Will it hurt the bike...

So my battery isn't strong enough to start the bike with the electric start, but it kick starts fine... Will it hurt the bike to run it with a half dead battery?

Won't hurt the bike any to run with a half dead battery, but once the battery goes the rest of the way the bike's not going to run at all. I'd be checking the charging system and battery to determine why it's half dead and then fix it before it leaves you somewhere...

it'll charge in a 20 mile ride with the lights left off... or trickle charge on slow for 5 hrs...and check the battery fluid level...if not it may be your charging system...or battery...how old is the battery ..... 2 yrs or more?????....does it seem to be going down often???might be time for new one... i went through one last summer and 60 bucks later no more issues again...one yr now....no elec drains or stalls....but no you can kick start and ride....bump start and ride and it is no prob...2nd opinion will confirm.....eventualy a bad batterey will not let you rev up and get up to speed and the bike will sputter...imo....

likes2gofast2009 wrote:

So my battery isn't strong enough to start the bike with the electric start, but it kick starts fine... Will it hurt the bike to run it with a half dead battery?

Depends what's wrong. If it's a healthy battery that just got run down, no problem. You can damage a bike running on a battery with a flaky cell because the battery filters the alternator's high voltage AC into smooth DC. If one cell is burnt and has a high impedance, you will get system voltage spikes. I took out about half my electrical system once kick starting on a flaked out battery and riding it. I got about a mile before it coasted to a stop dead. Popped all the small instrument bulbs, brake light bulb, headlight and my electronic ignition module. Expensive lesson.

Long story short. Just fix it! You don't need to cause other problems by neglecting your ride. My battery was great and during the Sturgis ride the heat caused the battery to take a crap. Four years old the battery was. Now nothing is going to last forever but I thought for sure two more months. I was stranded in the badlands. Good thing I went with the group and right away I had a trailer to put her on and a ride to get in. You cause other issues the least of which is getting stranded somewhere. If you are on the highway with several lanes and your bike takes a crap you are up the creek. I have had batteries work for about 4 years at the longest and when they go they just crap out and you can't bump start them. Nothing. So you are crazy if you neglect things like that which are cheap insurance. My bike blew a fuse on the Dan Ryan. All these cork suckers won't let you switch lanes. I was lucky it was in rush hour traffic and the traffic was stopped but the minute I try to push it off to the side you get numb nuts trying to run you down. Just think about it the least of which you will stranded and the most you could get in or cause a serious accident all because you decide to go the cheap route.
Like bounty hunter says in a nice way. If you are cheap and try doing things the cheap way in the long run you will really pay much more. A tow or pushing your bike down the road while cars are flying by or just pushing it any length of distance will cure that flow of thought trying to come out of your head. I have been left high and dry a few times and it SUCKS and well... Peace of mind.
bountyhunter wrote:

likes2gofast2009 wrote:

So my battery isn't strong enough to start the bike with the electric start, but it kick starts fine... Will it hurt the bike to run it with a half dead battery?

Depends what's wrong. If it's a healthy battery that just got run down, no problem. You can damage a bike running on a battery with a flaky cell because the battery filters the alternator's high voltage AC into smooth DC. If one cell is burnt and has a high impedance, you will get system voltage spikes. I took out about half my electrical system once kick starting on a flaked out battery and riding it. I got about a mile before it coasted to a stop dead. Popped all the small instrument bulbs, brake light bulb, headlight and my electronic ignition module. Expensive lesson.

"Long story short. Just fix it!"... Exactly!!!
Fix it means get a new battery/check/measure/replace electrical components if required....

If the battery won't hold a charge of if one of the cells shorts out, you will be stranded at some point in time...

As far as damage, Bounty said it all for you.... Under +12Vdc to the coils, spikes to electrical components equates to run like crap with possibilities in damaging good components...

As Sax replied, fix the old girl!
She's informing you somethings not right with her so no more rides until you do...

OMR

dont run her with a bad batt you can get a big spike and fry your lights and other components i fried all my lights dont let it happen to you.

Added some distilled water and have it on the trickle charger tonight! Hopefully that will make a difference!

Doubt it. Might work but if you neglected this long... Might just be a bad cell. How long have you used this battery? Did you store it charged in the cold? Cold kills the batteries. I never have had a battery stored in the cold last longer than two seasons. Batteries that have acid in them usually don't last longer than one or two seasons unless you have a yuasa or good quality battery.
What happens is that once a battery oxidizes it no longer will ever hold the charge it held before. Hence buy a new battery! Every time a battery decharges it oxidizes which does not allow the acid to react with the lead. The lead becomes white and it's cashishola. The best batteries have some kind of compound in them that retards the process but if you haven't kept up on her she is done for. Seriously.
But do what you think is best. Experience is the best teacher. I have had enough of that to last a lifetime as most of us have.
A good sealed cell yuasa battery costs 90 dollars a bit more expensive than your typical sears or walmart battery but not by much but....... THEY LAST MUCH LONGER. Word to the wise you get what you pay for.