[ADV_Addicts]

Is the battery on a 749 positve grounded or negative grounded? Kinda new to the whole battery charging thing. Just got a BatteryMINDer and want to give it a try.

The instructions also say to put the other clamp on the engine block or the frame- which is the safest?

Thanks!

 

[amullo]

Negative ground.

I always put the negative right on the negative pole on the battery. This "frame" stuff is simply to minimize sparks. Just put the clamps on the battery BEFORE you plug in the charger to the wallsocket.

Having a batterytender is ok, but for heavy charging you should disconnect the battery from the bike...

//amullo

 

[galaxy]

OK, I gotta ask....I've been hanging around these forums for about two years now and have never asked this question, so here goes. (and I ask this question very carefully while I knock on wood)... What is up with all the battery tender / charging all the time stuff??? I have found the #1 best way to keep a battery charged is to ride it!!! I have about 18 years (off & on) riding experience and I have never owned a battery tender and I have also never had a battery go dead. My job takes me away from home and my bikes sit for weeks at a time and they always fire right up when I return. Now for someone who has to hibernate thier bike through a full winter I can understand that, but for us that live where there's a 12 month riding season, or the winters aren't that extreme I just don't get it. Maybe I've been lucky so far and my luck just ran out from asking the question, but still....

 

[amullo]

I use a batterytender only during the winter or MAYBE once during the riding season (to charge the battery up fully). And the only reason why is that i have a small 5 Amp battery instead of the big YB16AL-A2 13Amp that came on the bike and the fact that i have an alarm that drains the battery when in the garage.

But batteries have limited life and motorcycle batteries live a stressful one. A batterytender is an easy, inexpensive way of prolonging the life of your battery

 

[ducatimike]

Seems like the older ducatis require a fully charged battery to crank the motor enough to get it to start, especially on cold mornings. My monster has a high comp piston kit in it and really takes full battery charge to turn it over. After a year or so, if I dont ride the bike like every week, the bike starts cranking slower and slower. On my track bike, if I let it sit for 2 months, it wont turn over at all. I use the tenders, especially in the winter months.

Mike

 

[migz123]

OK, I gotta ask....I've been hanging around these forums for about two years now and have never asked this question, so here goes. (and I ask this question very carefully while I knock on wood)... What is up with all the battery tender / charging all the time stuff??? I have found the #1 best way to keep a battery charged is to ride it!!! I have about 18 years (off & on) riding experience and I have never owned a battery tender and I have also never had a battery go dead. My job takes me away from home and my bikes sit for weeks at a time and they always fire right up when I return. Now for someone who has to hibernate thier bike through a full winter I can understand that, but for us that live where there's a 12 month riding season, or the winters aren't that extreme I just don't get it. Maybe I've been lucky so far and my luck just ran out from asking the question, but still....

The answer to your question is an easy one .... some people have other things in life to do than just ride!!

 

[galaxy]

WHAT????? You've got to be kidding???

 

[ADV_Addicts]

You know I've never needed a tender until recently...not really weather related, since I'm up in the Bay Area too. More like Migz said, lack of time. Oh and also stupidity. I only just recently discovered that leaving the kill switch on drains the battery- haha!

Thanks for the info amullo!

 

[migz123]

WHAT????? You've got to be kidding???

Hehe ... the problem with time is that it's infinite, yet there is never enough of it

I wish I could ride all day long... I guess I will have to MAKE TIME :think:

 

[racedfila749]

You know I've never needed a tender until recently...not really weather related, since I'm up in the Bay Area too. More like Migz said, lack of time. Oh and also stupidity. I only just recently discovered that leaving the kill switch on drains the battery- haha!

Thanks for the info amullo!

Leaving the kill switch on as in, if it were in the on position the bike would start or on as in up and the bike wont start. I'm confused about this.

I never had any problem with batteries until i got a ducati all my jap. bike were fine. I have a yuasa battery tender and it doesnt even keep it charged above 11.9

 

[ADV_Addicts]

Leaving the kill switch on as in, if it were in the on position the bike would start or on as in up and the bike wont start. I'm confused about this.

I would leave the kill switch in the On position while parked for both my bikes, and I guess it was never a problem since I used to ride a lot more. But recently they've just been sitting in the garage, so it was tough to fire up my F4i after a month of just sitting there. (the 749 was actually ok)

According to my buddy leaving the kill switch in the On position drains the battery a bit, so I felt like a moron after I found out.

 

[galaxy]

Never heard that one before. I never touch mine...I don't think it's ever been off, or in the kill position.

 

[tarochan]

OK, I gotta ask....I've been hanging around these forums for about two years now and have never asked this question, so here goes. (and I ask this question very carefully while I knock on wood)... What is up with all the battery tender / charging all the time stuff??? I have found the #1 best way to keep a battery charged is to ride it!!! I have about 18 years (off & on) riding experience and I have never owned a battery tender and I have also never had a battery go dead. My job takes me away from home and my bikes sit for weeks at a time and they always fire right up when I return. Now for someone who has to hibernate thier bike through a full winter I can understand that, but for us that live where there's a 12 month riding season, or the winters aren't that extreme I just don't get it. Maybe I've been lucky so far and my luck just ran out from asking the question, but still....

Yeah, I can't help but agree with your comments. I've never used a battery tender, not on my Ducati's anyway. Had a 998 for a couple of years but never owned a 996 or a 916 and these bikes definately had smaller alternators. Never had a problem with 749R even after leaving it idle for a month. Started first hit of the button. I think when people hear about problems with the pre-02 bikes they assume those problems where not solved.