Motobatt users.........

[Stevo Kifaru]

Last night, bike wouldn't start looked down and was horrified to see smoke billowing out from under the seat, luckily it was just the plastics on fire & easy to put out by smothering with my gloves. Not as bulletproof as they make out then.......

[Kev L]

Thats not good mate. How old is it? Do you have a late/modified R/R?

[agentpineapple]

what cable or cables were connected to that battery terminal?
if you have bought the battery within the last year i would contact the manufacturer, infact i would contact them regardless.
i'm about to be given another motobatt for my other bike aswell.....
also i'm wondering if not having the plastic lid contected to the battery tray on, had a part to play in all this?
i've used my motobatt for 18mths now without any problems, i will certainly be keeping an eye on it.

[Stevo Kifaru]

Probably about a year or so old but I have exact same one but newer on my GPZ so I shall use that receipt (as well as replacing this knackered one with it in the meantime) when I return it. R/R is fairly newish & is working well as of last week when the battery went flat & the AA had to rescue me....

[Stevo Kifaru]

what cable or cables were connected to that battery terminal?
if you have bought the battery within the last year i would contact the manufacturer, infact i would contact them regardless.
i'm about to be given another motobatt for my other bike aswell.....
also i'm wondering if not having the plastic lid contected to the battery tray on, had a part to play in all this?
i've used my motobatt for 18mths now without any problems, i will certainly be keeping an eye on it.

I had optimate quick battery charger connectors attached & I have heated grips (which turn on with ignition and are installed via the ignition loom but obviously I'm not using them at the mo). The red plastic terminal cover was alight as was the black battery cover. The AA told me to replace the battery when the jumped started me, I just didn't think it would fail so spectacularly

[agentpineapple]

i'd put that in a letter to the manufacturer dude, explain that you had nothing else connected except for the pos/neg to there repective terminals, then the breakdown, followed by the fire, also explain that the aa man gave your bikes electrical systems a clean bill of health(r/r,starter and so on)
it'll be interesting to see motobatts response, i've regarded them highly up to this point, lets see what there customer service is like?
keep us informed dude.

a quick edit because you posted again before i posted my last reply.
so did you have the black battery lid fitted, i can't get mine to fit, because its to tight, i wouldn't put the aa's suggestion about a new battery in your letter to motobatt, i'd just say the aa man said there wasn't a problem with your bikes charging system and for you to keep an eye on the battery, which you did, up until the point it burst into flames....

[Stevo Kifaru]

The bolt(s) you see coming out of the other terminals I just put in there so I could pull the rather tight fitting battery out of the bike......

[Stevo Kifaru]

i'd put that in a letter to the manufacturer dude, explain that you had nothing else connected except for the pos/neg to there repective terminals, then the breakdown, followed by the fire, also explain that the aa man gave your bikes electrical systems a clean bill of health(r/r,starter and so on)
it'll be interesting to see motobatts response, i've regarded them highly up to this point, lets see what there customer service is like?
keep us informed dude.

Took many pictures of the battery in place before removing it (but after putting the fire out, I'm not that calm!) with all cables in view. When I requested more terminals off them a month or so, they sent me them for just P&P so they have impressed me with their customer service up to this point. I bought it from M&P originally so will have to go through them first I presume.....

[agentpineapple]

a wise man once told me to run a strap under the battery when fitting it, so when i need to take it out its an easy job, god it pains me to say it, but that wise man was mac....
i still use this method today, not sure if you need to go thru m&p, i'd contact motobatt directly and explain that it was bought via m&p, you have a reciept, do you still have the paperwork from the aa man?
if you have it, use it.
surely it can only strengthen your case that it was the battery breaking down and failling.
good luck buddy.....

[Stevo Kifaru]

a wise man once told me to run a strap under the battery when fitting it, so when i need to take it out its an easy job, god it pains me to say it, but that wise man was mac....
i still use this method today, not sure if you need to go thru m&p, i'd contact motobatt directly and explain that it was bought via m&p, you have a reciept, do you still have the paperwork from the aa man?
if you have it, use it.
surely it can only strengthen your case that it was the battery breaking down and failling.
good luck buddy.....

If you could get a strap underneath a motobatt & fit it into the VTR's batt compartment you're a better, more patient man than me ! When I say it's a tight fit I'm not kidding! If the strap was made of Rizla paper maybe..........

[agentpineapple]

i know i've had one on my storm for over a year, you put the strap in place when you originally fit the battery, and just leave it in place until you need to remove said battery....
i have a blue strap to match the colour of my bike and to make it faster of course.....
its just a cut down piece of ratchet strap, but it does the job well....
i have never been able to fit the honda battery lid tho, have you?
i wonder if somehow the terminal/lead has conected with the rear subframe causing it to short, and thats why the battery lid is so important...

[VTRDark]

I not read all the posts here so forgive me if it's been mentioned. I would check the R/R is not overcharging no matter what R/R you have installed. It might have overcharged and boiled the battery. It's a good job they are sealed batteries or you could have had sulphuric acid all over the place. Either that or the the battery has shorted somehow.

(:-})

[Stevo Kifaru]

I not read all the posts here so forgive me if it's been mentioned. I would check the R/R is not overcharging no matter what R/R you have installed. It might have overcharged and boiled the battery. It's a good job they are sealed batteries or you could have had sulphuric acid all over the place. Either that or the the battery has shorted somehow.

(:-})

Went to Kestrel Honda in Cov to pick something up, had been out for 45 mins no lights on so would have expected all to be okay, when I came out of Kestrel the bike wouldn't start & the workshop lads couldn't get it started with a booster pack. Offered to give me a bump start but I'm not that brave! Called the AA who checked the battery & charge rate, battery was 3V under pressure & Charge rate was 13.8V, he recommended I replace the battery. He got the bike started from his battery so the Kestrel's booster pack was probably flat. I charged the battery yesterday & when I went out to start it that happened to the battery.

And yes, I can get the battery cover over my motobatt.....

[agentpineapple]

don't forget to mention that you've ruined your bike glove putting out the flames, it might be bending the truth slightly but it might help your case, me and carl spoke to a guy a couple of weeks ago, whose firestorm burst into flames and was totally destroyed when his battery shorted out whilst in a workshop, whilst having a nice aftermarket rear shock fitted....
i suppose it shows you should disconect the battery when undertaking such maintanence......

[popkat]

I've got a motobatt in mine and the lid fits, I removed the 2 rubber pads at the bottom of the battery box and the 2 from the underside of the lid. Battery fits nice and snug, but not easy to take out.