While installing a new battery in my motorcycle, I smelled smoke, now it won't start......?

Question

I even hooked up jumper cables from my car to the bike but it won't even light anything up! WTH did I do??! Dang!

Battery wasn't backwards, fuses are fine. I'll check the ignition because when I turn it, nothing happens. No lights come on or anything.

Answer 1

Always give year, make, engine size and model # when asking questions. We need all of that info to give an informed answer.
Without seeing your bike, I can only give suggestions.
The main fuse may appear to be fine, but the wiring leading to the fuse could be damaged.
Check for power at the main fuse with a test light.
Without knowing what bike you have, I can't tell you what color wires to check.
The color wire coming out of the main fuse - check for power at the ignition switch connector of that color (to see if power is going to the switch).
There should be one color wire powering all the other fuses at the fuse box - check for power at the ignition switch of that color wire, with the key on, to see if the switch is working.

Answer 2

Not all motorcycle batteries are 12 volt batteries, but most that I found for '87 Hondas were. Kinda guessing since you didn't say what type of bike. My next guess would be that the amperage at which your truck charges is way to high for you battery. If it's done smoking and has cooled off and still cranks, you should be fine to keep using it. If your battery isn't holding enough of a charge to crank your bike, I would look into charging some other way at the very least.

Answer 3

Just a guess here. When you connected the battery terminals, did you hook up the negative (ground) first?
If so, possibly when you hooked up the positive second, your wrench touched the frame, grounding (shorting) across the positive terminal/ground, blowing a fusible link (sometimes installed in the positive cable [designed to melt if there is a short, saving more expensive items up line]), or a fuse/breaker/relay somewhere up line.
Get a multimeter (about $14), and test the positive cable, to see if you're getting current from one end to the other. If not, either fusible link is blown, or cable is toasted.
This is why, when disconnecting/hooking up battery, ground cable is the first one to come off, and the last one to go on.

Answer 4

Damn, you let the smoke out. It's really hard to get that back in once you let it out.

You most likely hooked up the battery backwards. Some motorcycle batteries have the - and the + on opposite sides of the battery. You need to make sure you have the correct battery with the - and the + on the same sides as the - and + of your bike.

If you are very lucky, you only smoked the battery, but it's likely you smoked some of the wiring too. time to take it to the dealer and get it checked out.

Answer 5

Some bikes have a fused link(wire) as most cars have too keep from frying something important. The link has fuse built into the wire. In most cases the wire will not burn completely through. Just tug on the wire the insulation will snap.

Answer 6

Two things, wrong size battery or wrong voltage. There are some 6 volt batteries out there for some motorcycles. Whatever the problem is, sounds like your going to end up returning it.

Answer 7

prob broke connection . run through wiring, look for corrosion and if ground is hooked up, check to see if your getting power to ignition. If light comes on battery got lil juice in it, prob wouldnt hurt to have a digi multimeter. wire prob shorted out. what make model year.

Answer 8

YOu hooked up the wrong connections. You fried your electrical system. You got the battery backwards.

Answer 9

The only way to smoke it like you have described is to install the terminals connections backwards or short it out somehow while installing it.

Answer 10

Take bike to dealer or auto electrical shop