2 years for me also.....
I keep a spare battery in my tour pak, I have given one away twice.

 

I generally lose mine on a regular basis, so my battery is always new, since I'm always ordering a replacement. I now have a belt clip to keep from losing it. Kind of like those strings that small children have on their mittens.

Cannon

 

Mine lasted 2 months past 3 years. My main on went dead. Batteries com in a 2 pack so i replaced them both. I guuess a routine of changing every year or two wouldn't be a bad idea. Luckily I was home at the time.

 

Some of you guys need yer card in yer wallet that tells ya how to bypass, don't ask me how I know

 

+1. Mine lasted right @ 2 yrs. Luckily, I had was @ Target when it went out!

 

The batteries are cheap. I replace 'em every year, & since it's a bagger with lots of lids & storage room I have registration, proof of insurance, & the card with the alarm bypass instructions taped in a waterproof pack in a secure location on the bike. The code is a number I can easily remember so I don't have it written on the card.

 

Took a 10 day tour on a rented bike.

First morning we took off for breakfast. Got on the bike to leave after we ate and no start. Lost the key fob somewhere and the dealer was 200 miles in the opposite direction.

No other dealers in the area would duplicate just the fob because of security reasons. I had to go through the override for the rest of the trip at every stop. What a PIA.

Then I got to give the original dealer $50.00 to replace it. LOL

 

What good is the card if you don't even know the code installed by the dealer?

 

You can redo the code, mines complicated though 1234 even I can rember that one. or write yer #'s on yer card

 

DPete - oh yes, I know about that. It sucks when you pull up to the border crossing, and they tell you to shut your bike off (St. Andrew's, NS). Then when you go to start it, nothing happens. So, you push it around the corner (away from the curious glances of the border guards), and go to open your trunk, because it's written in your manual.

The damned trunk is locked. Oh, that's okay, because my key is on my......oh. No problem, I'll just dissassemble the lock with my tools. Which are in my kit. Which is in my saddlebag. Which is also locked.

Oh hooray.

Fortunately, I still had the stock POS hinges on my trunk, so I grabbed the knife I carry in my boot, wrenched the trunk open as far as I could, and lightly chipped away at the nut on the inside of the lock until it fell apart, and I could open the trunk.

Finally got the trunk open, and managed to start the bike. Oh crap I better get gas.

asfgasfgnhloeb bdbipeb wernipebipb etpesdg;hmasgjsf sfgasfgh dh sh shshs asg

Pretty soon a Harley rider cruised by that I could flag down to unlock my fuel door.

Ah yes, I can laugh about it now.

Cannon