Would riding my bike once a week keep the battery charged this winter? I really don't want to store my bike away this winter, well if you can call it winter here in central ca. It doesn't even rain here two days in a row anymore. My bike is a 07 900c, so the battery is new and strong. I would like to keep it that way, any thoughts and responses would be great! By the way, It tickles me to read about people disliking their harsh winters, I would love to live in a state that has a harsh cold winter. Just can't afford to move. I guess the grass is always greener over yonder! I know, if I lived in Maine or something I'd love to live in ca.
Battery question
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Your Bat
You should be fine with riding your bike once a week, your battery should have no problems with that. If you do store your bike (for a long time) put a tender on your battery and it will be ready for you when you are. Sorry to say our season is over and bikes have been put away for some time now with our nice 30 deg days. I pull our batterys and put them on the self and in the spring 5 months later I just give them a small charge and the bikes fire right up. Take care.
You should be fine with riding your bike once a week, your battery should have no problems with that. If you do store your bike (for a long time) put a tender on your battery and it will be ready for you when you are. Sorry to say our season is over and bikes have been put away for some time now with our nice 30 deg days. I pull our batterys and put them on the self and in the spring 5 months later I just give them a small charge and the bikes fire right up. Take care.
I have "stored" my bike for as much as 3 months at a time. Winters here in NC are usually fairly mild. By "storage" I mean park it in the garage. No winterizing. And all that time I never started it. Ever. Didn't have to charge it in the spring, didn't have to jump it off. Bike started right up.
IN June I went to CT to get my Dad's Honda. He passed away in March and his bike had been outdoors under a cover from November to when I got there. No charging necessary, no jumping off. Bike needed new gas but the battery was easily strong enough to start the bike.
I think, from my experiences, you are worrying way to much. Park it, forget it, ride it when you want to.
IN June I went to CT to get my Dad's Honda. He passed away in March and his bike had been outdoors under a cover from November to when I got there. No charging necessary, no jumping off. Bike needed new gas but the battery was easily strong enough to start the bike.
I think, from my experiences, you are worrying way to much. Park it, forget it, ride it when you want to.
Ours is coming to a close. The sun and the nighttime temperature are sinking fast tho we are still 55-60-ish during the day.
I don't envy you at all. Dad was born in Bennington, Grampa in Albany. I don't miss New England winters at all!
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I have a battery tender, made the mistake of NOT leaving it on all last winter, just plugged it in off and on about once every 2 weeks, this spring battery was not holding a charge-my clock was loosing time. Replaced battery, could have been a old one even though the bike was new, my dealer left a little to be desired. By contrast, I have two garden tractors, i leave outside, under a tarp,in a lean-to on my shed, other than "Seafoam' in the gas tank, I don't do anything to them, usually get 4-5 years out of a battery! I would use something in the gas to stop it from going bad and top the tank off, but ridding once a week should keep everything O.K.-just make sure it's a long enough ride to fully warm up the engine/oil. BB
If you are worried about it, buy a Battery Tender and leave it plugged in. It will keep the batter topped off. That is what the Battery Tender is for. It provides a real slow trickle charge and will shut itself off when the battery is fully charged.
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Why do you say season is over? I'm in Western Ma. Woke up to heavy frost over car windows. Only going to get in Mid 40's but I'm firing up the 900 LT as soon as coffee is finished. Yup gonna be chilly ride but gloves, longjohns heavy coat should keep it enjoyable. I don't think I'm going to winterize. If the roads are dry (no ice or snow coating) then I'll ride even if it's only around the side streets. Still much to early to put aways. I'm up in the Rutland Vt. area every Monday and yes cold but rideable. LOL
I ride all year allt he time unless there's ice or more than 4" of snow. My 900 never goes for more than a week at a time without at least one ride and I have never had any issues with it not starting, etc. even on cold mornings (last week it was down in the low 30's a couple of times).
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I use battery tenders on my boat batteries, one battery for starting and one battery for trolling motor, with good success. Occassionally due to travel or other demands the boat can sit for up to 2 months without use. :frown:
All the other vehicles I own get more regular use and I don't use a tender on any of them.
As for winter, having lived for 23 years in Minnesota, I will grant you all my rights to frigid weather. I have seen enough. It's Florida for me.
BassAddict
All the other vehicles I own get more regular use and I don't use a tender on any of them.
As for winter, having lived for 23 years in Minnesota, I will grant you all my rights to frigid weather. I have seen enough. It's Florida for me.
BassAddict
More power to ya
Well I'm glad you can keep riding but I put on a little over 11K this season and I have to stop goofing off at some point and get ready for the winter never mind getting the sleds ready for canada. I just don't think 25 or 30 Deg mornings are just that much fun to ride in but I am getting older I guess. Take care and watch out for the ice.
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Yikes. Well you do a tad more riding than I do at 11K for the season. LOL Also with sleds to contend with that's ridin but in a little different way. Would love to have one myself but pushed my luck with the lil' woman on the bike so best to keep a low profile for now. LOL
I don't like 25-30 deg mornings either. That low and I'm not going out. If it gets a little above 40 and not windy I'll go. Well happy sledding. I can't wait for spring since my buddy and I have some plans for rides thru Vt. Great country ya have up there. I drive truck thru there all the time.
Although I'm glad I won't need to officially winterize the bike, that's about all that's positive about central NC winters. It just gets so hot and humid here in the summer, and the winters are a joke. I want to move to the mountains where at least you get 4 real seasons. I'm sure as hell never moving anywhere where it's any hotter than it is here
Once you've experienced 3 or 4 feet of snowfall in a 2 day period week after week after week and temperatures in the single digits on a warm day with windchill low enough to freeze exposed skin in 45 seconds you're glad you are here in central NC enjoying the relatively mild winters. I don't miss that 4th season one bit!!Although I'm glad I won't need to officially winterize the bike, that's about all that's positive about central NC winters. It just gets so hot and humid here in the summer, and the winters are a joke. I want to move to the mountains where at least you get 4 real seasons. I'm sure as hell never moving anywhere where it's any hotter than it is here
Well, everything in moderation. I'm not asking for Minnesota winters or anything....just A winter
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Oil in the cylinder?
I have a 2006 Vulcan 900 (new for me this year) and it doesn't look like an easy task to take the spark plugs out - especially hard for someone like me who is a mechanically challenged.
Just curious if you remove the spark plugs and put a little oil in the cylinder as a few people seem to recommend.
I have a 2006 Vulcan 900 (new for me this year) and it doesn't look like an easy task to take the spark plugs out - especially hard for someone like me who is a mechanically challenged.
it doesnt tickle me to come out to my car after work and have to figure out a way to get thru the inch thick shield of ice that has covered my entire car, including my door handles and creases with out hurting my paint... or to have to wake up atleast 30 minutes ahead of schedule to get my car ready to go..(warming up, scraping, breaking ice... things like that...
sometimes i have to ease my car out of its space (after deicing it and finally getting in) because the tires have been frozen to the ground... this happened to me about 5 times last year
sometimes i have to ease my car out of its space (after deicing it and finally getting in) because the tires have been frozen to the ground... this happened to me about 5 times last year
I bet that's more because of the cold getting to your battery than just it losing a charge. I had mine completely discharge after sitting outside for 5 days and the temperature getting down to the 20s last week. I take mine out of the bike and store it inside where it doesn't get hit by freezing temps during the winter.
WE had one in 2000 didn't we? :lol: Wasn't it that year we had all the snow? We got about 2 ft. here that night....Well, everything in moderation. I'm not asking for Minnesota winters or anything....just A winter
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