Smokey's MC jumper cables.....awesome mod!

I know it isn't a safety tip, but if you are stranded it could get you out of a bind!

Smokey made some jumper cables he made out of some heavy gauge wire and it rolled up into a neat small package. We had....Someone.....I wont say who on the Darkside rally leave their lights on when we ate and came back out and the battery was dead. The only one who had some jumper cables was Smokey....and I'm thinking...hhhmmmmmm how did he keep a set of automotive jumper cables in his bike????? Well he made them and I thought what a neat idea for traveling and out of town hops.

I want him to post the pics on what they look like. Awesome little deal....he even used some alligator clips for the clamps...worked like a champ!...


..................bobby

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I used an 8 gaude wire and alligator clamps to make that set. They were only 4 feet long. After using them I know that they need to be made a little differently. I am looking for some heavy gauge wire with fine strands. I am thinking that somr of that heavy gauge speaker wire will work just fine. I am also going to use a slightly larger clip than the alligators. as the alligators were just not quite big enough to open and hold to the parts we needed to do. I ended up holding them in place to jump that bike. When I get the new set made I will post pics.
Bobby it was big of you not to tell on ___________ for leaving their key on while we ate


See you out there
Smokey

Been there, done that,and got the shirt. I was lucky when it happened to me since I had some help to push start my bike. If you don't know how, you put it in second, sit on it while you have a couple of guys push it (preferably down hill) and once you get to about 5-10 mph you pop the clutch. With the bike having a stater and not an alternator you will only regain the charge to your battery when you move, not when you idle. I have been a trips when a buddy of mine had a bad stater and had to recharge the battery enough to make it back. Since then I found this and have been carrying them with me ever since. Haven't had to use them and hopefully I won't, but when the need arrives I'll have them. Bike Jumpercables

They are roughly 7'x8'

The stinking red button next to the grip has caused many days of dispair in the past. One of the old timers that I used to ride with in Florida told me once that that button is for Emergency Use Only and not to use it. I dont use it any more and the only time that it gives me any trouble is when it gets switched off by goof and the bike wont start. There is a much better outcome when things go that way.

Moon

I did that with the Shadow 750 I had for awhile. Darn thing wouldn't charge back up by riding and we ended up at the dealership getting it recharged. They did it for free and had a nice laugh at my expense. I don't use that stinking red button anymore either.

smokey2255 wrote:I used an 8 gaude wire and alligator clamps to make that set. They were only 4 feet long. After using them I know that they need to be made a little differently. I am looking for some heavy gauge wire with fine strands. I am thinking that somr of that heavy gauge speaker wire will work just fine. I am also going to use a slightly larger clip than the alligators. as the alligators were just not quite big enough to open and hold to the parts we needed to do. I ended up holding them in place to jump that bike. When I get the new set made I will post pics.
Bobby it was big of you not to tell on ___________ for leaving their key on while we ate


See you out there
Smokey

Yes Bobby. Very big of you.

Hye Moon, if you use the proper shutdown and startup procedure you'll never forget to turn the shutoff switch back on before starting the bike. Using it gives the the benefit of shutting down the bike with both hands on the bars, but to each his own

The other benefit is it becomes second nature to use it so if you ever need to shut the bike down quick it won't require any thought.

Sorry, the RiderCoach comes out in me from time to time

George

Okay George, You told us touse the "proper" shutdown and startup technique. How about reminding us that burnt a few brain cells in our younger days just what the "proper" way is.

See you out there
Smokey

Smokey you woke up.....good to have you back with us....

Jerry

gstanfield wrote:Hye Moon, if you use the proper shutdown and startup procedure you'll never forget to turn the shutoff switch back on before starting the bike. Using it gives the the benefit of shutting down the bike with both hands on the bars, but to each his own

The other benefit is it becomes second nature to use it so if you ever need to shut the bike down quick it won't require any thought.

Sorry, the RiderCoach comes out in me from time to time

George

I was going to post the same thing!! Glad you got to it first!

thanks George.

I have my first class to teach this weekend. woohoo!

OK, Sorry for the delay and not giving all the information. In the MSf we teach it in a handy little way to remember.

FINE-C which stands for

F-Fuel (turn it on if you have an on/off valve)
I-Ignition (turn the switch to on)
N-Nuetral
E-Engine cutoff switch (turn it ON)
C- Choke/Clutch (choke if needed, the squeeze the clutch and press the starter button)

The for shutting down always remember THUMB-KEY-VALVE

Thumb-use your thumb to hit the kill switch]
Key-Turn it OFF
Valve-Shut your fuel valve OFF if you have one

You should also always leave the bike in 1st gear when shutting down as this is your parking brake on a bike.

