BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

I currently charge the battery through the accessory socket on the bike using an Optimate 4.  For this winter I was considering putting a fused flying lead directly to the battery and have the Optimate set up for standard operation, rather than having the bus system active on the bike for several months over the winter.
I will be asking at the dealers later in the week if there any pitfalls charging in this way, but I would like to see if the collective foresee any issues or if there is anyone else using this method.

John

sofnolime wrote: I currently charge the battery through the accessory socket on the bike using an Optimate 4.  For this winter I was considering putting a fused flying lead directly to the battery and have the Optimate set up for standard operation, rather than having the bus system active on the bike for several months over the winter.
I will be asking at the dealers later in the week if there any pitfalls charging in this way, but I would like to see if the collective foresee any issues or if there is anyone else using this method.

John

I find that putting the bike on charge forb no more than 1 day every two weeks is enough .  For all the hype there is about leaving modern chargers on permanently I have sold more new batteries because of that than anything else.  Also the canbus is not live throughout the bike if you plug in a charger, just the socket to the battery.

Wait for it........................... :whistle:

Ive used an Optimate 4 through the accessory socked for over a year now, no ill effects, but I do take it off every week or so to give the battery a break. I do ride all year though, so its never plugged in for weeks on end

Quite.  But don't you just know those who,plug them in in September and them wonder in April why the bike won't start..  I have just jumped behind the sofa to miss the incoming  flack.

You can charge through the accessory socket in normal mode with the Optimate 4.

All you could possibly need to know about Battery Chargers, https://1200rt.com/viewtopic.php?t=9

David. wrote:"Hey Presto", pushed the button & it started first time, after being stood for 6 months.

My '14 was charged thru the accessory socket every day for over 2 years with no detriment. The '16 that I have now is being charged the same way.
Tho like Casbar I ride all year round.


A proper biker 


Wait for the flack!

Like your dedication to the forum.  Riding through Germany in great weather and still have time to post.  We will discuss this on Saturday night, probably (not)

RTman10 wrote: Like your dedication to the forum.  Riding through Germany in great weather and still have time to post.  We will discuss this on Saturday night, probably (not)

Make sure that you bring your shorts as it's 28°,29° Saturday, Sunday in Bad Herrenalb

God bless the swimming pool.

Casbar wrote: Ive used an Optimate 4 through the accessory socked for over a year now, no ill effects, but I do take it off every week or so to give the battery a break. I do ride all year though, so its never plugged in for weeks on end

I got so bored of my Optimate frying batteries on my old Guzzi Breva that I haven't ever bothered to connect a charger of any description to My Stelvio, my Multistrada, my RTLC of my GSLC.


Since I stopped using a charger, I have never had a starting problem on a bike, even when standing left for up to four weeks whilst I've been away.  The Multistrada had a Tracker fitted and the RT had an alarm.  Neither seemed to drain the battery to anywhere near low enough to make starting a problem.


I have no plans to ever use a so called "battery conditioner" again...

My LC sat from the 6th of June until the first week of Sept in 2014 waiting for its rebuilt rear shock. After 3 months it just fired up.  As Previously said I do occasionally plug it in mainly just to check it I'd fully charged as the BMW charger gives you the voltage as of course does the bike if you start it.

richardbd wrote:
I got so bored of my Optimate frying batteries on my old Guzzi Breva that I haven't ever bothered to connect a charger of any description to My Stelvio, my Multistrada, my RTLC of my GSLC.


Since I stopped using a charger, I have never had a starting problem on a bike, even when standing left for up to four weeks whilst I've been away.  The Multistrada had a Tracker fitted and the RT had an alarm.  Neither seemed to drain the battery to anywhere near low enough to make starting a problem.


I have no plans to ever use a so called "battery conditioner" again...

Good for you I've used so called battery conditioning for 10 years and never had an issue with any battery, also used a so called battery conditioner on my Caterham 7 race car throughout the winter, when not racing, and yes you've guessed it - no problems with the battery at all. Each to their own.

Casbar wrote:
Good for you I've used so called battery conditioning for 10 years and never had an issue with any battery, also used a so called battery conditioner on my Caterham 7 race car throughout the winter, when not racing, and yes you've guessed it - no problems with the battery at all. Each to their own.

I guess my point is why use an expensive gadget that has the potential to cause problems to solve a problem that doesn't exist in the first place?


If you have a car (or a bike) that you leave standing for several months, maybe but in my experience modern batteries simply don't need to be connected to conditioners or chargers on a regular basis.