike tool bag. The taped up tubing would have made me feel better about not blowing a fuse.
Good Idea. I installed an EC5 to O ring cable extension to the pos and negative to the battery. The cable extensions get connected to the jump starter pack.
Good procedure never really thought of it on my Road glide. What I did was make an 8 gauge charge jump harness that goes directly to the battery all silver soldered terminals and on the other end I soldered a heavy charging plug same as the charging configuration. Then I cut my 8 gauge Polar Jumpers and soldered and shrunk tubed the end of my Jumpers but also soldered another plug on the other end so I can just use them conventionally as well. I hard mounted the bike side plug with a clamp. Charge and Jump.
Hey Doc! I just watched a video of yours that was 8 years ago. What I really need to know, and would appreciate, is what vitamins are you taking? You haven’t aged a lick in all that time!!! I really enjoy and appreciate you taking the time to make these videos!
Most battery tenders come with a couple of attachments. One is a plug that fits into the charging plug that is connected to your battery. If you use the optional one that clamps onto the positive and negative terminal s. You can plug that into the bike’s connection. Now you can take a portable jumper to the positive cable and ground the negative cable. It will get you going! Ride safe wind brothers/ sisters.
Great tip! Yes, batteries have a lot of instantaneous energy which must be respected, arc welding. Be careful of wedding ring or necklace. Explosive hydrogen gas and acid all bad. I replaced all my lead acid batteries with lithium Iron batteries. Worth the upgrade especially with increased CCA of lithium batteries and large bore bikes.
It’s safe to do as long as the vehicle is engine off. I use a jump box and it works fine…for the Lithium folks, just warm up the battery if possible and wake it up first before jumping. If it’s cold, then jumping Lithium sucks regardless.
Great tip doc . What i do is ( on my fat Boy ) take off the saddle and connect my power pack to the battery and just leave it about 15 mins. Then i disconnnect it and 9 times out 10 it will start.If not i then connect it back on and start it while its still connected.
2020 Softail Lowrider S, I just made and ran an insulated jumper cable from the positive on my battery over the top to behind the right side cover and have tie-wrapped it in there. So if needed I just remove the right cover and there it is.
Hey that's a great idea.. also I can't remember the name brand. Bot there is a jump pack / charger that uses the tuck away connector from a trickle charger
Hay Doc, that is a great ideal. I made one but I cut a rectangle slot in the end that goes to the starter it is less likely to slip off. Just an update to the original ideal.
Thats a Good Video Doc, in 2008 I got the 1995 FLHR the Battery under my seat the bolts under the fender above the tire. only way to jump the bike is off the Starter. and im Lucky I have grand Kids that can stick there hand up to the nuts with a 9/16 wrench to remove the seat or the tire has to come off . Shame Harley Davidson did not weld the nuts to the fender .
So I asked this question to you a few months ago: You should make also a video showing the Harley battery pack that you can use to jump start the bike and how it can be attached to the starter and not the battery. Also note that if you have a Lithium battery, this battery pack is not recommended. Your answer: Good points Eric. In my opinion, I would rather take the time to jump at the battery....Doc I shared this with alot of people including a motor officer and he said he jumps from the starter stud all the time and everyone else does not know why you consider it so dangerous? Thanks for posting the new video.
Hello Eric, I think the idea of having a live buzz bar (the copper pipe) just held in place by hand pressure and a groove is by far the more risky way to jump start your bike than clamping onto battery terminals but do appreciate that access to the battery on many models is a real pain. I have a 2014 Ultra Limited and the term Limited can be applied to battery access.......... ride safe one and all.
@@ianrobertsonRR1 Yes, when I spoke to a Motor Officer he said he uses his jump pack on the starter stud all the time. He said if he had to jump from the battery itself, it would take 20 minutes!
Jumping a Harley with a fully discharged battery will blow your stator and voltage regulator as soon as you remove the jumper cable connection from the running bike. The dead battery will look like a short and cause high current flow which will burn the stator up. The voltage regulator usually overheats as well. The proper way is to let the jump vehicle (or box) charge the bikes battery until the bike will start WITHOUT the jumpers connected. This takes time. Either wait and get the dead battery charged enough so it doesn't overload the charging system or just jump it off and blow your charging system. Your choice. Just remember, if the bike can crank in it's own, it's safe to run.
