On the advice of many I replaced my original battery (12 Amp/H) for a Hawker gel battery (8 Amp/H). When I asked about the differance in cappaciy they (the people from the shop) told me it would be no problem...

Well, it is a problem, the cappacity is just to low. Honda's Amp/H is the same as Hawkers

When I do nothing strange, it functions well... but if I charge my camera-accu overnight, the bike has starting problems... and it's a fast starter!...

An other overlander had the same problem. He found out about it at home... If he left his bike-alarm on for two day's.... No more starting.

So.. in spite of all the beatifull talk of Hawker and Touratec.... The capacity is just to small... This goes for the Africa twin, and the BMW's ... If the factory states 12 Amp/H that is what you need... Don't let anyone tell you diferent... or suffer the consequences (ever tried to push-start a fully loaded Africa Twin?)

Maarten (in Bankok right now)

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maartensworld.com
beyond-anywhere.com

Dag Maarten !

Can't believe it ! I thought we were the only ones having a problem with the Hawker !!!
I chose a new Hawker for one and a new standard battery for the other DR 650 SE... and guess what happened ?! After about three months the problems started : no more starting on a few mornings on the Hawker-bike. At first I thought something was wrong with the charging, I tested a few things, we didn't use headlights on this bike any longer, we kept on using cables every other day, etc. etc. Then --after another month of this-- I decided to swap batteries. And... the problem moved along with the battery !!!
We were on our way back home and managed to reach Turkey using cables or jumpstarting (once started, the bike would start again, so it was just a matter of doing this every morning or so). Then we found this VERY helpful man in Trabzon, a car electrics specialist, who managed to track down probably the only YTX9-BS battery (closed cell) in the whole of Turkey. He had it sent overnight from Istanbul, and we were "back to normal", heheh
NEVER another Hawker in my life !! I feel fooled by Touratech, nothing less, nothing more.

Glad to learn it wasn't just our bikes.
Goeie verdere reis Maarten !

Trui

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, often travelling on motorbikes (now on DR650SE's)
2nd overland from home to Northern India and back, April-October 2002

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, often travelling on motorbikes (now on DR650SE\'s)
2nd overland from home to Northern India and back, April-October 2002