Battery charging

[jaflowers]

I'm not new to bikes but a thread on another forum made me wonder about BMW's and battery charging.

Other than a few times over the winter last year(moved to Colorado in 2012 and bought a different bike in early 2014) I've never bothered charging my battery since I'm riding my bike multiple days a week, same as my truck or SUV. Over the years I never did this either but I lived in Florida so I rode pretty much year round. So on the other forum other BMW owners are talking about how they always have their bikes on chargers when they're not being ridden so that the bikes are always ready to go. Being a total newbie to BMW motorcycles is there something about the BMW's I'm not aware of that's different than other bikes where they'd drain the battery more or don't have an alternator that works well?? Just wondering?? I totally get throwing them on a charger over the winter when not being ridden much, if not at all, for extended periods of time but when you're riding them daily it just doesn't make sense to me. My batteries in other bikes have always lasted quite a few years so I'm puzzled. Thanks all.

 

[pglaves]

I'm not new to bikes but a thread on another forum made me wonder about BMW's and battery charging.

Other than a few times over the winter last year(moved to Colorado in 2012 and bought a different bike in early 2014) I've never bothered charging my battery since I'm riding my bike multiple days a week, same as my truck or SUV. Over the years I never did this either but I lived in Florida so I rode pretty much year round. So on the other forum other BMW owners are talking about how they always have their bikes on chargers when they're not being ridden so that the bikes are always ready to go. Being a total newbie to BMW motorcycles is there something about the BMW's I'm not aware of that's different than other bikes where they'd drain the battery more or don't have an alternator that works well?? Just wondering?? I totally get throwing them on a charger over the winter when not being ridden much, if not at all, for extended periods of time but when you're riding them daily it just doesn't make sense to me. My batteries in other bikes have always lasted quite a few years so I'm puzzled. Thanks all.

Mostly anal balderdash. Riding the bike for a while in anything but slow speed stop and go traffic every couple of weeks will keep the battery charged just fine. Accessories that pull the battery down in a few days, such as a GPS left connected alter this scenario but stock motorcycles can sit for a few weeks and still start and run jsut fine.

 

[jaflowers]

Thanks for the reply. That's kind of what I figured. I'm going to get a better battery tender for my bike for the winter months here in Colorado but other than that it'll be operate as normal.