Great idea! Couple things to improve maybe. You can drill the hole in end then cut half the hole off instead off filing. Try heat shrink tube instead of electrical tape. Also, the current capacity of the copper should be more than adequate so I wouldn’t worry too much about heating up during use
...But you are endorsing it. I'll make me one tomorrow. Great idea. I would think you would want to hold the tool tightly to the starter stud to ensure a good contact.
Maybe it’s just me but my bike does set a lot and when I do plan to ride or think there’s a good chance I will have that opportunity, I just put the dang thing on my smart charger till it’s showing a full charge. I will throw this out there but it was news to me that my battery would not hold as good of a charge with the keyless security system. That little red blinking light reminds me of a heart beat. And seems to slow as my battery depletes. Now this may not be news around there but I’m in Arkansas and we are 20 yrs behind lol.
I have a battery charger/tender that allows me to connect a "pig tail" to the battery posts and are external to ""connect" to the charger. The unit comes with a pair of clamps to "connect" to battery for bench charging. I tried to jump start my Heritage Classic by connecting the pair of clamps so I can connect to jumper cables. I learned that the polarity is reversed in this manner and the clamps polarity should be reversed in this situation. I hope this helps somebody.
Thinking that if you make a small semi-circle at the end of contact, it may have a little snap on effect onto the stud. More surface contact, and a little more insurance.
I've got a jumper box I carry and just plug it in through the battery tender cable. Just pay attention to polarity. Does the trick, nothing to disconnect or covers to pull
Hey Doc! Thanks for the reply. So I use a short SAE cable that plugs into the tender cable. The one I have came from a portable air compressor and has red and black clamps. The polarity is wrong in that case, but you could use any SAE cable. My jump box has clamps, as well as a protection system. It won't send juice until the polarity is correct. Works fine to get it home.
Side note, my portable air compressor has the same SAE cable on it too. It plugs in right in the tender cable if I need to air up. Barely use it as I keep it checked at home, but nice as a backup plan
I've been charging with that stud since I got my bike..... Thanks for letting me know I'm not screwing up😅.... I don't jumpstart my bike either.... Charge check and replace if necessary... Thanks doc
Hi Doc, I haven't tried this yet, but I took a battery tender cable and cut it off, 1 wire 3 inches longer than the other, rimped 7:27 metal connector on the bare wires left the original plug on the other end. My thought was I could plug this adapter into a tender cable already connected to the battery and jump start the bike that way. Now after this video, I have doubt that it's a good idea. What do you think, plausible, or just throw the little pig tail away?
Hay Doc, that is a great ideal... I'm going to make one for my son and me. We have Street Glide Specials and it's hard to get to the battery. Thanks and have a great New Year...
Wishing you a fine New Year . I have bungee corded a yard stick across my bars sorta stuck thru control cables and brake line, of course I checked to not obstruct anything. Be well.
Steve there is no “regular” time to replace. You could check with an ohm meter and wiggle test when you want. The most important is clean tight connections at both ends….Doc
Look at you Doc, trying to help people out and all...What is the world coming to? 😉 Thanks for everything you do Doc.
Thank you Doc for sharing my suggestion. Hope it helps those that need it. They also call me Caretaker.
Thank you for your idea….Doc
Thank you Omar. I am surprised JP cycles hasn’t started selling the jumper yet.
🤯I ran out to the garage right after watching this video. I insulated mine with an old bicycle inner tube.
Thanks Doc, in my 40 years of riding experience I have learned 1 crucial thing, you have to know your Harley like a U.S. Marine knows his rifle, if you don't your setting your self up for walking a long distance.
OooRah….Doc
I was stranded on my 2018 Road King about 4 weeks ago. It was a very cold day mid 20's if I recall, and I went into a phone store and forgot to switch of the ignition switch! When I came out about 75 minutes later the bike was clicking and making weird noises. It was totally dead. I called a local dealer and asked advice and they told it could be jumped and where the starter stud was. They said if you jump from a car DO NOT leave the car on. I started walking to a parts store to get cables but was able to reach someone that had a portable booster box. They came over and it started right away. one clamp on the stud another clamp on the frame. I put it on a tender when I got home and the battery has been fine ever since. LESSON LEARNED. Happy New Year everybody and thanks for another great vid Doc! I'll have to make one of these just to have in my bag. I was able to reach the starter stud on my bike without any problem.
