Testing electrical components on bike with no battery...how?

Okay as you know I part out a lot of bikes. I have always been curious about this theory, but too scared to blow up by trying it. I mess with all kinds of dangerous things in different areas, but for some reason electric scares the heII out of me. Getting to the point, I get a lot of bikes with no batteries and I am sick of hooking up batteries to test things just to take it out again. I have a battery tender Jr for trickle charging my personal bike. What if I were just to hook that up to the battery wires right from the outlet->tender->wires and skip the battery? Would that be too much juice for it and kaboom!? or too little? or is my theory correct?
You guys are pretty good and thorough about this kind of stuff so I figured I would think out loud.

P.S- I know how to test the parts individually, but going for the wam bam thank you mam effect to get it all over with in one shot.

 

A trickle charger will not have enough output to power anything sensibly - like lighting and I believe most (All?) US bikes run with lights on all the time.

If you get the bike started you may damage the regulator or TCI - some one on the site started a bike then disconnected the battery and damaged it!

I must admit, bikes without batteries worry me! Perhaps i am cynical but the number of ads I read that say "Can't be run as no battery" make me think the engine is worn out.

I reckon if you turn up with a battery and the electrics don't work as they should - it is a good negotiating tool!

 

A reguler battery charger that will deliver 6 to 8 amps will be good to test everything on a bike except the starter. Bunp it up to a engine starter/charger and you could do everything. I have one that does 100a to start and 15a to charge, works like a champ.

 

mlew - are you sure the XJ regulator will "play nice" with such a big booster?? (just askin)

LetitRide - Your solution is as simple as a "spare" car battery and 6 foot leads, all set up with stainless washers and wing nuts, on it's own hand truck. It can also hold basic tools, starting fluid, a hi-mount gas tank, plug wrench, multi-meter - etc - all dedicated to that complete "tool"

 

Its no different than a XJ battery, it will make 100a while starting and so does my charger. A car battery has much more current potential, up to 700a or more. I have had car batteries "pop" the regulator before. I don't use them anymore on the bikes.
A spare cycle battery on a cart with leads is a good idea.

 

Car batteries have a much higher amp rating than a motorcycle. I don't even like jumping a bike with one. I would just buy a 12 volt rider lawnmower battery and use some jumper cables.

 

Short answer:

DON'T.

When it comes to ANY bike, from about 1972~3 until present, you're better off to use a battery that's close to or the same as what the bike was designed to support.

The battery tender won't cut it, and neither will a car battery. The lawn tractor battery idea has merit.

 

I agree with the don't do it. Most chargers are designed to work against the load of a battery, and some may not regulate properly without it.

A poor practice.

 

Circuits to be Tested to determine if CURRENT is present from (Point-A) -to- (Point-B) can be read with a Teat Light or a Multi-meter by supplying a LOW Voltage Source.

You can pick-up a Rig like this at Radio Shack.
It will let you look for Voltage where its needed.

Saves a little time; sometimes.

 

I gotta say, the conversation is very civilized on here and love the brainstorming. My goal is to just check the electrics on the bike and maybe simplify my turning of the engine for a compression test so I don't need to use the ol' 14 mil drill on the stator technique.

With all of the suggestions put together I am going to end up way ahead of my goal now lol. I am going to make that cart with some old motorcycle batteries laying around, the elevated gas tank, and tools. Great ideas! I'm also just going to tell a seller I'm bringing that along when he uses the "it runs, but no battery" line as Markie stated. I probably won't lug that thing into my truck, but we'll see if he confesses the truth when I mention it lol.

Thanks again guys!

 

I show up toting a freshly-charged battery, my compression tester and a spark plug wrench.

When I look at an old bike, actually running is nowhere near as important as the results of a compression test.

I've bought non-running bikes that made good compression; and passed on "runners" with one or more sour pot.