[maximilian]

Stranded today with a dead battery (left the ignition on and forgot). Anyway, called AAA to get a quick jump and was told the following (basically): "we don't offer jump start service to motorcycles because their batteries are different from car batteries". I then stopped her (as she was saying something every bit as dumb as claiming 4+4=banana), and explained that all 12v batteries are the same. There is no difference (for the purpose of the discussion here) between one in a car vs a motorcycle.....or even a flashlight. She got very condescending and said that she'd be happy to explain to me how car and motorcyle batteries are different. :green_lol::green_lol::green_lol: Let me guess, a blue car also can not jump start a red car because they are "totally different" too?

Finally ended up getting a jump start from a friend (wow! and it was a car too!!). But....GOODBYE AAA! Thanks for absolutely nothing. Guess I should have read the fine print.

 

[jokermtb]

Joining the AMA gets you roadside help, kinda like AAA, but they will jumpstart your moto.

 

[maximilian]

Joining the AMA gets you roadside help, kinda like AAA, but they will jumpstart your moto.

Thansk. MY AAA is up this month. All these year paying for "Premier" plus "RV Coverage".......and this is what I get. F AAA. Granted, I guess it's in the rules.....but who would even think this to be possible?

Thanks for the tip. AMA it is, first thing Monday!

 

[jonmorehouse]

devil's advocate

bike batteries usually are not different than car batteries (more likely to be AGM or gel due to vibes and size) but hooking a powerful battery to a small dead battery has potential to be a problem. discharged batteries are more likely to be damaged batteries, dead and/or damaged batteries have the potential to draw a lot of current. what's the highest current you'd consider charging your bike battery? does it get hot at 10 amps? how much do you think it can pull from a car sized battery or jumper pack?

in reality that's why there's such a thing as a waiver. sign here and we'll jump your bike off you go...

 

[chicago]

That policy does seem strange. In the past I've jump started my motorcycle with my car.

 

[maximilian]

bike batteries usually are not different than car batteries (more likely to be AGM or gel due to vibes and size) but hooking a powerful battery to a small dead battery has potential to be a problem. discharged batteries are more likely to be damaged batteries, dead and/or damaged batteries have the potential to draw a lot of current. what's the highest current you'd consider charging your bike battery? does it get hot at 10 amps? how much do you think it can pull from a car sized battery or jumper pack?

in reality that's why there's such a thing as a waiver. sign here and we'll jump your bike off you go...

well, assuming they are operating on "the dead battery could be damaged" (aka shorted).....which could create a load; then the same exact problem would exist for a car battery. In reality, there is ZERO difference between a car and motorcycle battery (assuming both are 12v nominal). ZERO

It is a VERY odd policy; but, they must feel like motorcycles don't mean a thing to their business. Just like how they charge much more to tow a motorycle vs a car. Okay with me if that's their business strategy and they don't give a rats a$$ about cycles.... but, that's what insurance companies used to say too. Now, they all are tripping over their d*$ks to get that segment.

 

[gsinpei]

I guess I would have tried to push start it.

 

[griffin800]

jump starts

Most towing places don't hook up the tow vehicle's battery to the battery of the one with the dead battery, they use a jump starter that can damage a bikes wiring system though it shouldn't hurt the battery.

There are towing companies specially for bikes, if you're going to use one, might try one that actually is comfy working on bikes.

MTS is one.

Bill H.

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

C'mon, it's the American Automobile Association, you expectations were higher than Charlie Sheen at an Bang Bros, movie premier after party.

In the future you shopuld make a point to forget to turn the bike off only at the top of a hill, don't blame a placebo for your headache.

 

[garandman]

I belong to AAA only because the discounts I get on hotels, museums etc exceeds the yearly cost.

Used to book hotels through their website but now they've started charging $3.50 for the privilege. No, thanks.

 

[towre2]

I have never tried but have been told a FI bike cannot be push started. What's the deal on this?

I guess I would have tried to push start it.

 

[Bender]

You need to run the fuel pump to build fuel pressure before it will start.

 

[towre2]

So how does the fuel pump "run" when battery is dead?

You need to run the fuel pump to build fuel pressure before it will start.

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

I have never tried but have been told a FI bike cannot be push started. What's the deal on this?

I know that it can be done with a not-quite-dead-yet battery.

If been foolish enough to have learned this on more than a few occasions.