Thanks,,,love these Tech tips,,, Aussie boy
Yeah, if you jump another car, the way to do it is to hook up the jumper cables, start the donor car and let it run (perhaps revving it to 2000 rpm or so for better charging) for 5 or 10 minutes to help build up the charge in the dead battery. Then TURN OFF the donor car and try to start the car with the dead battery. Otherwise, when the car with the dead battery starts, the sudden voltage spike from its alternator can fry computer components, or at least confuse them into malfunctioning.
I have a Buture jump pack .Good thing about the Buture is it will transfer the power from the Buture to the bike battery .You don't need to jump start , just plug it in to your charge cable ( i put one one my battery for my garage optimate 7 day 24 hour chargerv)
And after say 15 / 20 mins just disconnect the Buture and start the bike with nothing connected .it works same in a car except you plug it in the cig lighter socket ( it comes with all the adaptors ) sit in the car for say 15 / 20 mins pull it out of the cig socket and start the car .its a portable jump start come charger .
@@John-ob7dhpm😊
This is one of my worries. Bc with the newer Harley anyone could just come by and turn the power switch on and walk away ( when you’re not there ) Then you’d return to a dead battery bike.
I new a gal that could suck start a Harley, but I was a lot younger then. 😂😂😂. Great video.
And where do you hang out?😆….Doc
😂😂😂. Not going to touch that one Doc.@@LowCountryHarleyDavidson
Hi Doc, great idea. Just one suggestion - your tool touches the starter stud at a single point, and there's a lot of current (100 amps +) flowing through that tiny contact point when you hit the starter button. I would suggest filing a narrow V instead of a circular notch on the end. Now you have two points of contact instead of one, and the narrow V angle increases the contact force. Both features make it less likely to leave a burn mark on the stud. Other than that, an excellent tool to have handy.
I like your suggestion….Doc
Plain, simple, on point, direct & no sales pitch - THANK YOU!
Thanks Patrick….Doc
Definitely a new addition to the tool kit 👌 Thanks Doc
Great tip. I made something similar a few years ago. Take snips and cut a v shaped notch at the end instead of using a file to make rounded groove. Thanks!!
So simple but yet effective in a pinch. Thanks Doc 👍
I carry the plain non HD branded Noco booster with me but never used it, now I'll have to look @ my bikes & check.
I have saddlebag power ports & SAE to cigarette lighter adapter to charge but I like this better.
That's a fantastic idea. Thank you again Doc Harley for sharing what seems to be a infinite amount of knowledge. Keep em coming. Happy new year to you and yours.
Doc. That is BRIILIANT!!! So much easier than removing the seat and trying to clamp cables on the skinny HD battery posts. Thanks!
Thanks Jeff….Doc
What a great idea! I always carry my mobile jump starter around in my car and my bike but always had to take off my seat and so to get to the battery in case I needed it, will make myself one of your jumper arms to have it a lot easier with less working on bike
My jump starter had helped a lot of people so far
Thanks for sharing Paul….Doc
I have same type jump box as Doc
They have harness you can buy goes from box to battery or plus to battery and negative to ground
Zip tied along frame under seat area
Easy to attach box like you would a battery tender leads
Have 09 FXSTC
great video......where do you suggest stickin the earth/ground cable so not to mark or get arc marks (coz most of our bikes are chrome or painted?)...thanks..
A mounting bolt in the frame…. Doc
Nice video. I truly respect and do get solid tips from you Doc. I have been following your sage advice. Your method is simple old school. For me, the new school is to get a copper or aluminum bar instead of the pipe. The newest school is to create an SAE connector for the battery. Alligator's 10-awg extension is also a plus to actually connect to a car battery.
Good points! Thank you….Doc
I have a small jump pack that has a pigtail connected to the battery like a battery tender . Just plug in and jump off if needed . I like the tool .
