Is the 1150GS ADV alternator big enough?

[puryersc]

My bike always seems to turn over two, or three times before it starts successfully, but what worries me though is that it always sounds reluctant as if its saying 'If I really must bother..." in a Marvin the paranoid andriod sort of way.

It's never let me down but I always worry if it will as I walk across the car park to it as I leave work. My bike is an 02 1150GS ADV with toastie grips and ABS. The grips are normally on the first position and I ride approx 12miles to work each way. I've heard the alternators are a bit borderline on the standard GS but were bigger on the ADV but are they big enough for the mileage I'm doing with the main beam on and toastie grips on high during the winter months?

My Optimate doesn't report any battery problems - am I worrying unnecessarily?

P.S. How do you get home when battery in the alarm blipper fails?

 

[schnauzer]

I'd always reckoned on 20 mins decent running just to charge up the battery after starting, but if you are using the optimate you should be ok.......

Alarm blipper, I always replace the battery every time the vehicle ( car or bike) gets taxed, that way you get a new battery annually and for just a £1 or so its worth it....

 

[Greg Masters]

The alternators are chunkier on 1150's with either ABS or heated grips. The Adv is no different to the regular bike.

In all cases, the alternator is man enough to cope with any demand that you are reasonably likely to put on it. However, give some thought to battery management. By that, I don't just mean plugging in the Optimate when you get home, but if you let the bike stand with either the engine off or even just idling, you'll be placing a big demand on the battery. Unless the battery then gets charged shortly afterwards (by running the bike or plugging in a charger) the plates will start to sulphate, eventually leading to battery failure.

I usually turn a few things off in my last couple of minutes riding to ensure that the battery is brimmed before parking the bike.

Greg

 

[Les Wassall]

My bike always seems to turn over two, or three times before it starts successfully, but what worries me though is that it always sounds reluctant as if its saying 'If I really must bother..." in a Marvin the paranoid andriod sort of way.

It's never let me down but I always worry if it will as I walk across the car park to it as I leave work. My bike is an 02 1150GS ADV with toastie grips and ABS. The grips are normally on the first position and I ride approx 12miles to work each way. I've heard the alternators are a bit borderline on the standard GS but were bigger on the ADV but are they big enough for the mileage I'm doing with the main beam on and toastie grips on high during the winter months?

My Optimate doesn't report any battery problems

My GS is just the same, and I find that even though its been on the Optimate the ABS can fail, have found that if all switches are off and the choke held on full for the start, it is a lot better and no ABS fail.