Batteries

[MATKAT]

Even though my standard battery is fine(even if it is 2 years and 7 months old) i'm just about to get a gel battery. Can the techies tell me the best one for the 1200 given the fact i'm running at least heated gloves and mitts, rider and pillion, and going to be playing with a heated vest. Any info. please......well winter is coming

 

[Pukmeister]

http://www.bmwandguzzispares.co.uk/...ER+ODYSSEY+BATTERIES&modelcode=90&partcode=TN

The Odyssey needs a CTEK Multi XS 3600 charger rather than an optimate, also sold by Motorworks.

Best money spent so far on my GS - PC535 & Multi XS 3600 - Reliability

 

[whitegloss]

Bugger electric central heating, go native!!!

 

[redcastle]

I wasnt happy with my battery Matkat so like pukmeister went for the hawker odyssey from motorworks (brilliant service by the way). It comes with a replacement strap etc and was a bit of a pig to get in but that was probably more me than the battery

I didnt know about the optimate thingy but will be ringing motorworks tommorrow to get the lowdown.

 

[MATKAT]

Heated clothing battery draw

I already use Hawker batteries on the airhead, in fact used them on the Pan too.brilliant !!! Have never used the battery charger, have an optimate but never use it !!
However, I note the one Motoworks list for the 1200 is only 13amp........................is this enough to power multiple warm add ons.
Native central heating is fine, but you try telling Sue that !!!! She loves being out on the bike but in all fairness i need to keep her warm in winter
Gerbing gloves draw 22watts/1.5 amps and the socks draw the same. So I need to know the battery can cope with this plus at least one heated vest (Gerbing draws 6amps/77watts).
I know I can reduce the draw with the gerbing variable heat controllers. Who else does a lot of 2 up stuff and utilizes this??

 

[birdseye]

I already use Hawker batteries on the airhead, in fact used them on the Pan too.brilliant !!! Have never used the battery charger, have an optimate but never use it !!
However, I note the one Motoworks list for the 1200 is only 13amp........................is this enough to power multiple warm add ons.
Native central heating is fine, but you try telling Sue that !!!! She loves being out on the bike but in all fairness i need to keep her warm in winter
Gerbing gloves draw 22watts/1.5 amps and the socks draw the same. So I need to know the battery can cope with this plus at least one heated vest (Gerbing draws 6amps/77watts).
I know I can reduce the draw with the gerbing variable heat controllers. Who else does a lot of 2 up stuff and utilizes this??

If the battery is 13 amp hours, the normal rule of thumb is that you have 50% useable ie 6.5 amp hours. so you can run the vest at 6 amp and the gloves and socks at 3 amps for something like 40 mins without the bike engine running. 20 mins if swmbo is aboard.

so when you stop to gaze at the scenery / have a pee / have a fag / map read, just make sure it doesnt take that long.

why replace a battery that is working? in reality, you rely on the alternator to run all these gadgets and the battery is only rel;evant for starting and fo short stops at idle like traffic lights. if you are draining more than your alternator can give you are in trouble whatever battery you have on the bike. and I would have thought there were sexier bits of "personalisation" you could spend your money on.

 

[MATKAT]

Sexier Bits

Birdseye,
thanks for the input..................
As regards any sexier bits to spend my money on please can you let me know what i can possibly buy for my 1200 that I have not already fitted................ technoflex suspension, metal mules, TT HID lights, Wide footpegs, carbon hugger, H&B tank and engine bars, NN screen, Tobinators, steering hard part, Autocom, extra auxilliary, Scorpion can, mud flap extender......i'm bored now It is sad to say there is over 5k in sexy bits on my bike.................good job i sold the Pan and the VFR to cover it.

 

[birdseye]

With that lot you dont need a battery - you need a portable generator mounted on the pillion seat!

Do you think you might just have a bit of a thing about shiny extras? Did your mum give you a chrome plated rattle when you were in your pram?

 

[marcus]

Battery charged up overnight on optimate last week

Bike last ridden Friday


Flat battery this morning

ffs.

 

[cookie]

i can't help noticing it's the bikes that live on optimates that seem to go flat all the time

the whole concept of having to leave a vehicle on charge is all wrong to me (especially when it doesn't work).

 

[ampthill]

i can't help noticing it's the bikes that live on optimates that seem to go flat all the time

I'm in full agreement with you on this one

I've only had flat batteries on bikes on two occassions - both times the battery had been kept 'charged' using an Optimate. Decided there must be a link, though not quite sure what Anyway sold the Optimate, just ran the buike as normal, and never had a flat battery since.

Peter

 

[MATKAT]

Dead Right

i can't help noticing it's the bikes that live on optimates that seem to go flat all the time

the whole concept of having to leave a vehicle on charge is all wrong to me (especially when it doesn't work).

Agree with Cookie totally. Until 18 months ago I had at least 4 bikes sat in my garage. These included the Pan and VFR plus various Beemers.........They often didnt get fired up from one month to the next and sometimes 3 or 4....certainly never a problem with the 'modern' bikes starting............. just don't get this trickle charge thing. My 1200 is always left outside (after all its a GS) and the airhead gets put away if I can be bothered (to many toys in the garage) yet they always start even if left 2 or 3 weeks............... never seems a problem

 

[MATKAT]

Birdseye

Do you think you might just have a bit of a thing about shiny extras? Did your mum give you a chrome plated rattle when you were in your pram? [/QUOTE]

No shiny bits on my bike::
A.............because its never cleaned, after all it's a GS
B..............all the bits are practical ones as I do ride my bike off road , track days, and anything else a GS is supposed to do .......oh and I do have a Steibel horn instead of the rattle