1/2 a dozzen pages back, during The Great Flat Tire debacle, I mentioned that a CHP officer showed me how to jump start the bike without taking the seat off, and going Positive to the Starter, and Negative to a bolt in the frame with one of the small portable Lithium battery packs ..... and it worked like a hot damn, as I drained my battery on the freeway and when I went to pull away from the dealership, there was not enough juice to run the computer or start the engine ...... so I got one today. As you can see by the following picture it is not much bigger than an iPhone.
The battery connectors look robust, as does all the wiring.
The beauty is that I can charge it from a USB port on the bike. Of course that WONT work if the bike battery is dead, so I will need to monitor the charge. ......
I just realized that with all the electronics I carry..... phone, laptop, hard drive, mouse, keyboard, camera, beard trimmer, inverter, battery booster, shaver, etc, etc..... I can stop in any electronics fair and set up a table.....
A couple years ago I bought a few of those little lithium battery booster packs and gave them for Xmas. My son has used his several times and he's finding they hold a charge for months even with using it for an odd boost. I'm thinking you'll be fine on your trips if its charged before you leave.
I am outside posting to the site, and my phone dies. Battery dead. So.... I plugged it into my new Energizer dead battery jumper thingy ..... and it fires my phone right up. Another good use for it. I wonder if it will run my computer?.....
Something to ponder ..... there is about 800 miles between HD dealerships between BC and Alaska going up through 37 (Stewart/Cassiar Highway)...Smithers in BC & Skagway in Alaska...so, if you get a flat (or any Break down for that matter ) in the middle, you are 400 miles away from HD help ..... HOG Roadside assistance will come Fetch and deliver you and your bike, as many times as you need in a year.... for a $50 upgrade....
Now, I carry a flat tire kit, just in case, but the reason I didn't fix it in Bakersfield was two fold. One, I was on a busy freeway and it was just damn dangerous and two, the tire separated from the rim, no real way to reseat the bead. So, it would have been very advantageous to have that $50 upgrade IF it happened on 37 around Dease Lake.
...... The fellow on the phone at Road America said it would include ANY two motorcycles and 3 cars. The policy says Registered owner must be a full member. That makes more sense to me.....
Last edited by CanadianRocky; 06-11-2017 at 10:15 AM.
Good recommendation....in the US that upgrade for HOG members is only $20. Coverage is for US and Canada with nothing out of pocket. Don't know if it includes more than 1 bike like what Rocky has. The standard HOG coverage is only $100 and that will be a small percentage of the tab if you need help in about any western state let alone Canadian provinces and territories.
I towing under my insurance. Downside is that there is no specific number to call and you must pay for the tow. Then the insurance reimbursed me for the cost of the tow. Total cost of the tow was a little over $200 for about a 30 mile trip.
06-09-2017, 04:34 PM
TDMC Vancouver