I'm fed up with flat batteries!

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Don't get to play as often as I'd like so every time I get the Br out the battery is flat. Charging it up and getting it sorted cuts into playtime and as the charging is shot and I can't afford to fix it I found a solution.
Removed the old battery, (2 volts whooppee...). Found a pair of old jumpleads and cut the ends off. Crimped ring terminals to one end of each lead then bolted and insulated them to the original battery leads. Fed the leads up behind the seat. Bought a pair of boat type quick release battery terminals and attached them to the other end of the leads. Got an old battery box from a touring caravan and put it on the back rack, then put in the first battery that comes to hand (I took mine off my boat), snap the leads on, and you're away. It gives loads more starts, and the lights are brighter and last longer. It can still be recharged via the charge point I fitted to the front some time ago and almost any battery will fit.
It won't win any beauty contests, but it's functional, and looks just like a beer cooler strapped on the back.

[hoosierlogger]

get a battery tender for it. They make them that mount to the bikes frame and has a pig tail on it to plug it in. They are cheap and will make the battery last a lot longer.

[Grinchman]

I will vote for the battery tender. I have used them for years on all my toys. It don't matter if it is below zero,turn on the key and hit the start button and go.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Hope this doesn't sound like a silly question but how well does a battery tender work under a heavy sheet or in a shed? I'm assuming they're solar powered?

[Xpress]

The Battery Tender is a 12v battery charger that you plug into your wall. The small ones costs about $40, and should be able to charge the BR's battery overnight.

http://batterytender.com/motorcycle/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html

Doesn't look like they can handle the current loads the starter draws, so might be best to unplug it before firing it up.

[200XMichigan]

Get a AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery. I have no idea where to buy one in the UK but in the states CarQuest sells an awesome AGM battery. When I worked at the Marina we used it as the replacement for jetskis, they would sit in storage for over 6 months and the batteries still were at 90% charge and full voltage. Also they will fit in the battery box.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Sorry! when you said it clips to the handlebars I had visions of a small box with a solar panel on it!
Ok, with that cleared up it's certainly worth a look.
I'll also have to look into these AGM batteries - sounds interesting.
Thanks for your help, Rob.

[86trizinger]

Volkswagen made a solar charger for car windows when shipping them. usually plugs into a cigarette lighter. I mounted one on my shed and and fed the wire through the wall. It works great.

[2Tim215]

I use the Battery Tender and bought it off of Amazon.com. It comes with one clip on battery charger and one with the eyelets that you connect to your battery which then only needs to be plugged into the pigtail. I ordered an extra pigtail for 4.95 so I can keep a few wheelers charged by switching them over every now and then. They extend battery life and we recently had 10 degrees below zero and my Yamaha Plow wheeler started right up! Great investment!!! Amazon I believe gave me free shipping also if I remember right.

[Blown 331]

I just now had to replace the original battery in my 2004 Harley. It came with a AGM battery and had a tender in the winter. 7 years isn't too bad!

[MonroeMike]

I bought a cheap one at Harbor Freight, been working all winter.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html

[200XMichigan]

AGM's rock, no need to plug anything in, after that spell of below 0 every night for a couple weeks, hit -28 F one night, and after 2 weeks of sitting in those temps the 250ES fired up like I drove it the day before, and it was still in the single digits. I'll never buy a lead acid battery again.