Your idea is better.
@@Jonathan-L You'll melt your pigtail or blow its fuse if you try to jump start through the battery tender pigtail. It's for charging the battery, not jump starting. Compare the wires in your battery tender with jumper cables - there's a reason the jumper cables are huge.
@@cjflintstone9509 Thank you kindly sir.
I have same ,but i dont use it to jump start .i use it like a portable battery charger to transfer from the power pack to the bike battery .I disconnect before i start bike.
I put an Anderson Power Products plug on my bike. 120 amp capacity. Plug in a jumper cable set.
Please send me photos to our Email…Doc
Something I haven't thought completely through. I want to get a small jump box but hadn't considered how to jump the bike with it. This is a simple and very usable tool.
You have a new subscriber.
Thank you Doc.
Jake
Thanks Jake….Doc
Without a doubt Doc, you are second to none.
When Doc Harley said he owns a Slim (FLS), that really made my day, because I've got one also.
Instead of a semi circle at the end perhaps a v shape cut into the end would provide more stability.
I carry a small jump starter as well as a set of Yousa Motorcycle Jumper Cables. The clamps on motorcycle jumper cables are small, and fit well on the starter post under that boot. Tons of hassle to try to get under the seat and ECM of many touring models.
What brand jump start and model # do you have and cables ?
@@Richard5873 GOOLOO Upgraded GP3000 Jump Starter 3000A Peak Car Starter (Up to 9L Gas or 7L Diesel Engine) 12V Jump Box Auto Lithium Battery Booster SuperSafe Portable Power Pack with USB Quick Charge, Type-C Port. Best on the market. I have 3 of them. Charges via USB - C phone charger. Cranks just about everything. Power bank also charges phones, powers usb items, too.
This was worth a subscription, very ingenious!
Thanks for your support Fernando…Doc
Simple answer: Locate non-starting Hardley on edge of high cliff. Push! It still won't start but you won't care any longer.
Night time stand up comedian….Doc
Hey Doc, I was fortunate to have watched this video last month when my battery died at auto zone. thanks
Thanks Doc! I think this is brilliant, thanks Omar for this idea.
Thanks for tuning in and posting….Doc
Thanks Buddy…was always wondering about that
What a great idea. Thank Omar for us!
Doc that is a very good idea there, might want to make the curve for the stud slightly smaller but if it works go for it. On my Oldwing, well that is what we call it as it is 30 years old, we can access the positive cable relatively easily. Yes I did exactly as you noted, had to jump it to get it going as had a bad case of HUA, Head Up -ss, and it worked fine. Some people cringed but hey it worked. As for the Damn BMW, either you make an emergency pigtail and install it when you change the battery. Yep again HUA, and on the BMW made a short 10 gauge leads off of the battery to a homemade nylon hookup point. I guess I have to much time on my hands and a shop full of toys. You can't jump it but you can charge it at a rather healthy rate if needed. I use this as a place to slow charge the battery. Change the battery out on a Oil Head BMW 01, ONE, Uno time and you will see just how over-engineered and under-thought-out Germans can be, either that or they are still trying to get even with the Allies for those 2 disagreements some years back.
A great story, thanks for sharing…Doc
I took the auto train from Sanford, Fl to Washington DC. I remembered to put my bike in transport mode before it was loaded on the train so when I arrived I was good to go. Unfortunately several others had not done the same and had dead batteries. I had a small booster pack and spent the next 2 hours jumping motorcycles.
Now THATs a Story👍……Doc
I can’t understand why Harley Davidson doesn’t install a jumpstart pigtail like they do the charging tender pigtail. NOCO makes one, easy, safe and cheap. NOCO makes the HD branded chargers and jumper already. The jumper pigtail plugs right into the jump box. It’s just a fact of life your going to have a dead battery on the road at some time with a machine no matter how well you take care of your battery. Having to disassemble half of the bike to jumpstart it is ridiculous and could be impossible requiring a tow truck instead of a jumpstart. I have the NOCO jump pigtail on both my Softails.
Would you Email me photos of your set up?…..Doc
You are talking about the same company that doesn't put heel/toe shifter on $40K bikes. They are probably trying to figure out how to sell big twins with one cylinder and then raising the price for their new weight saving package.
