install a spare battery

Hi all,
I have just found talk of installing a spare battery and was wondering why you would need too?

Now saying that I am having problems with my battery discharging over a few days if not used. If the battery is disconnected it holds it's charge fine. So I am thinking the bike has a parasitic drain I have removed the trunk bulb.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your time.

The bulb is a start, if it continues you could put a meter on the battery get a reading then pull fuses one by one to see if the readings change.

What battery do you have installed? Are there any accessories installed that require 24/7 power? Shori batteries don't last long (2 days max) with parasitic draining of my bike alarm system. That is why I have to keep it on a charger when parked at home. I also keep a compact battery capable of starting an automobile with jumper cables.

Nobody wrote:

I have removed the trunk bulb.

To quote many owner on this forum, that bulb is probably the least useful bit of kit on an otherwise great scooter. It's badly placed, and if you don't make sure the seat is properly latched, it will drain the battery. Leave it out, and buy a flashlight.
A week after I sold my Wing, I found the trunk bulb in a drawer in the garage! Mind you, I did keep the flashlight I kept under the seat.

I run mine with twin batterys connected via a small anderson plug i also have a jumper lead set that has the same anderson plug at one end, handy to have in case a fellow rider needs a jump start it also makes use of a battery that would otherwise be stood on a shelf in the garage

Hi and thank you all for your time. I don't have anything fitted that would drain the battery 100% standard, so can I take it flat batteries are a common problem?

Flat batteries could be a problem , if the best days of your battery has flown the coop .

Nobody wrote:

Hi and thank you all for your time. I don't have anything fitted that would drain the battery 100% standard, so can I take it flat batteries are a common problem?

Not here, normally they have an introductory period where they might growl at you just before they go kaput.

Siataukreg wrote
I run mine with twin batterys connected via a small anderson plug i also have a jumper lead set that has the same anderson plug at one end, handy to have in case a fellow rider needs a jump start it also makes use of a battery that would otherwise be stood on a shelf in the garage


Sounds interesting, was it an easy set-up please.
Kev

So would this be the set up ?

My 2 Cents:
GoonerKev, it looks like the correct setup but I'm wondering why, if the batteries go dead after a couple of days sitting, couldn't some sort of disconnect switch be hooked up to isolate one of the batteries so it wouldn't go dead? If both batteries are under the seat then when it's going to be parked for a few days just disconnect one battery to keep it fully charged until you wanted to ride again. Then just lift the seat and hook up the other battery and ride. The dead/weak battery should charge while riding.
I use a Lithium Ion battery in my SWing and have had it for 3-4 years now with no problems. It weighs 1.75 Lbs and is smaller than a lead acid battery. It cost me just over $100 but broken down to 4 years that's only $25 per year. Two of them could be hooked up and still weigh less than one regular battery.
Just my 2 Cents...

Hi Dale
Yes I have the Motobatt Gel battery on mine which is good, but will put in series the original battery with 2 small Anderson plugs (which Siataukreg) suggests. So can disconnect easier.

You shouldn't need two batteries connected for your Swing. Only reason I keep a backup battery is that I had the stator and rectifier replaced a year ago. Came in handy when my Swing wouldn't start due to a discharged battery. I was out riding about 30 miles from home and after eating ice cream at McDonalds my bike would not start.
A Shori tech said that their battery doesn't do well with alarm systems that require 24/7 power. Their battery delivers a lot of power for a short time and doesn't do well with parasitic draining for more than three days without riding. Had to purchase their battery charger to maintain good starting voltage. Their charger has a store or charge button. One good thing with their charge setting is that it does a cell balance charge.

Easyrider wrote:

(SNIP) Only reason I keep a backup battery is that I had the stator and rectifier replaced a year ago. Came in handy when my Swing wouldn't start due to a discharged battery. I was out riding about 30 miles from home and after eating ice cream at McDonalds my bike would not start.(SNIP)

The reason your bike wouldn’t start then is because the Ice Cream Gods punished you for that alleged ice cream at McDonalds.

McDonalds! Really, you couldn’t have cruised a bit further and stopped at a real ice cream place? Instead you got a karma cone... a McKarma cone.

When Mr Honda designed the Silver Wing if he thought it would need two batteries he would have fitted two.  A Silver Wing should run quite satisfactorily with one battery.  If there is an electrical fault then fitting another battery isn't the answer.  It might be a dud battery, so replace the battery.  If it's another fault causing the drain the answer is to find the fault and fix it.  If anyone feels the need to carry an extra battery it would be better to carry one of the many available mini battery packs that will also power up a phone or other accessory.  And, if you don't need it for yourself you might be able to help another stranded car or motorcycle with a flat battery  

The only reason I will go with this mod is that after about 4-5 days of not riding it, I find that it's drained due to the alarm on it. I also have a power-pack starter in the glove box, and this 2nd battery is for emergencies only, with the other guys I ride out with.

"a McKarma cone"

I thought I had read a thread on this forum somewhere which decreed: 'Don't mess with the electrics on the SW' (apart from taking the under seat bulb out that is).

With my fingers and toes crossed I like to believe that modern battery technology will keep us running. Battery tenders are quite useful.

Now I think of it, my bike started on the 'second' attempt outside McDonalds recently. Most unusual, and I didn't even have ice cream.

