Battery specs - searching led me in circles!

[Savantjk]

Over the weekend I acquired a running xs400 as my secondary project bike for $250! It is in need of some lovin to say that least. I'm wanting to run a kick only set up with headlight + taillight + turn signals. I'm removing the stock speedo and tach and will place a small digital unit eventually.

What would you guys say is the minimum stats that I need to look for when ordering a battery?


Also, anyone know if a 650 tank will bolt directly to the 400? Mikesxs has one already painted for cheaper than a paint job. If not, what about a 360 tank? Pref the box breadbox style.

 

[Savantjk]

Would something like this work?

http://www.batterymart.com/p-yb4l-b-dry-charged-battery.html

 

[surveywaters]

I saw someone here running a 2.5ah battery

do a search, I believe he had a lot to say of his trials and erorrs.

 

[isigt]

I have a similiar setup, I run with a 3ah battery without any problems so far.
So that 4ah battery you linked would work just fine.

I have a gel-battery, which means I can lay it down without any problems. So my advice is to get one of those if you want a small one as possible.

 

[Savantjk]

Awesome. Thank you! I ended up going this route.
http://www.batterymart.com/p-YTX5L-...ttery.html?Category_Code=motorcycle-batteries

 

[lhaolpa]

Looks like a good deal! I've had an idea about my other bike,a dirt bike,no electric start,minimal lights,etc.The idea is to make a battery pack like flashlights have with lithium ion rechargeable batteries,4x1.5=6v,which is the requirements of the bike.With D batteries,that would give enough to start it,then the charging system takes over.Sounds easy,but maybe not,I made a battery pack a long time ago out of styrofoam to power lights for fishing at night with 12 D batteries,and they stayed strong all night fishing,so maybe......lha

 

[Savantjk]

Battery in.

Now here comes the question. I removed the solenoid and upon trying to wire up the battery the bike keeps trying to crank. Put the solenoid back in the line and it's fine.

I want to be kick only and don't want any of the electric start mechanisms. What do I do to remedy this?

 

[drewpy]

Battery in.

Now here comes the question. I removed the solenoid and upon trying to wire up the battery the bike keeps trying to crank. Put the solenoid back in the line and it's fine.

I want to be kick only and don't want any of the electric start mechanisms. What do I do to remedy this?

don't connect the thick black lead from the starter motor!

 

[Savantjk]

I'll have to go look over that.. I was just trying to hook it up as it was connected. Oh here's a pic for size reference with the battery

 

[renne061]

Hey, sorry to give my input a little too late but I just replaced my battery with a small one. Heres a link:

http://www.batteriesplus.com/produc...ot187-Terminal-DASH--DASH-WKA12--2-dot3F.aspx

It's a 12v 2.3 ah battery that is about the size of two smoke packs stacked the long way. And a pic of my ride after I removed some things... Sorry for the poor quality of pictures. I can post better ones a with under the seat tomorrow if anyone is interested.

 

[renne061]

BTW just put on about 200mi with it over the weekend of the 4th and had no issues.

 

[Savantjk]

It's all good. This one is still small enough to hide. I'll just build a small box for it to mount up high between the frame rails or down lower above the swing arm mount. We'll see. I've got so many things to do at the moment!

 

[Savantjk]

don't connect the thick black lead from the starter motor!

Sorry to keep dragging this out.. I'm new to the kick start world so I'm having to be bottlefed with this one. If I'm not connecting the wire leading from the starter motor to the battery, what am I connecting? It appears that the wire with the solenoid attached is grounded. The only other option I'm seeing leads straight into the starter chamber. Can I just remove the starter motor altogether? I've seen guys doing this when researching across the web.

 

[new kid on the brat]

i pulled my starter out and it leaves a hole into the magneto chamber. so i put the starter back in after removing the wire. then i removed the other end from the solenoid and reallise that i don"t need a solenoid, so i removed the solenoid and the large wire from the battery. so what do we do with the hole in the case if we remove the starter?

 

[drewpy]

i did look into putting a battery in there, but decided to use it to hide ignition wires instead

 

[Savantjk]

Alright.. Starter is out. 2 questions
1) Cool to take the chain out since the starter isn't there to turn the other sprocket?
2) Since the starter ran directly to the wire, what am I connecting in it's place to the battery?

Thanks guys, sorry for all the questions.

 

[Savantjk]

I really want to have this thing ready to run by the time the tank, swing arm, and other pieces come back from powdercoating.

 

[drewpy]

Alright.. Starter is out. 2 questions
1) Cool to take the chain out since the starter isn't there to turn the other sprocket?
2) Since the starter ran directly to the wire, what am I connecting in it's place to the battery?

Thanks guys, sorry for all the questions.

yep take out the chain, not needed

why do you want to connect this starter wire up. I'm sure you are confusing it with the earth lead which comes from the back of the engine top mount! its this that goes to the battery, the starter lead goes to the starter solinoid!

 

[Savantjk]

Yea I see that. What I'm wondering is.. when I got the bike the ignition was "rigged" at best. The battery was tied down to the pillion seat and house wiring ran the battery to the bike. The starter was on the positive side of the battery and the negative side of the battery ran to a ground. What hooks up to the positive side of the battery now?