Hi Doc, another great vid. I have a 2018 lowrider, got it new. It has 60 g's miles on her. Doc when should I get a new battery, she's runnin great now.
A Harley-Davidson battery could be good up to 4 years. Understand each year after installation the battery will loose a percentage of CCA. First year no problem. Second year a little less by the end of the 3rd year it would be well to start budgeting for a new one. Mileage only counts if you make a lot of very in town short trips or you have a lot of accessories draining the battery. The life of a battery is extended with a smart battery tender….Doc
Yeah, I just jumped my son's bike a few days, ago. I used an adjustable wrench I had in my bike tool bag. The taped up tubing would have made me feel better about not blowing a fuse.
Good Idea. I installed an EC5 to O ring cable extension to the pos and negative to the battery. The cable extensions get connected to the jump starter pack.
Thanks for the tip!…..Doc
Thanks Doc! I like the out of the box thinking👍🏻
Excellent idea Doc - thank you for sharing this.
This is such a great series. Thank you Doc.
Ahhh man thanks.
FLH 2009 is a pain to get to the battery.
I will absolutely make this tool.
Thanks Doc for the great tip. I'm going to make one of tools to carry. You never know when you or someone else might need a jump. Happy New Year!!
Right on Brad…Doc
Good procedure never really thought of it on my Road glide. What I did was make an 8 gauge charge jump harness that goes directly to the battery all silver soldered terminals and on the other end I soldered a heavy charging plug same as the charging configuration. Then I cut my 8 gauge Polar Jumpers and soldered and shrunk tubed the end of my Jumpers but also soldered another plug on the other end so I can just use them conventionally as well. I hard mounted the bike side plug with a clamp. Charge and Jump.
Well done sir…..Doc
Ii would like to see photos .
Great idea! also if you have a buddy or a hill you can push start it on 2nd gear
Dead/weak battery may not start the fuel pump on fuel injected bikes.
It will start easier in the highest gear you can get it in.
Made one of these many years ago and keep in my sidebag, neevr had to use it, but Ive made several for firends to keep with them as well.
Hey Doc! I just watched a video of yours that was 8 years ago. What I really need to know, and would appreciate, is what vitamins are you taking? You haven’t aged a lick in all that time!!!
I really enjoy and appreciate you taking the time to make these videos!
It is every day contact with HD 20-50.😬….Doc
😂
Most battery tenders come with a couple of attachments. One is a plug that fits into the charging plug that is connected to your battery. If you use the optional one that clamps onto the positive and negative terminal s. You can plug that into the bike’s connection. Now you can take a portable jumper to the positive cable and ground the negative cable. It will get you going! Ride safe wind brothers/ sisters.
Those leads will not handle the amperage needed to jump start a bike….Doc
Great tip! Yes, batteries have a lot of instantaneous energy which must be respected, arc welding. Be careful of wedding ring or necklace. Explosive hydrogen gas and acid all bad. I replaced all my lead acid batteries with lithium Iron batteries. Worth the upgrade especially with increased CCA of lithium batteries and large bore bikes.
Brilliant. I have some copper tubing that would work great for this.
like the FXR behind you. Cheers from Australia.
A true Master Mechanic ! Doc Harley!
Thank you….Doc
It’s safe to do as long as the vehicle is engine off. I use a jump box and it works fine…for the Lithium folks, just warm up the battery if possible and wake it up first before jumping. If it’s cold, then jumping Lithium sucks regardless.
Great tip doc .
What i do is ( on my fat Boy ) take off the saddle and connect my power pack to the battery and just leave it about 15 mins. Then i disconnnect it and 9 times out 10 it will start.If not i then connect it back on and start it while its still connected.
Great tool Doc. Thank for sharing.
Good idea Omar!, good on Doc for sharing it!
Glad you liked it Buck….Doc
Clever little tool/ trick!
2020 Softail Lowrider S, I just made and ran an insulated jumper cable from the positive on my battery over the top to behind the right side cover and have tie-wrapped it in there. So if needed I just remove the right cover and there it is.
Well done sir👍…..Doc
If you are that worried about jumping your bike just add another accessible cable with a cap. Kinda like a battery tender setup.