Old men farkling again, I needlessly changed the OE Yuasa battery for a new Moto Batt battery after I'd had my Silver Wing for six years because of doom and gloom stuff I'd read on forums For a long period afterwards I'd occasionally charge it up and my battery tester would still show it held a full charge perfectly. Then I lost interest and the Yuasa is in a box in the garage. It's been sat there for about three years now and if I could summon up a flicker of interest I might do it again just to see if it still works.

I really should take it to the recycling centre along with the old battery from the house burglar alarm.

Now why would you faff about with a second battery at all. Nowadays you can easily buy compact power banks similar to mobile/cell phone power banks that have enough charge to start a car or truck with a flat battery, charge up phones and iPads etc many times, and have a bag of accessory leads to charge and start all manner of items.

Just charge it up and put it under the seat with all your other junk, then you could probably ride round for years before you came across a rider with a flat battery.

Because it's MY BIKE and I do what I want with it GRUMPY, and to be honest I don't give a flying Fig what you have in your garage that you like to tell everyone about on your post's. For someone who always slams people for doing what they want on their bikes (adding accessories etc), I find a bit rich........Oh I forgot, you ride the Honda Forza with all the added accessories!!!!!!
Sleep well GRUMPS, end of.

What makes you think I'm anything but amused, (and I am ) You can fritter your pension away adding all the weird junk you like, I really don't care.

Yes I now ride a Honda Forza, and before that I had eight year on my Silver Wing and I had fun touring on it with just the addition of an Airflow screen, legshields and a top box. You've had less than a year, I've yet to read anything about you actually riding it anywhere, but you still need two batteries.

I didn't need to stick cheapo yellow stripes from Halfords on my Silver Wing, or dye the seat a turd brown just to go posing at Box Hill on sunny Sunday's, which I believe is apparently the thing to do in Surrey.

Yes I do have all sorts of junk in in my garage, I unearthed a set of framed Guinness prints signed by the artist Gilbey the other day.  But as I'm now part of recently formed maxi touring group here in York, we're going have a bit of a swap meet and hopefully I'll get rid of some of it.

Since you mentioned my Forza, it's actually pretty basic, just a Givi screen and handguards, a Givi rear rack and top box, and a RAM ball for my sat nav. I don't need anything else.

By the way, the Silver Wing is a maxi scooter not a BIKE.



well, I wish.

Cosmic_Jumper wrote:

Easyrider wrote:

(SNIP) Only reason I keep a backup battery is that I had the stator and rectifier replaced a year ago. Came in handy when my Swing wouldn't start due to a discharged battery. I was out riding about 30 miles from home and after eating ice cream at McDonalds my bike would not start.(SNIP)

The reason your bike wouldn’t start then is because the Ice Cream Gods punished you for that alleged ice cream at McDonalds.

McDonalds! Really, you couldn’t have cruised a bit further and stopped at a real ice cream place? Instead you got a karma cone... a McKarma cone.

Tim,
I was in the town of Haleiwa on the island of Oahu. That town has the famous Matsumoto shave ice. Many a famous person has stopped there for shave ice. I actually ate lunch across of McDonalds at a roadside lunch wagon serving a butter garlic shrimp plate. So much garlic, your body starts smelling like garlic. Oh soooooo good. I always ask for NO garlic butter sauce on my rice. Drove across the street to McDonalds for my dessert.

GoonerKev wrote:

The only reason I will go with this mod is that after about 4-5 days of not riding it, I find that it's drained due to the alarm on it. I also have a power-pack starter in the glove box, and this 2nd battery is for emergencies only, with the other guys I ride out with.

"a McKarma cone"

If you are within reach of a power outlet, get a battery tender. I did and no more problems. Even when I am traveling for months. This March the wife and I will be visiting my youngest daughter whom is having her first child. I had to get a Shori charger because Shori has proprietary connectors. The original battery could last two weeks without charging or riding.

Many thanks Easyrider, I will look into it


Meldrew wrote
Since you mentioned my Forza, it's actually pretty basic, just a Givi screen and handguards, a Givi rear rack and top box, and a RAM ball for my sat nav. I don't need anything else.

You could have MANNERS & RESPECT for other riders Mods.

Interesting, my Forza is fitted with a tracker permanently monitoring it's location to a 24 hour control room somewhere in deepest Lancashire and that doesn't drain the battery.

It would also be interesting to know how the average British motorcycle insurance company views a second battery wired up on a Silver Wing. But it's another get out clause/ excuse for them to to invalidate your insurance cover in the event of and accident, fire etc if you haven't informed them.

My insurance company will be duly informed when and if I do this mod.

What a patently stupid idea, two batteries ? next you'll want a couple of spare wheels as well !! Just do the right thing and check for electrical leaks in your system like checking for losses in your generator or starter motor, that would be a good idea ! And the Forza is not a bad idea for people who can no longer pick up a (MaxiScooter) SW .

GoonerKev wrote:

Many thanks Easyrider, I will look into it


Meldrew wrote
Since you mentioned my Forza, it's actually pretty basic, just a Givi screen and handguards, a Givi rear rack and top box, and a RAM ball for my sat nav. I don't need anything else.

You could have MANNERS & RESPECT for other riders Mods.

Yes I could, but respect usually has to be earned, and you've obviously spit your dummy out and demonstrated your lack of manners by using upper case letters, which is the online equivalent of shouting.

Meldrew, you could have left out the "out", it would have been more "correct". And I agree. Cheers

Its not about the scoot needing a second battery its about using a battery that would otherwise be sat on a shelf doing sod all, using anderson plugs you dont need to have it connected all the time

Siataukreg
Thank you, at least you understand.

Enuf said. 

Topic closed.