Battery Tender Question
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,214
Likes: 660
From: Prior Lake, MN
Have been running a Battery Tender plus for almost 9 years, still working strong. Also have a Tender Jr. , both are up to the task. I'm sure any other floating charger would also be fine, but I'm not familiar with any other brands.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 9
From: Cherokee Co. Georgia
I've noticed that my SGS drains down the battery more than my previous bikes in the cold weather. Even though I ride it most every weekend, I can tell that it is losing some charge so I want to buy a battery tender for it. I want something small, automatic, and easy to use. What tenders do you guys use? Any particularly good ones that you would recommend? Any I should stay away from? Thanks.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,096
Likes: 4,673
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Have an old Battery Tender, a couple Schumakers, and a NOCO Genius. The Schumakers occasionally won't charge a battery, and I have two batteries that they won't charge at all, but the others charge just fine. Thumbs down on the Schumakers, but Battery Tender makes a real reliable inexpensive unit, and the Noco is one of those fancier do it all chargers that supposedly makes them last longer; so far it just seems to be a faster charger, but is working on all the batteries just fine.
With the cold temps and insane amount of road salt here, the bikes and two mowers sit long enough I just pull the batteries and bring them in the house; makes it easy to swap tenders every few days and keep them charged - and me warm.
With the cold temps and insane amount of road salt here, the bikes and two mowers sit long enough I just pull the batteries and bring them in the house; makes it easy to swap tenders every few days and keep them charged - and me warm.
Last edited by Imold; Jan 20, 2015 at 08:43 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 4
From: South Carolina
Battery tenders are a good thing. They are meant for maintaining a battery when it is not in use for prolonged periods. You should not be having a problem if your riding the bike most every weekend. If you are, I would check for a draw (discharge) and address the problem instead of covering it up. JMO
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I use the Battery Tender brand.
My plug is on the left side near the top of the saddlebag. I plug it in as soon as I am home. I run it up over across the seat to the right and down over the right rear foot floor board so it doesn't hit the exhaust.
I leave it on all the time I am not riding the bike.
We actually have 3. Two are battery tender Jrs. and one is full size unit. I use them on the Goldwing and the wife's Suzuki Burgman 650 also.
They are on all the time the bikes are not ridden.
My plug is on the left side near the top of the saddlebag. I plug it in as soon as I am home. I run it up over across the seat to the right and down over the right rear foot floor board so it doesn't hit the exhaust.
I leave it on all the time I am not riding the bike.
We actually have 3. Two are battery tender Jrs. and one is full size unit. I use them on the Goldwing and the wife's Suzuki Burgman 650 also.
They are on all the time the bikes are not ridden.