[minige]

Have anybody used charger and/or tester for CTX battery? Service manual recommends: Micro 404XL tester (approx $200) and OptiMate Pro 4 charger (approx $700). Do you know/use any cheaper alternative? I mean I know that there are many chargers on CycleGear or Amazon but I'm not sure which ones are suitable for CTX. Any recommendations?

And another question about a battery. My CTX is outdoors, but I use it every workday, so maybe it is good idea to disconnect battery and charge it on weekend. Does it make sense?

 

[CEETEEX]

If you use the bike regularly then a charger is not necessary. If you still desire then the Battery Tender JR is a great option. No need to disconnect the battery.
http://batterytender.com/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html

 

[Billnoroville]

Have anybody used charger and/or tester for CTX battery? Service manual recommends: Micro 404XL tester (approx $200) and OptiMate Pro 4 charger (approx $700). Do you know/use any cheaper alternative? I mean I know that there are many chargers on CycleGear or Amazon but I'm not sure which ones are suitable for CTX. Any recommendations?

And another question about a battery. My CTX is outdoors, but I use it every workday, so maybe it is good idea to disconnect battery and charge it on weekend. Does it make sense?

Stop. don't buy battery testers. A new motorcycle battery is less than $100.00 and simple to install. Even cheaper at Walmart. It is sealed so you don't even have to add water. Your are overthinking it.

I have only started my bike once in the last month up until today and it started fine and I went over 100 miles. It's new like yours. It should not be a problem not running it for a week easy if sitting outside. You use it regularly so just keep doing that and the battery will easily go a couple of years or more. You will know when it doesn't spin the motor over like it does now then it may be time to replace it. Listen to it. know the sound. when it changes it's telling you something.

It makes no sense to disconnect it and charge it over a weekend. If you want to do something for your bike, keep it clean and cover it when not in use. Leave the battery alone (clean terminals if needed).

 

[gregsfc]

I've got a Battery Tender Jr. but never use it on the CTX. I bought it on the onset of my first riding season (last winter) with my first ride (a Piaggio scooter), because I too thought that I would need something to maintain the battery during the winter months. But if you are going to operate the bike at least once a month this winter like you have indicated in your OP, there should be no need for a charger or "tender". Bill is right!

When I used the "tender" last winter, I took notice of whether or not it would ever kick on and charge the battery while not riding for a couple of weeks at a time, and it did not.

So here is the deal. If you try to charge a new battery like the one that is in your CTX on the weekends, one of two things is going to happen. One: the charger will be smart and will know not to overcharge your battery and it will have been a waste of time to hook it up, because it won't do anything (that's what happened to me last year); or two: it's going to be a dumb charger and will over charge your new battery lowering the battery life.

You can use a Battery Tender brand maintainer and hook it up directly to your battery while installed in your bike via the pig tail that comes with the Battery Tender. This will not harm anything, but like Bill has stated, it will be an unnecessary aggravation and will not protect your battery or make it last longer. Only use one of these if you're putting it up for the winter or for at least a couple of months. And what ever you do, don't go out and get a regular charger that doesn't know to kick off when your battery is 80% charged. Charging batteries above 80% creates heat and heat kills batteries. Batteries run near 100% during operation but should not be at that level while parked.

 

[jfc77320]

Having a smart charger with a battery maintainer(3 amp) around the house is a good thing if you plan to use it to service all your vehicles in case of emergencies. They can be very pricey and complicated to operate if you don't know what your doing. You run the risk of ruining a battery if you have it set improperly. Your bike will keep your battery charged under normal riding if its operating properly without the need to charge it. A fully charged battery should hold a sufficient charge to last several months. Batteries do get old over time and wear out. You will notice when this begins to happen. This is the time when a battery charger may come in handy. Its basically a temporary fix and no amount of charging will bring back a dead, worn out battery.. It is impossible to leave your lights on so we can rule this out.

 

[Effem Tee]

I'm in the let-it-alone camp. In Arizona, getting ANY battery to last 3 years is a feat, regardless of battery tenders and so on. The massive heat in the summer will just wear it down, no matter what you do. Been down the road many times on this subject: cars and bikes.
Batteries are routinely replaced every 3 years. Installer ALWAYS said that the old one [bike or car] was lower than desirable in cranking power, and it was a good thing to replace it. Always.

Ride Often, Ride Safe
f

 

[Armdillo]

Two things to look at
#1 battery tender for any extended non riding time.
#2 look at the Clearwater charging monitor, it is easy to install, monitors the charge/status of your bike charging system, costs about $50, if I remember correctly, was reviewed in a recent motorcycle consumer news magazine.

And you can use the plug from the battery tender attachment for all kinds of electrical farkle. Just starting and letting it idle will not charge battery nor replace the energy used to start it up. You have to get some rpm going to recharge battery while riding.

 

[GeorgiaRider]

I charge both bikes once a week with a battery tender.

 

[Rebel13]

The last battery I had to replace cause it wore out lasted just under 7 years. The bike is always outdoors uncovered and runs every other day on average. There have been times it sat for some long periods too. What to do then, once a month throw it on a 2 amp charge for 45min-hour. The best trick I use is to give it a ride at least once every other week, this helps everything not just the battery. I never used a tender in my life and never will, I have no need for one. If you know the bike is going to sit for longer then 2 months at a time, pull the battery out and store it in room temperature. Bikes are no different then cars, treat them as such.

 

[gregsfc]

I'm in the let-it-alone camp. In Arizona, getting ANY battery to last 3 years is a feat, regardless of battery tenders and so on. The massive heat in the summer will just wear it down, no matter what you do.
f

I read something, somewhere just a couple of weeks ago...to paraphrase, it stated that heat kills batteries, but often people don't know that the summer heat has killed their battery until they try to crank in the cold, and that's when they learn that the battery no longer has the cranking power it once had and that's why we often have to replace a battery in the winter. I always assumed it was the cold that killed the battery, but according to this article, it was the previous summer that did it in for the battery, and it just didn't show up until the first cold day when more cranking power is needed and the batteries low charge goes even lower due to the cold weather.

Just yesterday I was in Kmart looking at car batteries. My Jetta battery is eight yrs. and three months old and is starting to drag upon cold starts. A new one is about $150, so I've been delaying it as long as I can stand it. The battery dragged a little last year but is a little worse this year. I've been real careful not to run the radio or accessories unnecessarily and so on, but I know I've got to give in eventually. Die Hard had a chart up of a U.S. map in Kmart that showed average battery life throughout the continental U.S. The farther south you looked on the chart, the lower the battery life. I think Arizona was in the 1-3 year zone, so three years is probably doing well out there.

 

[Effem Tee]

Thanks, gregsfc,

People tend to think that since the lights come on, the battery is OK. Not.

I have seen what Arizona heat can do, and I don't take chances: 3 years and out. Sure, the trickle charger helps keep things "topped up", but it does not give a deep charge; so as the battery ages, there is simply no way to bring it back to it's full cranking ability.

Batteries are chemical devices: its a one-way street. As the chemicals give up their precious electrons, the battery simply gets weaker and weaker. Sure, it will light a lamp for years...but it won't crank. HEAT IS THE ENEMY. Any chemical reaction speeds up when heat is applied. Basic Chem 101.

Ride Often, Ride Safe
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