TECH
techtips Some tech tips for all of us
By George Mangicaro of Beemers Uber Alles
The care and feeding of motorcycle batteries Let’s start by laying a few battery myths to rest:
Myth: Placing a battery on a concrete floor will cause it to discharge. Reality: This might have been true when the cases were made with Bake- lite or other even more porous mate- rials, but not modern batteries.
Myth: Batteries must be removed for storage and charging. Reality: Again, this dates back to a time when the cases were inferior and prone to failure.
Myth: You should store a battery inside during the winter. Reality: A properly charged lead-acid battery will not freeze until -95ºF. Gel and glass mat batteries are almost as freeze resistant; an Odyssey won’t freeze until -40ºF. Unless you live in a very cold climate, your battery can stay in the bike in an unheated area.
Myth: I must keep my battery on a charger when I am not riding. Reality: If this is true, you have other problems. A battery should be able to start your bike after sitting for several weeks.
Proper maintenance is key to a long
service life for motorcycle batteries, but your bike does not need to be on an electrical leash when it’s not on the road. Most modern bikes are equipped with a battery of appropri- ate size and capacity to start without charging, even if you only ride on the weekends. If your bike will be stored for extended periods of time investing in
54 BMW OWNERS NEWS December 2015
a quality trickle (float) charger is a good idea. Prior to storage, charge the battery fully. When the charger indicates full charge, unplug it. Using a voltmeter, check the battery’s standing voltage; it should be between 12.7 and 12.84 volts (refer to your battery’s owner’s manual for the exact value). If you will be leaving the bike unattended,
disconnect the negative lead (K 1200 LT and CAN Bus bikes should leave the nega- tive attached) and reattach the trickle char- ger. If you will have access to the bike during the storage period, disconnecting the nega- tive lead is not necessary. The charger can be left disconnected as well. Check the voltage on a regular basis and
reattach the charger as needed, keeping the minimum standing voltage in mind. Unplugging the charger will have no dire effects on the battery. The benefits to having a more active role
in your battery’s charging include learning the rate at which your battery actually dis- charges, longer service life from your char- ger, less electricity used, and discouraging rodents from making a nest under your seat. What is connected to your battery and
how it is connected also affects your battery life. The largest gauge wire should be closest to the battery. Using terminals that are close to your battery’s bolt size is also important. All terminals should make good and full contact. If the terminals are oversized, they will not sit correctly and may cause the bolt to loosen. Lack of contact or loose connec- tions will reduce the flow of power to and from your battery.
Stuck fasteners Stuck fasteners can stop a project in its tracks. Dealing with fasteners that do not want to turn can lead to much frustration. Sometimes just one uncooperative bolt can increase the cost of a repair exponentially. Corrosion is the most common culprit.
To free up a corroded fastener will take three basic things: the correct tools, a good penetrating oil and most importantly, patience. Knowing the replacement cost of what the faster is stuck in should give proper motivation to slow down, as what the bolt is stuck in almost always costs more than the stuck bolt. Even the best penetrat- ing oils do not work instantly. The more time allowed for the oil to soak in, the better the results will be. Multiple applications over several days may be required. If penetrating oil does not yield satisfac-
tory results, heat might be the appropriate next step. If you are dealing with a steel bolt in an aluminum bore then heat will work quite well. When applying heat to a stuck fastener, do not use open flames. Also look around to see if any wire or plastic is near the area to be heated, as even a focused-tip heat gun has a heating radius of several inches. If plastic or wire is in the area, use some sort of shield to protect anything that might melt. Any surface oil should be cleaned off and the cleaner allowed to flash off before heating. Periodically attempt to turn the fastener, slowly, until the heat does its work. If you are faced with a bolt that is holding
a plastic piece on, then obviously heat can- not be used. Plastic engine protectors on R 259 boxers are particularly prone to having stuck bolts. After applying penetrating oil to the fastener, place a brass drift against the head of the bolt and rap the drift with a hammer. Keep in mind that knowing how much force and what size hammer to use here is key. A small hammer will require a much faster swing, which might result in missing the drift and hitting your bike. Too large a hammer will most likely result in too much force and damage the threads. If the bolt begins to turn but then stops, do not try to keep turning it. Instead apply more penetrating oil and turn the bolt backwards, but not to full tight. Slowly work the bolt back and forth with several applications of
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