I didn't go through the detailed version as I was afraid it would sound like I was talking down to you fine folks, and I know you all pretty much know how to ride but we all forget the little things over time

Ride safe, ride hard.

George

gstanfield wrote:



I didn't go through the detailed version as I was afraid it would sound like I was talking down to you fine folks, and I know you all pretty much know how to ride but we all forget the little things over time

Ride safe, ride hard.

George

I would say like most folks here I've slept since I took the course and even with the utmost care, I have still forgotten to turn my key when I park with 10-400 bikes. Good thing I can have a good friend of mine sit on my bike and get all those big strapping hardcore bikers to push start it for her. With me on it, they just laugh and tell me to get a Honda..........since most think it's a HondaIndianson or some other mix.

George,

We of course use the same FINE-C method but we use a little different shut down Mnemonic.

We use: Give your bike an EKG.

E - Engine Cutoff Switch
K - KEY
G - Gas Fuel Shutoff Valve

Sometimes different ways work for different folks.

Thanks for sharing the FINE - C method with the group.

I always just use the key to shut mine down. It's right there on the back of the headlight anyway.

The bike has no fuel knob, so no worries there either. (Fuel injected, Automatic reserve)

I'm with moon, I think the red button is only for emergencies.

I've lost count of just how many places I've ahd to park that was on an incline. For me I always leave it in gear, habit I got from driving stick most of my life, but I do use my engine kill switch. Going through the list I see one thing that still isn't listed that should be, where's the kickstand? I pull up to a place, kill the engine using the switch, lower my kick stand, then pull my key, and then turn the fuel off. Most of the time I'm just inside a place long enough to grab a bite to eat and then back on the road again. I keep an eye on my scoot and normally won't leave my keys in unless I'm only going to be there for a very short period of time (say 5-10 minutes).

I guess they figure if you figure the sidestand is pretty much a given, but I've seen people forget it. The nice thing is once someone forgets it once they never seem to forget again

BTW, The above mentioned methods are for starting and shutting down the motorcycle, not parking it and walking off. If you want to get really techinical with the sidestand you also need to add steps for removing the key, turning bars to the left, raising right leg and swinging it over the bike, then turn around. Next put one foot in front of the other repeatedly and alternating as you walk away

(The above remark was all in fun so try not to take offense)

George

Okay, I am offended.




Wait ..... what was I getting pissed at again?

I dismount wrong about 98 percent of the time. I put the bike on the stand then I bail off on the right side. Just seems easier than the left. I mount up on the right sometimes too. Just depends where the bike is sitting.


See you out there
Smokey

smokey2255 wrote:Okay, I am offended.




Wait ..... what was I getting pissed at again?

I dismount wrong about 98 percent of the time. I put the bike on the stand then I bail off on the right side. Just seems easier than the left. I mount up on the right sometimes too. Just depends where the bike is sitting.


See you out there
Smokey

Just depends on how much room ya have sometimes or how the guy after you parked his scoot.

Oh, for the record I wil mount on whatever side I walk up from and dismount according to the situation, I was just stating the "correct" way and the way I have to teach and do in class. never make the mistake of thinking that I actually DO everything I'm supposed to

George

I like to think of it like this, I try to mount and dismount just like I would a horse, normally from the left. If I'm placed in a situation that it's not very sensible to mount/dismount on the left then to the right I go. If I'm really tired then I'll mount/dismount from the left, just to keep any scuff marks in the same pattern.

I find that dismounting on the right I don't scuff it so much. Seem to have more umphh getting the right leg up, or maybe just more room to manuever over there.

See you out there
Smokey

I have a set that I haven't had to use. Made them after running the bike out of gas with a weak battery then running the battery down trying to start. Used a 10 guage drop cord for an airconditioner thats flat and has grooves between the wires, peeled off 1 wire. Used 30 amp clips from Waymart and approx 6 foot of wire. They bundle small and are always on the bike. The clips are near the batteries and all the auto parts places have them too

Bad MOJO getting off on the right......

I hooked a radioshack buzzer from the oil pressure wire to the key on and now, I never forget to turn my key off. At first it really anoyed me, but I don't care, it works.

Sure glad they didn't have all these rules when I started riding .