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Battery eliminator? capacitor?

  • Thread starter Thread starter sark
  • Start date Start date
At first, I guess that your bike has a kickstart? Anyway, I doubt that you can get the engine started without a battery. Most likely the generator doesn't produce enough current for ignition before it spins at normal idle speed.
 
Battery eliminators are for bikes with self powered ignition systems.
The GS have battery ignition. Kind of won't work to well without a battery.
 
I did this with my old Triumph. Its a good question of you could get enough power out of the GS's generator while kick starting it to fire the bike. It's been so long since I have even owned a bike with a kick start, I would hate to guess. Time for you to make some measurements.. Post what you find out!
 
trippivot said:
WHY???

What are you trying to achieve?
Click to expand...

Hey take it easy pal. I'm just curious, never said I wanted to do it. Thanks for your thoughtful response though (yes sarcastic).



But for what it's worth, I thought maybe someone could in theory ditch their battery and starter, bump start their bike, and lose maybe 20lbs or so.
 
lecroy said:
I did this with my old Triumph. Its a good question of you could get enough power out of the GS's generator while kick starting it to fire the bike. It's been so long since I have even owned a bike with a kick start, I would hate to guess. Time for you to make some measurements.. Post what you find out!
Click to expand...
i've kicked over my 78 kz400 with no battery. took starting fluid and good timing, though :P
 
My buddy rides a '78 kz400. It takes him a few good kicks (standing off the bike) to get it running, sorta...
 
sark said:
But for what it's worth, I thought maybe someone could in theory ditch their battery and starter, bump start their bike, and lose maybe 20lbs or so.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I guess that if you removed the battery and had to push your bike every time you started it, you would lose 20 pounds rather quickly. :-k

This bike, on the other hand, might lose about 10 or so, due to lack of battery, maybe another 3 or 4 due to lack of starter.
Now, when you accidently kill it trying to take off at an uphill stop light, things will get really exciting. :-\\\

.
 
I happen to have a kickstart bike, and have tried to kickstart it with a LOW battery. Yes, it will work with a low battery, and yes, my leg was black and blue, bloodied and I damn near had a heart attack. I Happen to be PRO kickstarter (they should never have done away with them) but can tell you that a batt eliminator probably wont work. It might, and you might DIE trying to find out too. But I think our ignition system just cant deal with it. However, you'll lose a good 5 lbs by pulling the starter motor :)
 
sark said:
Hey take it easy pal. I'm just curious, never said I wanted to do it. Thanks for your thoughtful response though (yes sarcastic).



But for what it's worth, I thought maybe someone could in theory ditch their battery and starter, bump start their bike, and lose maybe 20lbs or so.
Click to expand...


Forget trimming the weight and focus on adding HP!! LOL
 
i "think" there has been a thread about this....a few years back....search yet?
 
Diet and exercise...

Oh, wait. That wasn't the question.



Mucking around with capacitors isn't the answer. If you are truly committed to the kickstart lifestyle, simply install the smallest 12V SLA battery you can get away with and remove the starter and solenoid. Any good electronics store (that means NOT Radio Shack) should have several SLA (sealed lead acid) batteries to choose from -- they're very common in battery backup systems, rechargeable lanterns, etc.

Make sure the carbs are in perfect tune so it lights up immediately, and you'll be fine.

If you're really dedicated, rig up a switch to kill the lights while you're starting the beast if it doesn't have one already.
 
Did this myself a few years back using a spare Boyer Bransden Power box I had kicking around. Worked fine on my GS550 (attempted to make the lightest GS550 known to man) though lights went a bit dim on TO (only to be expected I suppose).

A mate of mine who knows way more than me about electrics / electronics reckoned he could knock up something similar for a heck of a lot cheaper.
 
bwringer said:
Diet and exercise...

Oh, wait. That wasn't the question.



Mucking around with capacitors isn't the answer. If you are truly committed to the kickstart lifestyle, simply install the smallest 12V SLA battery you can get away with and remove the starter and solenoid. Any good electronics store (that means NOT Radio Shack) should have several SLA (sealed lead acid) batteries to choose from -- they're very common in battery backup systems, rechargeable lanterns, etc.

Make sure the carbs are in perfect tune so it lights up immediately, and you'll be fine.

If you're really dedicated, rig up a switch to kill the lights while you're starting the beast if it doesn't have one already.
Click to expand...




Thanks everyone for th thoughtful responses! Bwringer, I like your idea. If I get bored in the next few weeks (which is likely) I'll give this a go. Thanks!
 
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