Cold weather transporting - estart

Deadric
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Deadric
Question for anyone with an estart bike that rides in the winter. Been wanting to go to an indoor track after I get my suspension back but just wondering how other people do that with a bike that has estart? Im assuming I can just pull the battery before heading out (3 hour drive, no trailer so it'll be cold) and put it back in once I get there and let the bike warm up for a bit?

I've heard of people carefully using a heat gun to help warm it up a bit also but does anyone have any thoughts on that? Am I completely overthinking this?

Thanks in advance
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kb228
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kb228 2/6/2021 12:36pm
2/6/2021 12:36pm
Its no different than your car man. You’re overthinking it.
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mcopsey
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mcopsey 2/6/2021 1:02pm
2/6/2021 1:02pm Edited Date/Time 2/6/2021 1:14pm
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by hitting the button for a few seconds before extended cranking. It is still sluggish, hold the start button for 5 seconds and let the battery rest for 30. Repeat as necessary. I've had it take three tries but it was 10 degrees when that happened. Also carry a jump pack with you, never jump off of a running vehicle when you are using a lithium battery.

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Deadric
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Deadric 2/6/2021 1:13pm
2/6/2021 1:13pm
mcopsey wrote:
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by...
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by hitting the button for a few seconds before extended cranking. It is still sluggish, hold the start button for 5 seconds and let the battery rest for 30. Repeat as necessary. I've had it take three tries but it was 10 degrees when that happened. Also carry a jump pack with you, never jump off of a running vehicle when you are using a lithium battery.

I would have never known this process. Thank you!

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gt80rider
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gt80rider 2/6/2021 3:06pm
2/6/2021 3:06pm
mcopsey wrote:
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by...
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by hitting the button for a few seconds before extended cranking. It is still sluggish, hold the start button for 5 seconds and let the battery rest for 30. Repeat as necessary. I've had it take three tries but it was 10 degrees when that happened. Also carry a jump pack with you, never jump off of a running vehicle when you are using a lithium battery.

That "waking it up" is no more than using it a bit to build some heat n the pack.... the warmer it gets, the higher the voltage it will put out.... however.... your lithium based battery should have plenty of yank, even at 10 degrees... if not, your battery sucks....
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swedishfishmx
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swedishfishmx 2/6/2021 3:14pm
2/6/2021 3:14pm
I keep my battery in the house for storage (theft/cold garage); otherwise it's on the bike.
Deadric
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Deadric 2/6/2021 4:40pm
2/6/2021 4:40pm
mcopsey wrote:
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by...
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by hitting the button for a few seconds before extended cranking. It is still sluggish, hold the start button for 5 seconds and let the battery rest for 30. Repeat as necessary. I've had it take three tries but it was 10 degrees when that happened. Also carry a jump pack with you, never jump off of a running vehicle when you are using a lithium battery.