Hey that's a great idea.. also I can't remember the name brand. Bot there is a jump pack / charger that uses the tuck away connector from a trickle charger
Hay Doc, that is a great ideal. I made one but I cut a rectangle slot in the end that goes to the starter it is less likely to slip off. Just an update to the original ideal.
Doc, You ROCK! Thanks again! 🙌
I appreciate your support 👍…Doc
Thats a Good Video Doc, in 2008 I got the 1995 FLHR the Battery under my seat the bolts under the fender above the tire. only way to jump the bike is off the Starter. and im Lucky I have grand Kids that can stick there hand up to the nuts with a 9/16 wrench to remove the seat or the tire has to come off . Shame Harley Davidson did not weld the nuts to the fender .
That’s a tough spot for sure…Doc
Flathead screwdriver does the job just fine for years for years already.
Is the body of the starter grounded? If so you need to be really careful with your 'probe' not to accidentally link stud to body.
Excellent Tech Tip! Yes the body of the starter is grounded…..Doc
So I asked this question to you a few months ago:
You should make also a video showing the Harley battery pack that you can use to jump start the bike and how it can be attached to the starter and not the battery. Also note that if you have a Lithium battery, this battery pack is not recommended.
Your answer:
Good points Eric. In my opinion, I would rather take the time to jump at the battery....Doc
I shared this with alot of people including a motor officer and he said he jumps from the starter stud all the time and everyone else does not know why you consider it so dangerous? Thanks for posting the new video.
Hello Eric, I think the idea of having a live buzz bar (the copper pipe) just held in place by hand pressure and a groove is by far the more risky way to jump start your bike than clamping onto battery terminals but do appreciate that access to the battery on many models is a real pain. I have a 2014 Ultra Limited and the term Limited can be applied to battery access.......... ride safe one and all.
@@ianrobertsonRR1 Yes, when I spoke to a Motor Officer he said he uses his jump pack on the starter stud all the time. He said if he had to jump from the battery itself, it would take 20 minutes!
Jumping a Harley with a fully discharged battery will blow your stator and voltage regulator as soon as you remove the jumper cable connection from the running bike. The dead battery will look like a short and cause high current flow which will burn the stator up. The voltage regulator usually overheats as well.
The proper way is to let the jump vehicle (or box) charge the bikes battery until the bike will start WITHOUT the jumpers connected. This takes time. Either wait and get the dead battery charged enough so it doesn't overload the charging system or just jump it off and blow your charging system. Your choice. Just remember, if the bike can crank in it's own, it's safe to run.
Interesting facts. Thanks for posting….Doc
Thank you Doc, that was some valuable information .
I think it’s also important to note any differences between jumping an AGM battery versus a LiFE battery.
Best Q of the DaY✌🏻❤️🇨🇦🎄☕️
Just saying a battery explodes in your area is subsonic disaster with hot acid and skin burns too BooT. And scraps of battery case 😨
why can't you boost it from the SAE pigtail that hangs out from the battery compartment?
That wire can’t handle the high amps it take to move a dead battery….Doc
Great idea! Couple things to improve maybe. You can drill the hole in end then cut half the hole off instead off filing. Try heat shrink tube instead of electrical tape. Also, the current capacity of the copper should be more than adequate so I wouldn’t worry too much about heating up during use
Very good improvements….Doc
I like that.
Thanks from Conway, SC
great idea, that will fit in the tool bag!
Voice of experience rules! Thanks Doc.
Thank you Mark….Doc
...But you are endorsing it. I'll make me one tomorrow. Great idea. I would think you would want to hold the tool tightly to the starter stud to ensure a good contact.
Thanks doc. U look good. Man. Have a great holiday. Great work
Brilliant idea Doc
Thank you. Just passing on someone else great idea….Doc
Deep down in your heart, “sparks” are what makes it work. Smart not to mix up your sparks.
Great tip, thanks Doc! Happy 2023!
