16ºF and No Can Start, Gotta Ride to Work, Battery Recommendations?

[JudgeMontrose]

@Journeyman28778 , are you me? This weather's been messing up my Rocket too. I work 8:30 - 5:30, so the sun is going down as I leave work, and there's nowhere to keep the bike warm. The no-start issue only occurs when it's 20-30 degrees outside.

Are you certain it's the battery, though? I've been keeping mine on a tender, and the last time my bike wouldn't start in the parking lot, I noticed that the headlights burned steady. A solenoid (?) clicked when I hit the starter, but then the dials reset and did their startup/sweep routine like they had lost power. Weird thing is that the headlights burned steady and nothing was dim or blinking off like I would expect from a dead battery. More ****ing, I tried jumping it from a coworkers car and it still wouldn't start even with a direct connection to his battery.

I'm wondering if there is a relay that can't handle the cold.

EDIT: Actually, my issue seems to mirror @Boog 's, described here:
Dang cold natured beast!!!

 

[Journeyman]

Hmmmm- interesting idea, hoping someone on here with some scientific background (there are several) will chime in on that. The theory that you should leave the bike turned on, dials lit up, for a little while before hitting the starter could (?) be related to what you are saying. By doing so, what are we warming up?

Btw, I couldn't jump mine either, but was assuming that my RV battery was too low. You could be onto something. Keeping the bike warm (lots of great suggestions above) would not only help the battery and the engine, but also a relay or other component involved (assuming you are right). The problem then is how to get home from work without resorting to a portable jump pack. So far, that hasn't happened to me, as it usually warms up some during the day, but I have had some lazy starts before heading home.

[USER=7789]@JudgeMontrose I see you're also in NC- where abouts?[/USER]

 

[JudgeMontrose]

Running the lights for a bit before hitting the starter gets the battery warmed up. I had to do that on my Speed Triple when I had a lithium battery installed (lithium and winter are a bad mix, btw).

According to another commenter in Boog's thread, the issue may lie with the Gear Position Sensor (GPS) sticking/not reading the proper gear. This probably wouldn't be the cause of lazy starts -- that's gotta be the battery or a bad connection. But the GPS could be preventing me from starting the bike. I'm going to have to test it next time the issue appears. Don't know if having power on a minute before starting would necessarily help with that sensor, but keeping the bike in a warm place should.

I'm out here near Raleigh. Pretty good weather most of the year but these 20 degree nights are a pain.

 

[Journeyman]

Running the lights for a bit before hitting the starter gets the battery warmed up. I had to do that on my Speed Triple when I had a lithium battery installed (lithium and winter are a bad mix, btw).

According to another commenter in Boog's thread, the issue may lie with the Gear Position Sensor (GPS) sticking/not reading the proper gear. This probably wouldn't be the cause of lazy starts -- that's gotta be the battery or a bad connection. But the GPS could be preventing me from starting the bike. I'm going to have to test it next time the issue appears. Don't know if having power on a minute before starting would necessarily help with that sensor, but keeping the bike in a warm place should.

I'm out here near Raleigh. Pretty good weather most of the year but these 20 degree nights are a pain.

I read the link you included and it sounds like, from what I understood, that if the GPS isn't working you wouldn't be able to get a neutral light, but I didn't study it carefully. My issue is just cold weather, a hulking engine, and asking a battery to do too much. I think I can solve the issue at home - maybe even with a simple light bulb in my shed, but the problem you mentioned- getting home from work, may require a compact jump starter. I was scared to use mine, but others with more smarts in that area seemed to think it would be OK if not used too often.

if you're out this way, let me know. As I'm sure you know, we have some stellar routes in this area. My daughter is in Durham. I've visited her a couple of times, so far, on the Rocket.

 

[BillB]

I'm out here near Raleigh. Pretty good weather most of the year but these 20 degree nights are a pain.

We do have it pretty good in the winter where we are. Usually a few days a week are good for riding. Although I got a text from my neighbor who works for the DOT yesterday saying they are going to be spraying brine on the roads today. Don't know exactly WHY they would be but ...........

 

[Journeyman]

Usually a few days a week are good for riding.

Yeah, we have very mild winters here in NC compared to a lot of other folks out there. I'm able to ride to work nearly every day and on weekends for further stress relief. My rule is dry roads when below freezing. I have a windjammer on my helmet, heated jacket and gloves. I look forward to the 40 minute ride to work in the morning, no matter what the temperature. Hope to see you guys in Maggie Valley this June (the member's map shows 7 of you east of Winston).

 

[BillB]

Yeah, we have very mild winters here in NC compared to a lot of other folks out there. I'm able to ride to work nearly every day and on weekends for further stress relief. My rule is dry roads when below freezing. I have a windjammer on my helmet, heated jacket and gloves. I look forward to the 40 minute ride to work in the morning, no matter what the temperature. Hope to see you guys in Maggie Valley this June (the member's map shows 7 of you east of Winston).

We'll be there, good lord willing and the creek don't rise. My buddy just called and said the brine trucks are already out on the main roads closer to town so I reckon I better go get a short ride in on the backroads before they move north.

 

[alamo city roadhog]

My 08 rocket doesn't like to start when the temperature is below 60. If it doesn't fire after a few cranks, forget it. Click click click. Even with a new battery. I have hard bags mounted so I installed a riding mower battery in the left bag and ran wire to hook parallel to the bike battery. No more starting issues. Same battery hook up going on 3 years. Fires up every time.

 

[Journeyman]

My 08 rocket doesn't like to start when the temperature is below 60. If it doesn't fire after a few cranks, forget it. Click click click. Even with a new battery. I have hard bags mounted so I installed a riding mower battery in the left bag and ran wire to hook parallel to the bike battery. No more starting issues. Same battery hook up going on 3 years. Fires up every time.

Well that's good ole ingenuity at its finest.

 

[Journeyman]

After several days without riding due to some snow and freezing rain, I decided this morning I'd had enough. It was 19F, sunny and dry. I put a flood light inches away about 30 minutes beforehand (probably way too little, too late), and had had the old girl on the trickle charger for days. I followed someone's advice to turn on the ignition, turn off, then back on again and, sure enough, she fired up pretty easily with only a slight lag. Heated gear made the 40 minute interstate ride fairly comfortable. Nothing like clear skies and a nice ride before starting your work day. It's a blistering 43 now, so I'll be taking the long way (back roads) home, for sure.