Level of battery charge

[ohiorider_imp]

It's one of those things I tend to ignore.

But on Saturday evening, I wanted to log the current mileage on my three bikes. When I got to the CB1100, I had to turn on the ignition and work my way thru the speedo menu to come up with total mileage.

No problem. Until today. Attempted to turn the key and noticed it was already turned. Turned if off and back on and ..... no fuel pump noise .... no instrument lights. I'd left the ignition on for a couple of days. Felt like a Dumb A**!

It took forever for the yellow 'charging' light on the trickle charger to switch to the green 'full charge' light.

Noticed then when I turned the key to 'on', the fuel pump sounded like it revved higher, and when I hit the starter, it also seemed to turn the engine over more quickly.

Long and short of this note ..... would it make sense to plug into a trickle charger after riding mostly in the slow roads in the National Park? Never had a starting problem, but wonder if I'm riding most of the time with a battery that isn't fully charged. I have no idea how many watts the alternator produces, and at what rpm.

Bob

[GoldOxide_imp]

This summer I left the ignition switch on for just 10 minutes in the heat of the sun (it was so bright out I didn't notice my headlight was on). It was enough to kill the battery to the point where the starter failed. I reckon my battery was already at end-of-life given it was over five years-old. Furthermore, this happened after an hour doing slow and rough/dirt back roads, so engine RPM was low.

Home was a long way away. I do know that riding at and over 3000 RPM charged the battery well because I made a few gasoline and bio-breaks along the return trip and the starter motor turned over. I suspect maybe 2500 RPM might be "par" since the generator has to power everything else on the bike too when riding. In any case, because I was returning mostly freeway (essentially non-stop), my revs were between 3000 and 4000 RPM nominally.

[LongRanger_imp]

Bob, I find a battery tender to be cheap insurance. You can find 0.75A tenders for about $20 online. Simply leave it connected to the bike when it's not being ridden and it will keep your battery charged.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Every motorcycle owner should have a "smart" battery tenderer. Buy a decent quality unit.

[the Ferret]

Whenever I am not riding, my bikes are plugged into battery tender Jrs 24/7/365. After a ride, I plug them in before I even take my helmet off.

[Wisedrum]

I never do this. Instead I try to ride my bikes on a regular basis year in, year out. A bike takes care of its battery while being ridden like no charger in the world can do. Some numbers of the first batteries of my bikes, which still work: CB - nearly 7 years, W800 - nearly 9 and Bullet - nearly 4. Some more years to come I guess. Maybe it's all part of a seldom battery luck.

Wisedrum

[GoldOxide_imp]

I never do this. Instead I try to ride my bikes on a regular basis year in, year out. A bike takes care of its battery while being ridden like no charger in the world can do. Some numbers of the first batteries of my bikes, which still work: CB - nearly 7 years, W800 - nearly 9 and Bullet - nearly 4. Some more years to come I guess. Maybe it's all part of a seldom battery luck.

Wisedrum

Ditto. I trickle charge about once per month during the slow winter riding season. Maybe once or twice during the normal riding season.

Smart trickle chargers are suppose to handle the job of healthy batteries too. However, I feel low grade (cheap) "smart" chargers may "over bake" batteries. So beware.

[Rocky_imp]

I pull all my batteries and store then in a cool, dry place for the winter.
When I flip up the calendar for the new month I hook each one up to my Optimate charger for 24 hours or so and then put them back in their resting place until the next month.

[the Ferret]

I never do this. Instead I try to ride my bikes on a regular basis year in, year out. A bike takes care of its battery while being ridden like no charger in the world can do. Some numbers of the first batteries of my bikes, which still work: CB - nearly 7 years, W800 - nearly 9 and Bullet - nearly 4. Some more years to come I guess. Maybe it's all part of a seldom battery luck.

Wisedrum

I ride my bikes almost daily year in and year out too Wisedrum, over 300 days and 25,000 miles most years. This year looks like a little less than 300 day year and about 20,000 miles due to health issues I've had, butIi haven't had to worry about my batteries. A battery tender jr only adds juice if the battery needs it, otherwise it just maintains it. There are no highs and lows in the state of the battery.

[Charlie Bravo_imp]

Here in SoCal, there is no off season. But there is earthquakes, fires, freeways, traffic, lots of RVs, tourists, potholes, trucks, and cell phone mamas. But, we have legal lane-splitting. LSS, I ride my two beasts enough I don't need a tender.