Ever Killed the Battery?

[JetJock]

Well yesterday I did a lunch run, park in front of the office in gear, kickstand down, killing the engine and walk on in.

EXCEPT, I forgot to turn the big damn key! Two hours later, the bike is dead as a rock and I'm discovering just how tight the factory screws the battery cover allens in place. Sheesh!

Anyhow, am I the only one who suffers from brain fade? KiPass should have a way to alert us that things aren't switched off ALL the way.

[stewart]

Yep, did this at a Subway once and never again learnt my lesson.

I was lucky yo have enough charge to be able to roll start it.

There is a mod to add a buzzer...someone might be able to re-post.

[Bourne2Ride]

My bike is a 2011 with 3900 miles on her so I haven't had much time to kill anything. No farkles or changes, she's bone stock.

[So Cal Joe]

Never have yet, I guess some kill it by turning the bike off using the kill switch, and then forget to turn the ignition switch off.  I use the ignition to shut the bike down,.

[C1xRider]

Well, if the big red light on the dash, the LCD information still showing, or the headlight and tail light being on didn't alert you, what else do you want?

I guess they could make the horn start honking if the FOB goes out of range or something.     I'm not sure I want my bike to be that needy though. 

I've had a dead battery on mine before, but only from sitting over the winter, never by leaving the key on.

[Tom J.]

Stewart,
How hard is it to "roll start" the C14?  Did you have a hill or help?  I imagine it would be a handful otherwise.

[maxtog]

Well yesterday I did a lunch run, park in front of the office in gear, kickstand down, killing the engine and walk on in.

You should get in the habit of always using the key to turn off the engine

EXCEPT, I forgot to turn the big damn key! Two hours later, the bike is dead as a rock and I'm discovering just how tight the factory screws the battery cover allens in place.

INCREDIBLY tight, as I found out last week when trying to add the horn wiring.  I was shocked at just how difficult it is to access the battery on this sucker.

[Bob]

I just about always turn the bike off with the kill switch, then immediately turn off the ignition switch. So I personally have never left the key on and killed the battery. But I can see how some would, since the key stays in the ignition on the C14.
 There is a little work around that I think BDF came up with years back now. It's basiclly a buzzer that goes off when the key is on without the motor running. This may solve your problem. Maybe Brian will be along with the particulars of his mod!

[Kazairl]

Did it once at my house.  Left the key on overnight and killed it. Luckily the PO had had a Battery Tender lead installed. But #1 I don't have a battery tender and #2 they charge at like .75 Amps or something.

 So I rigged up a couple 14 gauge wires and wrapped one around the exposed post and stuffed the other one into the other hole and clamped the charger cables to them. On The low setting it charges at 2 amps. Worked pretty good.

[B.D.F.]

I have not killed the battery that way but have left the ign. on a bunch of times. I got lucky in that I was not gone all that long so the battery did not drain but I thought it was inevitable so I conjured up a warning buzzer that sounds whenever the headlights are on and the fuel pump is off- these conditions are ONLY met after the bike has been started and shut off and the ign. switch is left on.

Fred H. came up with an improvement to make it even easier to install than my original method and his method is documented here: http://cog-online.org/clubportal/clubstatic.cfm?clubID=1328&pubmenuoptID=29563

My only suggestion would be to not take apart the wiring connector as Fred and simply cut and splice the new wires into the harness by soldering them in.

All parts are readily available from Radio Shack and only cost a few dollars.

I thought the bike would come from the factory by now with a buzzer built in but I guess as motorcycles do not have buzzers, Kawasaki has not added one to the C-14 either.

Brian

Well yesterday I did a lunch run, park in front of the office in gear, kickstand down, killing the engine and walk on in.

EXCEPT, I forgot to turn the big damn key! Two hours later, the bike is dead as a rock and I'm discovering just how tight the factory screws the battery cover allens in place. Sheesh!

Anyhow, am I the only one who suffers from brain fade? KiPass should have a way to alert us that things aren't switched off ALL the way.

[stewart]

Stewart,
How hard is it to "roll start" the C14?  Did you have a hill or help?  I imagine it would be a handful otherwise.

I had a very mild hill and a brother in-law who helped push. If I was on my own, or no helpful passer by, then I would have been s%hit out of luck.

[manowarwi]

Never have yet, I guess some kill it by turning the bike off using the kill switch, and then forget to turn the ignition switch off.  I use the ignition to shut the bike down,.

+1 I've always turned off my bikes using the ignition switch.  I'm sure there are many reasons to have a separate kill switch, but so far I haven't found a use for it besides knowing its there for an emergency.

[Jaxter]

So that's what that red button does...I grew up on bikes without a kill switch, so I have always been in the habit of using the key.

[maxtog]

+1 I've always turned off my bikes using the ignition switch.  I'm sure there are many reasons to have a separate kill switch, but so far I haven't found a use for it besides knowing its there for an emergency.

Yep.  The kill switch is there for an emergency only.  It really should not be used to turn off the bike under normal use.  And probably the best reason not to do so is what this thread is all about.

If you always use the ignition switch (key) to turn off the bike, you will never accidentally leave the bike "on".

[maxtog]

I just about always turn the bike off with the kill switch, then immediately turn off the ignition switch. So I personally have never left the key on and killed the battery. But I can see how some would, since the key stays in the ignition on the C14.
 There is a little work around that I think BDF came up with years back now. It's basiclly a buzzer that goes off when the key is on without the motor running. This may solve your problem. Maybe Brian will be along with the particulars of his mod!

Just don't do that, and you won't need a buzzer!  Problem solved! 

[marku8a]

Interesting conversation. I use the kill switch often. It’s probably a habit from riding MX/dirt bikes. This is the heaviest bike I have owned. When parking or stopping on a slope I like to have both hands on the grips while shutting down so I can catch it if something didn’t go as planned. Trying to stay out of the droppers club! I have been guilty of not turning to off as well. Buzzer going in soon! Thanks B.D.F.

Mark

[ZG]

I use the kill switch when I get gas, otherwise my H.A.R.D radar system (that's plugged into the oem cigarette lighter plug) resets and I have to turn my radar detector back on. When i get somewhere and get off my bike I always just turn the key off. I can't imagine trying to push start this bohemoth unless I was on a down hill... 

[lt1]

I only killed the batt once, thanks to Brian & Fred.  It wasn't long after BDF had posted up his little fix, and I figured it would never happen to me.  Fortunately, some kind travelers in a motorhome gave me a jump, and the battery was up to a full charge after about 15 miles.

The mod is easy, cheap, and useful.  If you never use the sidestand or kill switch to shut off the bike, fine.  One "I told you so." is sufficient.  We all do things for our own reasons. 

[VirginiaJim]

+1 I've always turned off my bikes using the ignition switch.  I'm sure there are many reasons to have a separate kill switch, but so far I haven't found a use for it besides knowing its there for an emergency.

I've always thought it was there for entertainment purposes for group rides...

[Bob]

Just don't do that, and you won't need a buzzer!  Problem solved! 

I personally never needed the buzzer. I shut off the bike with the kill switch, and immediately turn the key off. It's conditioning! I do it that way every-time. I've never left the key on when I didn't want to.
 I use the kill switch to keep myself trained for instinct. If an emergency arises, my instinct may be to shut the bike down without having to think about it. Like anything, training yourself to do things certain ways, creates instincts that take over. So I personally never had a problem shutting off the key (even if I don't use someone else's approved methods!). My problem with the C14 was only and always trying to get the key switch to actually turn on!