battery charge

[sheriff]

hi guys/gals
just a quick question?
im thinking of taking my battery off the GTR for the winter and plugging in an optimate to condition it, i know what some of you are thinking  why not leave it on the bike.well i have a garage where the bike is locked up anchored down and guarded (by an x wife)  but its not attached to my house and i have no power in it and cant run a cable to it.
so my question is this; will having the battery off the bike for a period affect the transponder key when i come to re connect it or any of the other leccy items.
this may have come up before but i cant find it on the site
thanks for the help

keep it rubber side down 

[viper]

i cant see it being a problem, when ive disconnected my bat for an hour or so it goes back on with no problems, you will need to reset your dash tho, clock, mpg, non us gallons ect

you could always buy a second battery if you were worried

i will say that when my bike was stood for 5 months i only had to charge the battery once half way through

[sheriff]

viper

thanks for the info second battery could be an overlooked option

cheers

[O.C.]

Sheriff, I've never had a problem with the winter standing period, just start the bike up every week or so let it run on tickover for 10 minutes, and she should be just fine

Depends on how good your battery is to start with though, if it's a bit knackered the chances are it'll go flat 

[Debs]

I live in a flat and my baby is kept in a metal Motorbike Garage. I use a 5W solar charger recommended by Bournemouth Kawasaki. You can get them with lower Watts but not recommended..

Fit a second 12v socket straight to the battery and use this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5W-SOLAR-PANEL-WINTER-BATTERY-SAVER-PLUG-IN-KIT-5-WATT-/230617694858?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35b1e2c28a&_uhb=1

[O.C.]

Oh yeah I forgot about your solution Debs..A bloody good idea.

there's your answer Sherriff....more beer tokens for Debs 

[Debs]

I like beer tokens 

[2kwacks]

I got two of theses trickle chargers.. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Optimate4-Optimiser-12v-Motorcycle-Optimate-4-Car-Battery-Charger-/281017406123?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item416df152ab. I managed to blag the second optimate from the dealer when I bought my zx6r anyway.. I've used this type for years and when ever my bikes are not on the road there permanently connected to both my bikes.  never had a flat battery every other week I connect one of the opitmate chargers to a spare car battery to keep that in top condition which I use for topping up air pressure in the bikes when required. of course you need a power supply in your garage, but can't you run extension lead or twin and earth cable through some protective tubing either below or above ground. I done this for a my dad, he wanted power to a shed at the bottom of the garden, I just ran a extension cable through water proof tubing and connected it to this.. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Power-Circuit-Breaker-PLUG-IN-Electrical-RCD-Safety-Switch-Device-240V-Socket-/230779645159?pt=UK_BOI_CircuitBreakers_RL&hash=item35bb89ece7.. well don't want the old bugger to "fry"  just an option

[PCPeteUK]

I live in a flat and my baby is kept in a metal Motorbike Garage. I use a 5W solar charger recommended by Bournemouth Kawasaki. You can get them with lower Watts but not recommended..

Fit a second 12v socket straight to the battery and use this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5W-SOLAR-PANEL-WINTER-BATTERY-SAVER-PLUG-IN-KIT-5-WATT-/230617694858?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35b1e2c28a&_uhb=1

Sheriff - clear the standing water of the flat roof of your garage and go with Deb's option. You know we have discussed the addition of a cigar socket to do the charging mate. We could run the solar feed wire through a waterproof junction into the garage. Alternatively move....

[steel23]

A quick question in conjunction. If we replace the battery, say when it's due for a change. Do we need to do recalibration to stuff like TPS and other sensitive components?

[Lonewolf]

Steel, no you don't need to do any of that. You will however need to reset your clock and if you have a 2010 onwards model you will need to reset the automatic windshield setting if you had that previously programmed.

[steel23]

Steel, no you don't need to do any of that. You will however need to reset your clock and if you have a 2010 onwards model you will need to reset the automatic windshield setting if you had that previously programmed.

Thanks for the clarification Lonewolf. Mine is a 2012 model. And since you mention, I was not able to do the setting for the preset of the windshield. Somehow after I set it, it would not go to that position after I on the ignition again.

[jonathan]

Sheriff, I've never had a problem with the winter standing period, just start the bike up every week or so let it run on tickover for 10 minutes, and she should be just fine

This is not a good idea. All this does is create more impurities in the oil and the bike does not get warm enough for long enough to burn them off. Also, at idle speed 10 minutes is probably not long enough to recharge the battery after starting the engine. You are doing more long-term harm than good with this procedure.

I have to park my bike for 6 months at a time here in Canada and I always take the battery into the house where it will stay warm. The only issue with this is having to reset the clock and of course you lose the trip meter reading.

[O.C.]

This is not a good idea. All this does is create more impurities in the oil and the bike does not get warm enough for long enough to burn them off. Also, at idle speed 10 minutes is probably not long enough to recharge the battery after starting the engine. You are doing more long-term harm than good with this procedure.

I have to park my bike for 6 months at a time here in Canada and I always take the battery into the house where it will stay warm. The only issue with this is having to reset the clock and of course you lose the trip meter reading.

Nonsense my friend............sorry, but  the bike does warm up sufficiently to charge the battery, a fact which I have tested over a number of years with all three of the GTRs I've owned. 

However I would suspect that your Canadian winter temperatures which are almost certainly very much colder, longer and dryer than here in the English Lake District  would perhaps explain why it is necessary for you to completely remove the battery from your bike 

Additionally, I think its worth pointing out that my bikes are garaged in a heated, fully insulated well ventilated environment so they don't suffer unduly with temperature changes. The batteries my 1970s machines actually retain their charge, the battery on my 2011 GTR only drains nominally due to the immobiliser etc.,

[Rusty]

  .... OC ... I bet the 1970's bikes in your soooper D dooooper garage probably INCREASE their charge !!!!!