no battery on the R3?

[s@us@g3]

my bro is obsessed with making his R3 as light as humanly possible for track days.

He's got this wild idea, wondering if he can actually run the bike without a battery at all, just for ignition, no lights, no signals, nothing.

He knows he'd have to bump start it or use a paddock starter every time, and he's totally fine with that.

He's even thinking about yanking out the starter motor if that doesn't mess anything up.

He's not super familiar with the electronics on these bikes, so any insight on whether this is even possible or smart would be a huge help!

 

[Yara.kins]

It's possible, but wont be so straightforward, the ECU and fuel injection need stable voltage, and without a battery or some kind of capacitor setup, it can freak out or just not run right, you can rig a race only setup with a capacitor in place of the battery, but he'll lose all buffer if the voltage dips

 

[TheWatchman]

You could bump without a battery but there's the issue of bump starting it which you're probably gonna have to do everytime and the stator and regulator have to be able to handle the load without the battery buffering voltage spikes

 

[PutCapable7188]

It's possible, but wont be so straightforward, the ECU and fuel injection need stable voltage, and without a battery or some kind of capacitor setup, it can freak out or just not run right, you can rig a race only setup with a capacitor in place of the battery, but he'll lose all buffer if the voltage dips

Makes sense. Have you tried a capacitor only setup before? Curious how it held up under load or during cold starts. Would a small lithium battery help smooth things out?

 

[RockmeAmadeus]

Not sure about these bikes, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. He'll need to tackle a ton of electrical issues to make sure everything works well, especially the ECU. Maybe he can consider upgraded wheels and exhaust as a good way to reduce weight. With the battery and starter delete he's looking at around 6-7 pounds, which isn't negligible, but it opens the door for many potential problems.

 

[FastMark]

I'm no expert on this, but you not switch to a lithium battery? The models for the R3 are barely over a pound and yes, I know it goes against the lightweight philosophy, but based on what the others are saying, doing a battery delete looks like a hassle.

 

[steviewanders]

my bro is obsessed with making his R3 as light as humanly possible for track days.

He's got this wild idea, wondering if he can actually run the bike without a battery at all, just for ignition, no lights, no signals, nothing.

He knows he'd have to bump start it or use a paddock starter every time, and he's totally fine with that.

He's even thinking about yanking out the starter motor if that doesn't mess anything up.

He's not super familiar with the electronics on these bikes, so any insight on whether this is even possible or smart would be a huge help!

I don't think it's the best idea!
The R3's charging system uses the battery as a voltage buffer.
Without it, you'll get massive voltage spikes that can instantly fry your ECU!
I've seen a guy who tried running a capacitor instead, which could work, but it's still a bit of a gamble.
If he's dead set on doing this, the safest way is a purpose-built race wiring harness.
It's not cheap, but it's the only reliable way to get rid of the battery and starter without risking major electrical damage.