Maybe it’s just me but my bike does set a lot and when I do plan to ride or think there’s a good chance I will have that opportunity, I just put the dang thing on my smart charger till it’s showing a full charge. I will throw this out there but it was news to me that my battery would not hold as good of a charge with the keyless security system. That little red blinking light reminds me of a heart beat. And seems to slow as my battery depletes. Now this may not be news around there but I’m in Arkansas and we are 20 yrs behind lol.
😆….Doc
I have a battery charger/tender that allows me to connect a "pig tail" to the battery posts and are external to ""connect" to the charger. The unit comes with a pair of clamps to "connect" to battery for bench charging. I tried to jump start my Heritage Classic by connecting the pair of clamps so I can connect to jumper cables. I learned that the polarity is reversed in this manner and the clamps polarity should be reversed in this situation. I hope this helps somebody.
Thanks for sharing…Doc
Put it on starter. Then the positive. No chance of sparking on the way in from what is not taped. Thanks doc
Right on Doc. Tip of the year. Great Video as all ways.
Thinking that if you make a small semi-circle at the end of contact, it may have a little snap on effect onto the stud. More surface contact, and a little more insurance.
I've got a jumper box I carry and just plug it in through the battery tender cable. Just pay attention to polarity. Does the trick, nothing to disconnect or covers to pull
I don’t see how this is possible. Battery tender leads were never designed to handle a jump box….Doc
Hey Doc! Thanks for the reply. So I use a short SAE cable that plugs into the tender cable. The one I have came from a portable air compressor and has red and black clamps. The polarity is wrong in that case, but you could use any SAE cable. My jump box has clamps, as well as a protection system. It won't send juice until the polarity is correct. Works fine to get it home.
Side note, my portable air compressor has the same SAE cable on it too. It plugs in right in the tender cable if I need to air up. Barely use it as I keep it checked at home, but nice as a backup plan
I have always been a fan of your videos but this has to be one of my favorites! Thanks for yet again another useful piece of information!
Wow, thank you Seth….Doc
Great Idea thank you for sharing it Doc
Thanks Doc. Great tip indeed.
I've been charging with that stud since I got my bike..... Thanks for letting me know I'm not screwing up😅.... I don't jumpstart my bike either.... Charge check and replace if necessary... Thanks doc
Doc, you are the best!
Not even close but appreciate your post…Doc
Hi Doc, I haven't tried this yet, but I took a battery tender cable and cut it off, 1 wire 3 inches longer than the other, rimped 7:27 metal connector on the bare wires left the original plug on the other end. My thought was I could plug this adapter into a tender cable already connected to the battery and jump start the bike that way. Now after this video, I have doubt that it's a good idea. What do you think, plausible, or just throw the little pig tail away?
For the purpose of jump starting.. throw it away….Doc
LOVE YOUR VIDIOS, WHERE IS THE WIRE CONNECTOR FOR THE FRONT FENDER LIGHT ON MY 2015 HARLEY TRIKE ???
THANK YOU GREAT WORK
Usually on the left side of the inner fairing…Doc
Great tool Doc, Defo one for the saddlebag👍
Hay Doc, that is a great ideal... I'm going to make one for my son and me. We have Street Glide Specials and it's hard to get to the battery. Thanks and have a great New Year...
Love your work Doc 💪
Keep Living the F#@KING Dream ❗
Safe travels 🙏♥️🐾🐾🇦🇺
Wishing you a fine New Year . I have bungee corded a yard stick across my bars sorta stuck thru control cables and brake line,
of course I checked to not obstruct anything. Be well.
Thank you for your blessing and ingenuity…Doc
I would think as soon as you touch that starter with a hot wire (and the starter is ground) she will turn over without hitting the starter button?
Two separate circuits. Top nut is power coming in. Not a direct connection to the starter solenoid…..Doc
Another great tip Doc. I think I’ll make one for my police road King
Doc how about a video on battery cables? Should you change them out on a regular intervals. Upgrade to aftermarket? Battery cable life?
Steve there is no “regular” time to replace. You could check with an ohm meter and wiggle test when you want. The most important is clean tight connections at both ends….Doc
Tip for the jump bar
great video Doc....thanks mate
Great idea... I have a booster that has an adapter attached to the battery. Easy access for the booster. Much safer option :-)
Great tip….Doc
Great info DOC
Thanks for watching….Doc