Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Congrats, that's a nice feeling I still remember all these years later. Now the fun begins!

Congratulations! Well done.

Looking forward to the Translap pics.

Yusss, that’s a great feeling for sure! Congratulations. Let the rest of the summer be one of the best you’ll ever have.

Congrats and happy new bike day.

Nice one!

My first bike after passing was a (700) Transalp.

My battery is dead, I stuck it on the optimate and it is still dead and optimate gives the warning symbol. Anything I can do to revive it? Dont really have 60eur spare for new one.

I could jump start it, as I live at the top of a bighill. But if it won't start then I'm up shit creak

the only luck I've had with this stuff is using an ancient battery charger with no regulatory tech in it, and dr frankenstein-shocking the battery back into being

Agreed. Someone else tried it using a Lithium-specific charger which boosts differently.

Is the battery sealed?

No it was filled. Yuasa YT7B-BS

Do you have access to a jump start battery?
If not, take the battery out and try charging again, that way all the charge is hitting the battery and not being bled away by any parasitic drain. This is what I needed to do with the car if it stood for more than six months unused (I used to live overseas so this was a common thing for me until I got a jump start battery).

Does it look like this?
so is a lead acid battery.

These kind are transported dry and you fill with acid. https://youtu.be/JMUVTnKiFxA

Shows how they are filled and sealed but can be unsealed to access the chambers.

What does the charger look like?

Firstly, can you get battery acid cheaply and easily and secondly do you have a multimeter? Note that you maybe on a highway to no where.

With the multimeter check the battery voltage, if it is below 9v then a cell has an issue. These batteries are 6 cell. So open up and see if there is a cell or cells low on fluid.

If the cells aren't low, the fluid covers the plates probably a cell has gone down. Sometimes more life can be restored by emptying the battery and rinsing out the cells with deionised water to clean out and debris from cell degradation. Then refill with fresh acid.

Probably easier and cheaper to buy battery.

Would the car work?

I have taken it out, actually i read the optimate manual and they advised that too.

Thanks.

Multi says 11.92 so not totally dead at all. Maybe just needs a jump then optimate will work.

No dodgy cells then, now I wonder why the optimate won't charge it.

Runnin
Running. Car battery started it.

Will leave it to run for a bit then try charge off optimate again

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Also shamefully I realised the last time I rode it was on salty roads and forgot to clean it, having broken my leg the following day and not looked at it since.

Idle may not be enough to put extra charge in the battery on a thumper but at least it’ll get the fuel moving.

Edit: I also love just how much abuse it has had since you bought it. Well used, prrfect.

Hopefully picking up a Transalp 600 next week.

Well done and great choice on the Transalp. I was deeply torn between Transalp 600 and the XTZ750 I ended up going with after passing test but I definitely do still fancy a Transalp.

If you're after a first gen XL 600V you want to be looking out for a 1989/1990 model as they're 55bhp instead of 50bhp... only those two years for some reason.

This one by Yann Bakonyi of Viba is delish.

Love this one I found on Pinterest too...

How long was it on the optimate for?

Probably not applicable to you but sometimes taking the battery off the bike and charging indoors in a more stable temp works better. But that's more for cold than hot.

Days.

Cheers @pdlouche it could do with a bit of tlc but many things to do

Car was fine (Honda) once the battery was charged or jumped. If jumping it needed a long run, like a couple of hours up the motorway long.

I'd try and go for a decent ride - maybe an hour(?). Then Optimate it for 48hrs.

My hunch is it's fucked. But that should give you your best shot.

Are there any know issues like it requiring high cranking amps? My Triumph has this so as a workaround I put a manual button on the starter which has worked provided there is a half decent amount of juice.

I wouldn't use the bike for the fear of the bike not starting again.

I'd check the charging system. As it would be on my mind. Do you have a dumb charger that you could use.

If anyone ‘on here’ was riding through Crystal Palace with pillion this evening and gave me a tow - thanks, got the KOM.