 

[chicago]

I find the maps/campbooks/campground maps for California available at AAA useful. The campground maps show BLM and National Forest, US Army Corps, County, State, and private campgrounds and I get a small discount at motels but I do pay extra for the RV option and I will reconsider this. One solution may be to carry a small set of motorcycle jumper cables.
I belong to AMA so one solution is to go on their auto renew and then you have their roadside assistance.

AAA did bring me fuel for my bike once when the gas station I stopped at had issues. It was in a kind of remote area and they came from 60 miles away. I just left my bike at the pump and went in for breakfast (Roy's Cafe in Amboy on old route 66) They brought me 3 gallons right to my bike at the fuel pump.
I don't think the delivery person was amused. A small hose or siphon and the generous local people would have solved that too.

 

[Jimding]

Jumping

I'm guessing with a good set of jumper cables, a dead bike battery, and a fully charged jumping battery you might see 30 or 40 amps charging current, and potentially some interesting voltage spikes depending on the circuitry on the bike and the jumping vehicle. While that won't always causes problems, it will sometimes. Probably safer to disconnect the battery from the bike, hook it up to a 10 amp charger or so, keeping close watch on the battery temp, and try to start it when the battery is charged. As to starting a FI bike with a 'dead' battery, there's quite a power gap between being too 'dead' to turn the bike over and being totally dead (as in 0 volts). If the Suzuki engineers were on their game, the FI should be able to run on quite a bit less voltage (like 8 or 9 volts). A dead cell will give you around 10 volts, and very little cranking amperage. But for a lower current draw (like the FI) it would probably suffice. So you could bump-start the bike in that case. On the other hand, if you left the key on and the headlghts drained the battery, you are probably out of luck.

 

[Byronw]

I carry a set of motorcycle (small) jumper cables in the bottom of my saddlebag, I'd hope to have another bike stop if/when I find myself in that spot. I've already used them a few times, on other stranded bikes.

 

[Bender]

So how does the fuel pump "run" when battery is dead?

It doesn't ....that is the problem.:headbang:

 

[campsitepoacher]

AAA

Man, I 'gotta check into this. I've been with AAA for many years. I think I started when I had a VW bus back in early 80's. I've used it a few times for various automobile situations but never for the bike (which is why I carry the very expensive RV+ upgrade plan).

 

[BabaAus]

A little fibbing goes a long way...

I had to laugh when I read the start of this thread due to similar experiences.

My previous bike had a sluggish battery but I figured an hour of riding would charge it back up. When I pulled off the road into a dirt parking area to take a leak and have a smoke, I was dismayed when I couldn't start it back up. So when I called AAA, I told them I was driving a silver Hyundai sedan BECAUSE it was parked nearby and I figured it would be easier for the AAA driver to spot than my motorcycle. After waiting a half hour, the driver of the Hyundai emerges from the woods with fishing gear in-hand, loads up his trunk and -wouldn't you know it? - drives away leaving me alone in the dark waiting for the AAA guy. Fifteen minutes later, here comes the AAA ramp truck which pulls in right next to me. Driver hops out, hooks his battery pack up to my battery and bike starts up. He's there and gone in five minutes.

So the next day at work, I'm telling my know-it-all boss about it and HE says "Oh yeah. AAA membership covers everything: cars, boats, motorcycles..."
The following Saturday (and I STILL haven't replaced the battery!), I throw caution to the wind, get the bike started and go out riding with the intention of NOT turning off the engine. Needless to say, I manage to stall the damn thing at an uphill approach to a stop sign and I can't get it started. So THIS time I call AAA and tell them I've got a red Honda motorcycle that needs a jump start and they inform me that AAA doesn't "do motorcycles". I explain to them what had happened the previous week and they say that "if we'd KNOWN you were calling about a motorcycle, we wouldn't have sent out the driver". End of call.

Soooo, I wait about a half hour and call AAA back ASSUMING that my telephone call is being taken at a BIG call center. WRONG! So I'm telling the operator that my red Honda SEDAN needs a jump start and she replies 'Didn't you call just a while ago? We DON'T do motorcycles!". BUMMER! End of call.

Sooooooo, I'm about to push my bike into the woods, lock her up and start walking and figured I'd give the battery one my try and...it started up! Thank you, Jesus!!! Bought a new battery the next day.

It seems to me I recently read here, somewhere, that AAA now offers motorcycle coverage on the regular automobile plan for an extra $35.00+/- a year. I need to check that out.