POLL: Battery Tender selection

[vwboomer]

Do you really need to put it on a tender if your are riding it periodically?  I try to get in one ride a week (20+ minutes at speed), though sometimes it slides to once every two weeks.  Never used a tender under those conditions and never had a problem.  Maybe this isn't the best plan and I'm just lucky.

Plus you can probably get more life from an older battery. S4R fired right up yesterday at 40degrees,  but then it was on the charger. didnt' stop anywhere to test my luck but rode for an hour. damn I wish i could afford some electric gloves

[corey]

I went to start my bike up to let it run for the first time this winter a couple weeks ago, and i got one crank and then nothing. Battery was discharged pretty good. My local shop (that i don't care for that much) was out of tenders, but had two optimate-3's on shelf. I had heard good things, so managed to pick one up at 20% off. Couldnt be happier. It's nice having the readouts to tell me what is going on. Very easy to use and install as well. Great product. Probably saved my Yuasa.

[DEVO!]

Got mine at Sears for like 20 bucks it is the powers sports model.
I had my stator go out and the dealer didnt have the parts in stock so I would keep it on the tender every night ride to work put it on the tender again and ride home and put it back again. I did this for about a week keep in mind my bike was not charging my battery at all and it kept me from having to get a new battery. I ride every day and I still put it on the tender when I get home every night just for peace of mind, it cant hurt.

[booger]

I bought the one from DesmoTimes, the VDC BatteryMINDer Plus. I have not used it. I simply pull the battery and store it indoors for the winter. Had the bike two years now and no problems.

[Howie]

I bought the one from DesmoTimes, the VDC BatteryMINDer Plus. I have not used it. I simply pull the battery and store it indoors for the winter. Had the bike two years now and no problems.

The battery should still be charged through the winter to avoid sulphation. either a maintenance charge or an occasional charge at low amperage is OK.