Depends on how big you are....

Less than 160lbs?... try 2 or 3rd gear...

over 200lbs?... just do it....

under 120lbs?... call a friend...

Trickle chargers usually come with pigtail connectors that mount permanent to the battery...
I don't pull the caps to charge... but check your water level before you charge..

Thanks ,very useful  info.

pop starting is fairly easy but you have gotta be careful. The idea is to get the bike moving with the ignition on and in neutral. Once at speed, put it into second gear to get the right speed/torque ratio. Then drop the clutch fairly quickly and roll on the throttle. You can even jam on the starter button a few times, but thats not necessary. It will buck a few times and hopefully start. If not or the tire skids, then you aren't heavy enough or are too slow. Try a different gear, faster, or steeper incline. If it works, be sure to pull the clutch and get it under control because with the throttle wide open, it will try to bolt.

Ideally, the best way to do it would be to have a friend push you as fast as they can on a somewhat flat/downhill surface. Although, if you are by yourself, push it down a hill or run beside it and jump on before popping the clutch. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE BIKE! If not, once it gets started you will go careening out of control being dragged behind like a rag doll until you are stopped by the nearest curbside, dumpster, parked car, etc. Also, if you are on a hill, make sure that its not so steep that you can't push your bike back up if the first attempt fails.

This may seem daunting, but once you get it, a dead battery will seem like only a minor inconvenience. And its better than waiting for the AAA guy. Just be sure to run it long enough to charge the battery once you get going. Good luck.

-G


p.s. this is why I wish the Savage came with a kick start

Very true about the Big Crank and other sealed/maintenance-free batteries: they will work great until they don't. I talked to a guy at a really cool little motorcycle shop recently who told me that sealed batteries don't last as long as regular ones.

I have a sealed battery that the previous owner put in and it has died so many times i can't keep track. probably due mostly to riding short distances without enough time to recharge. i got a battery tender, that seems to be about the best solution.

It seems jumping the bike to the starter terminal is the way to go .Is there anything trickey about it ? Should you have the ignition switch turned turned on before you hook up the jumper cables ?Also whats the best place to pick up a ground for the negative ? I was thinking of using the brake pedal . Is that a bad Idea?Thanks!

Ignition switch?? Yes:
dasch wrote on 10/04/09 at 10:12:37:


Tricky? Yes! Don't short anything. And one important thing:  this will NOT jolt the battery, this will crank the bike up!! You do everything you would usually do before hitting the start switch (look the sequence above), and then (and only then) you touch the starter terminal with hot jump cable.  

Oldfeller, you mentioned shorted cells on the battery. Well, mine quit on me about 1.5mi. from home. Headlight, neutral light, and tail light all off when I turned the ignition on to re-start it. Turned out battery died (showed 12vdc, but low amps). Had meter on battery showed 12vdc, but when I switched on ignition, voltage went to 0vdc! I replaced the battery and it started, but I haven't had a chance to take it out for a run. Do you or anybody think I might have a charging problem or do you think the battery was old. I haven't had the bike too long. It's a '87. I did notice the old battery was alittle swollen on one side.