Battery life?

[Zorro]

I have to leave the bike in a garage for two weeks at a time for the next two months where there is no electricity. I'll be able to ride the bike every other weekend. Will the battery last this long? Will it deteriorate? Should I disconnected it and 'Optimate' it indoors where there is power and replace it every time I ride? I remember having to leave my wife's 650 for 3 weeks and the battery dying... Thanks for any advice.

 

[Roymondo]

Battery should easily keep nearly all its charge if left standing for two weeks, or even a month or more. My car stands unused for several weeks at a time without any problem at all. Ideally you should try to ensure it's fully charged at the beginning, and also do the same when you take it for its fortnightly run (i.e. Ride it for an hour or two - don't just start the engine for a few minutes)

 

[autogs]

Battery should easily keep nearly all its charge if left standing for two weeks, or even a month or more. My car stands unused for several weeks at a time without any problem at all. Ideally you should try to ensure it's fully charged at the beginning, and also do the same when you take it for its fortnightly run (i.e. Ride it for an hour or two - don't just start the engine for a few minutes)

yea i would agree with all of that,battery should be ok.i went away for 3 weeks hol earlier this year,on return bike started perfectly not even a hint of lost power.

 

[pistonbrokescooby]

battery

hi
a week + might be ok , i would not trust it for a minute . i have been let down twice with my gs , one was only just a year old . it is the bikes weak point ..
if its quite a new battery it should be fine .
piston

 

[yamonda1]

I leave mine for three months at a time and it starts first time .. '03 original battery ...

 

[deaninkl]

I'm on my 4th batery in 5 years, frankly I never found any problem with leaving the bike standing, even for a couple of months, when these batteries want to go, they just go, dosent seem to matter on the length of time standing.

 

[Zorro]

Thanks

Thanks for the advice. We must have a had dud one for the 650.

A great incentive to ride the bike hard to make sure it is fully charged before leaving it for two weeks

 

[seadog]

my 04 Gs sits in the garage while i am at work for 6 weeks at a time, ALWAYS starts on the button first time home each time.

it has a standard yuasa battery in it.


cheers
mike

 

[Pukmeister]

Get some cheap jump leads just in case, they don't draw massive amps on starting when compared to a car. If your battery turns out to be flat, beg a passing motorist for a quick donation of some electricity. Easier than trying to bump-start a 1200 twin.

 

[Pablo1]

You dont say whether you have an alarm fitted to the bike or not , these in my experience run the battery down a lot quicker than bikes without .

 

[Zorro]

You dont say whether you have an alarm fitted to the bike or not , these in my experience run the battery down a lot quicker than bikes without .

Yes I do, but I never 'arm' it. I assume that not arming it means it does not draw any power. Or is 'not armed' still not 'off'?

Cheap leads in the top box!

 

[Pablo1]

Not sure but I had a K1200s with BMW alarm and unless I put it on the optimate in winter it would be dead as a dead thing within about 6 weeks, my 1200gs has no such alarm and it was good for 3 months.

 

[kevtherev]

Think it depends on how old it is. Had a 1200ST (before I bought a GSA 2 months ago), with 70k and the original battery. It would last about 3 weeks in the summer months reducing to about a week in the winter if I didn't use it . I'd Optimate it to be on the safe side

 

[Magnon]

3rd battery fitted today

Just fitted third battery to sept 07 GS. When not in use bike in heated garage with BMV charger thingy connected. Alarm off nothing on I'm aware of. Fitted Exide YTX14-BS £43.00
Previous batteries genuine.

Why do these bikes eat batteries?

 

[Rasher]

A good battery should have no problems, my guess is OEM ones are the cheapest shite that BMW (and most other manufacturers) can get their hands on.

I see many owners here grumble that batteries are shite, but I suspect the OE battery is likely to be less than top drawer.

My last bike (A Kawasaki) stood happily for weeks during it's first winter (probably up to 6 weeks at a time) then during it's second winter I left it for about 3 weeks and it went flat, after that it needed charging if left for more than a few days.

I was not too surprised to learn the warranty did not cover the battery so fitted a much better one for about half the OEM price.

Is your concern the inconvenience of finding it flat when you want to use the bike, or the battery shitting itself and costing you money?

For scenario 1 you could just go and buy a decent battery and save yourself the worry.

For scenario 2 you can wait until it shits itself and then fork out for a decent battery, with the benefit that if it does last out the winter you are a few quid up.

The one thing I am certain of is it will be a bastard to bump start, I have wned a few big twins and they are almost impossible to bump - tha last one (A TL100S) required 3 people sat on the bike to stop the wheel locking and another 3 to push it so perhaps option 3 is check if there will always be an army of helpers if it does go flat.

 

[GrinningGSer]

Halfords do a set of thin bike jump leads, which will stow neatly under the back of the seat, around that space which was designed for the Abus lock, taking care not to jam the seat lock.

Forget the idea of a bump start, or at least have a laugh trying when you have some time.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

A good battery should have no problems, my guess is OEM ones are the cheapest shite that BMW (and most other manufacturers) can get their hands on.

I see many owners here grumble that batteries are shite, but I suspect the OE battery is likely to be less than top drawer.

My last bike (A Kawasaki) stood happily for weeks during it's first winter (probably up to 6 weeks at a time) then during it's second winter I left it for about 3 weeks and it went flat, after that it needed charging if left for more than a few days.

I was not too surprised to learn the warranty did not cover the battery so fitted a much better one for about half the OEM price.

Is your concern the inconvenience of finding it flat when you want to use the bike, or the battery shitting itself and costing you money?

For scenario 1 you could just go and buy a decent battery and save yourself the worry.

For scenario 2 you can wait until it shits itself and then fork out for a decent battery, with the benefit that if it does last out the winter you are a few quid up.

Spot on Rasher. My bike lives outside and I don't use an optimate because I ride it regularly so the charge is always pretty high. The OEM lasted about 3 years and then I bought a Yuasa (?) for about £40 and that has been faultless even in temps way down below freezing. Even last winter, it stood outside covered in snow with temps down to -15 for around 6 weeks and she started on the button

 

[(RIP) Miff]

Buy a small inverter. Connect this to your battery. You will then get a 240v output.

Plug your optimate (or similar) into this.

Then connect the optimate (or similar) to your battery.

Hey Presto. Battery charged all the time











Ps. Really really don't do this. I'm sure it would stop the world turning or something. Maybe even rip a hole in the space time continuum, or make pot noodle taste good.

 

[Kintessack GSr]

Buy a small inverter. Connect this to your battery. You will then get a 240v output.

Plug your optimate (or similar) into this.

Then connect the optimate (or similar) to your battery.

Hey Presto. Battery charged all the time :







Ps. Really really don't do this. I'm sure it would stop the world turning or something. Maybe even rip a hole in the space time continuum, or make pot noodle taste good.

I bet some wise ass has tried it!

 

[Neil W]

Buy a half decent solar charger and mount it on the garage roof