I don't believe your assessment of using a battery tender is accurate......

Laptop/phone batteries (lithium/ lithium-ion) and car/motorcycle batteries (lead acid/AGM) are two separate animals......

I believe the newer lithium-ion batteries don't develop a memory like the older ones..... but I digress.

Lead acid/AGM batteries when kept on a smart charger will benefit. When at proper voltages, it will not degrade the batteries performance but add to their longevity.

The older technology ferroresonant battery chargers (constant voltage) could overcharge and/or cook a battery if you didn't constantly check the fluid levels. The new smart chargers (bulk/absorption/float voltage) are actually good for keeping the batteries fully charged.

I have a 46' sportfishing boat with three battery banks that include a total of (4) 8D batteries and (1) 4D battery. I keep them on a 60 amp charger whenever I am dockside. With the old ferroresonant charger I would get 4 to 5 years out of a battery. With a new smart charger, I am getting 6 to 7 years out of a battery. Same max amperage charge, same batteries, same use cycle.

The Deltron battery tender (unlike some trickle chargers) is a smart charger, albeit a max 2 or 5 amp output, and has the same affect on car or motorcycle batteries.

On all my vehicles/vessels I have had longer lasting batteries when kept to 100% charge on a smart charger....

FWIW...

 

I agree with hattitude. I normally do not keep my bike hooked up to a tender although it is plugged in when I go to work, work can keep me on the road up to 2-3 weeks at a time.

 

If you have a true smart battery tender it will not hurt being left on charge 24/7. If it has a desulfator mode it even better. Keep mine on 24/7/365 when not riding - that's what it is for. I even hook up our vehicles once a month for 48-72 hours to give them a good saturation charge.

 

This

 

Did you fully charge the new battery before installing it? JR

 

I agree. Two different animals. I'm no battery expert and just repeating things I've heard. I'm also used to deep cycle batteries in the equipment I used to work with that like to be charged then almost drained before recharge. If they were constantly charge, they wouldn't run the equipment a full day when you needed them too without being plugged in. And as you said, constantly filling them with water.

To the original post though. If his charging system is working properly and he rides everyday, there's no benefit or need to put it on a tender every night unless he's making very short hops. The battery should be sufficiently charged from the bikes charging system to sit overnight. The purpose of a tender on a bike is for when it's going to sit for long periods.

 

the battery in my 07 died this spring. bought a "betcha" Yuasa off Amazon for $98, but it wouldn't hold a charge.

they sent me a replacement and everything is fine now.

maybe best not to betcha Yuasa on this batter afterall.