Battery Tenders

[Kilroy]

Hi All,  Had to replace my battery today, 2 years 9 months on a Battery Plus battery... It has been replaced with a Yuasa and I am expecting a longer life, btw, picked it up at the stealer for $89.00.   I live in Florida where it is pretty warm much of the year, I understand that heat is not a friend of batteries and will shorten the life.   I do get the pleasure of riding all year down here usually a few times per week.  So my main question tonight is:  are battery tenders worth using if you ride pretty regularly.  I understand that they would help if the Valk was sitting for a couple of weeks regularly.  So what are your thoughts, do you use a battery tender (trickle charger)?
Thanks
Kilroy

[Ricky-D]

The Valkyrie has a gorilla charging system and with regular riding like you say you do a battery tender is not necessary.

There is a difference between a trickle charger and a battery tender. One (trickle charger) can cook your battery while a tender is just a float charge maintainer.

***

[R J]

If you are riding every week, I'd say it is not needed.

Mine goes on the CTEK charger/maintainer or what ever ya want to call it every winter.

At least this unit will not fry a battery like Battery Tender did for me.


http://www.ctek.com/EN-US/Default.aspx

[Hoser]

Had the same problem with a battery plus, it was charged before use by myself, correctly, and lasted one month past the 12 month warranty.  Got am oem from HDL, 3 years and counting, the original lasted seven years.  hoser

[glenh]

My last Yuasa battery on my Valk was 8 years old and still going strong when I replaced it, just figured it was about time. It was always plugged in to a battery tender by myself and the previous owner, makes me a firm believer in 2 things, Yuasa batteries and a battery tender.

[Bob E.]

I only use my battery tender jr. in the winter time.  My yuasa battery is 7 years old and still going.  I got the battery tender jr. and the battery at the same time.  I've never had a bike battery last this long before using a battery tender jr.

[98valk]

some good reading.  http://www.batteryuniversity.com/
Its seams from this info that even if driven everyday a battery still needs a good charge from one of the new type of battery chargers like from http://www.schumacherproducts.com/
Case in point i have been using their car battery charger for my trucks battery which is 1 1/2 yrs past its warranty. First time I used the charger it went into a special charge to bring up one bad cell which i knew it had from a hydrometer test. I put it on the charger once a month and it hasn't done the special charging since the first time.
I also have their cycle charger and again use it once a month.  These type of chargers were top rated by motorcycle consumer news.

[Jess from VA]

I'm with Glenn on this.  Up until this Summer, I had four bikes, and all had OE Yuasa batteries and all were plugged into Battery Tenders (three Juniors and one Plus) 24 X 7 year round when not being ridden.  My '99 IS, '02 MeanStreak,  and '03 Yami V*1100 all had original batteries, and all tested as new.  And after up to seven years of continuous use, none of the Battery Tenders themselves have ever had a hickup.  Only one of these bikes got regular riding every week, but all stay on tenders.  Maintaining on a tender optimizes battery life and pays for the Tender(s) in battery longevity.  The knowledge that your battery is perfectly maintained and charged every time you roll your bike out is worth something too.  There are other good "brain" chargers out there, but my Battery Tenders have never had a malfunction. The Battery Tender pigtail hookup with SAE plug can run double duty for powering my air pump on the road (or any other SAE accessory hookup).

[glenh]

 The Battery Tender pigtail hookup with SAE plug can run double duty for powering my air pump on the road (or any other SAE accessory hookup).
[/quote]      Yep, I use my pigtail for my air compresser too, beats having to hook up a cigarette lighter plug.

[sandy]

If you are riding every week, I'd say it is not needed.

Mine goes on the CTEK charger/maintainer or what ever ya want to call it every winter.

At least this unit will not fry a battery like Battery Tender did for me.


http://www.ctek.com/EN-US/Default.aspx

RJ: I turne dyou on to the CTEK. How do you like it compared to the "Tender"?

[sheets]

Battery Tender Plus.  I park the bike on or before November 1st.  I take it out of hibernation mid March.  I'll hook up the battery tender in January till I get the green light.  I disconnect and don't connect it again until the day before I take her out of mothballs.  Right or wrong, no problems to date.  I did change out the oem battery in the spring of the year after seven years just for insurance.  No hits, no runs, no errors, that I'm aware of.  Takes a lick'n and keeps on tick'n.  Ten years after.  Ymmv,     

[Kilroy]

Thanks for the information.  Appears that the Valk does have a good recharge system on board but using a battery tender of sorts has the ability to lengthen the life of the battery.  Thanks again, this group can not be beat for great info and advice.
Kilroy