1200 custom
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 8,218
Likes: 827
From: Reston, Va
Why would they give away a free harness if you didn't have a tender?
Good news. Installing the tender harness is no more difficult than pulling the battery. Connecting/Disconnecting the tender from the harness is as simple as plugging/unplugging a headset from a walkman. You would use the tender whenever the bike is going to set for any "great" period of time between rides. How long "great" is depends on your tastes.
As for me, I ride year round, so I just let my electrical seem keep the charge up on the battery.
Good news. Installing the tender harness is no more difficult than pulling the battery. Connecting/Disconnecting the tender from the harness is as simple as plugging/unplugging a headset from a walkman. You would use the tender whenever the bike is going to set for any "great" period of time between rides. How long "great" is depends on your tastes.
As for me, I ride year round, so I just let my electrical seem keep the charge up on the battery.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 321
Likes: 10
From: Oklahoma
If you don't actually use it for the tender they also make USB adapters in the event you need to charge a gps or cell phone. It plugs right into the tender harness.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 238
Likes: 42
From: Montreal
If you install an harness for your tender, make sure you don't do the same mistake as I did - place the connectors on top of the main cables!
I originally installed the tender harness in between the main cable and the battery. Everything was fine until a month later. When I pushed the starter, it would turn just half a second and then everything went dead, no lights, no nothing. At first, I though my battery was dead, I fully recharged and then it did the same thing: half a starter turn then everything dead.
After reading on this forum, I knew I had to check my battery connections and ground and make sure everything was clean and tight. That's when I realised that my tender's connectors were starting to be embeded into the soft battery poles. Made the switch (battery,main cable, tender harness, screw) and everything has been running smoothly since!
I originally installed the tender harness in between the main cable and the battery. Everything was fine until a month later. When I pushed the starter, it would turn just half a second and then everything went dead, no lights, no nothing. At first, I though my battery was dead, I fully recharged and then it did the same thing: half a starter turn then everything dead.
After reading on this forum, I knew I had to check my battery connections and ground and make sure everything was clean and tight. That's when I realised that my tender's connectors were starting to be embeded into the soft battery poles. Made the switch (battery,main cable, tender harness, screw) and everything has been running smoothly since!
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 276
Likes: 43
From: Spokane, WA
Get a Sears smart battery tender for about $30 or so and plug it in when you're not running your bike for about 3 weeks or more. Especially in the winter. Your pocket book and battery will love u for it. 
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