gt80rider wrote:
That "waking it up" is no more than using it a bit to build some heat n the pack.... the warmer it gets, the higher the...
That "waking it up" is no more than using it a bit to build some heat n the pack.... the warmer it gets, the higher the voltage it will put out.... however.... your lithium based battery should have plenty of yank, even at 10 degrees... if not, your battery sucks....
Well if Im lucky temps will be around 0. The stock battery had trouble when it took a one hour car ride at 40 degrees which is kind of what made me ask the question in the first place. Searching around its seems people think KTM stock batteries suck and a WPS featherweight is the way to go so I think Im going to invest in one of those.
cloud41
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cloud41 2/6/2021 4:59pm
2/6/2021 4:59pm
Bring a heat gun, warm the cylinder head, and wake up the battery (see video above) before starting and you’ll be just fine.
Stewyeww
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Stewyeww 2/6/2021 5:46pm
2/6/2021 5:46pm
My sled lives in the cold and still starts at -30C, im sure it'll be fine. Just give it plenty of time to warm up once its on.
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Leeham
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Leeham 2/6/2021 9:10pm
2/6/2021 9:10pm
Main thing is dont hold down the button trying to crank the bike. Only hold the button for 5-15 seconds at a time or else you risk battery damage. Over discharge or something like that. My 19 Honda was still on the OEM battery when I sold it last month. Supposedly the OEM batteries are junk Whistling I think people dont know what they are doing. Battery tender and a proper starting is the difference.
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Tuna
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Tuna 2/7/2021 4:09am
2/7/2021 4:09am
Stewyeww wrote:
My sled lives in the cold and still starts at -30C, im sure it'll be fine. Just give it plenty of time to warm up once...
My sled lives in the cold and still starts at -30C, im sure it'll be fine. Just give it plenty of time to warm up once its on.
I think your sleds battery may have a few more CCA than the tiny Lithium KTM OEM batteries.
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-MAVERICK-
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-MAVERICK- 2/7/2021 7:14am
2/7/2021 7:14am
Stewyeww wrote:
My sled lives in the cold and still starts at -30C, im sure it'll be fine. Just give it plenty of time to warm up once...
My sled lives in the cold and still starts at -30C, im sure it'll be fine. Just give it plenty of time to warm up once its on.
There's sledding down in Australia?
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Timo
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Timo 2/7/2021 7:19am
2/7/2021 7:19am
I ride in weather down to the teens on occasion, the thing to remember is to warm a lithium battery by cranking in a few short bursts like mentioned above. I run a thermostat on my bike because I found it to never fully heat up riding below 60°. I still have the stock Yamaha battery in my 19 FX, only had to put an external charger on it once so far. I was in West Virginia and ended up just using jumper cables to my RV battery pack for an hour, worked great!
Monk
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Monk 2/7/2021 7:23am
2/7/2021 7:23am
I live in more northern BC Canada. Currently well below freezing right now. I drive south regularly to ride on the coast. It's happened a few times when my bike will not start. I have never thought to pull the battery but I have always had a set of jumper cables and just hook them up to the truck in cases the bike won't start... Works every time with no issues.
Monk
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Monk 2/7/2021 7:24am
2/7/2021 7:24am
mcopsey wrote:
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by...
If it's a lead acid or AGM battery just make sure it has a full charge. If it's lithium you want to "wake it up" by hitting the button for a few seconds before extended cranking. It is still sluggish, hold the start button for 5 seconds and let the battery rest for 30. Repeat as necessary. I've had it take three tries but it was 10 degrees when that happened. Also carry a jump pack with you, never jump off of a running vehicle when you are using a lithium battery.

gt80rider wrote:
That "waking it up" is no more than using it a bit to build some heat n the pack.... the warmer it gets, the higher the...
That "waking it up" is no more than using it a bit to build some heat n the pack.... the warmer it gets, the higher the voltage it will put out.... however.... your lithium based battery should have plenty of yank, even at 10 degrees... if not, your battery sucks....
Deadric wrote:
Well if Im lucky temps will be around 0. The stock battery had trouble when it took a one hour car ride at 40 degrees which...
Well if Im lucky temps will be around 0. The stock battery had trouble when it took a one hour car ride at 40 degrees which is kind of what made me ask the question in the first place. Searching around its seems people think KTM stock batteries suck and a WPS featherweight is the way to go so I think Im going to invest in one of those.
Look at a Anti-Gravity AG-801. More expensive but significantly better...
hititpind
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hititpind 2/7/2021 7:27am
2/7/2021 7:27am
On my 19 Kawi, I just pull the battery and put it in the truck on my way to ride. Then install it and she’s ready to go. Takes 2 extra minutes. Why not do that? Are they hard to remove on the KTMs?
Timo
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Timo 2/7/2021 7:30am
2/7/2021 7:30am
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:
Can anyone tell me if the YZF procedure is the same?

Does the YZF have a cold start button? (Thats the choke, right?)
I call it a plunger since you push it in, the opposite of the old carburetor chokes. It basically opens the butterfly valve a little to increase the idle rpm. You push it in, let your bike run for a minute or so, and just twist the throttle forward to release it. I use mine when the ambient temperature is below 75°, bike starts right up. Kinda wish we had idle bypass valves so the bikes could self adjust their idle rpm's, but we'll all be riding electric soon enough.
Tuna
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Tuna 2/7/2021 7:40am
2/7/2021 7:40am
A 14A lithium will start in minus 10 deg Cel no issues. More CCA will always get you started better in cold temps.

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profeshenal125 2/7/2021 8:54am
2/7/2021 8:54am
Winter travel question is can your vehicle make it. Even new Chevy pu are broke down. -14 lastnight in iL. Near Iowa. I had to exit to get fuel, snowing hard couldn’t get the truck to turn at 1 mph. Flammable hazmat load, I made the phone calls and shutdown. Road was shutdown anyway 3 mi west, fire trucks, paramedics. Very windy also, temps probably - 45 with wind chill. So it’s hell on everyone at the accident scene. I had to cover the radiator, because I had no heat. They say def freezes at 12 degrees. So you have to keep the engine running.
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XC706 2/7/2021 9:40am
2/7/2021 9:40am
Park your bike with the engine close to your trucks exhaust and let the truck idle while you get your gear on. It will fire right up after 5 minutes.

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