How bloody frustrating

[Mikey]

is it when you get the bike out for the first time in weeks and the pigging battery is flat !!!!!

[Lonewolf]

Very frustrating indeed!

[O.C.]

invest in a trickle charger to keep the battery boosted then you shouldn't miss out on a days riding..   

[PRD]

Thy will bump start but pushing it to top of hill is the problem!

[virginiajim]

How old was the battery?

[Mikey]

Thy will bump start but pushing it to top of hill is the problem!

I live halfway up a big hill so that's not a problem. The problem is if it doesn't start.

How old was the battery?

No idea mate, I've only had the bike for 6/7 months.

[virginiajim]

Well, with a little detective work, you have a 2011 (it helps us to help you if we know what year you have).  It's possible it could have the original battery in it.  I don't know what brand is stock for the UK.  If it is original it's time has come and gone and you should get a new one fitted.  This is only going to happen again and probably just when you need to get on the bike in a hurry.. 

I've never used a trickle charger on my batteries and have had good service with them (no no-starts), even sitting for a month.  Much longer than that and I think I would use a charger.  The bike doesn't use a lot of juice just sitting.  After about 24 hours it throttles itself down and goes to sleep.

[Mikey]

Thanks for that Jim, I'll certainly look into it. In its defence I don't think the bikes been ridden since before Christmas.

[STX1300man]

2010 ... still on the original battery ;)

[pross]

Alarm are bad for flattening the battery .
And also remember if you do fit somethings like an optimiser tester/ charger ensure the power supply is on all the time when in use as it will still keep testing if on and connected even without a power supply and this will flatten the battery.
I learnt the hard way by forgetting it was connected and turning the power off to the shed  .

Also if you fit a new battery charge it up before connecting an optimiser as I was told if you connect and its say 80% charged the optimiser will read that as 100% and keep charging to that level .

[O.C.]

Mikey, you should now be able to enjoy miles more smiles with your GTR     

[Rusty]

Invest in a trickle charger (Optimate 4) and leave it on all the time .. they really are very good and you know even in deepest winter when you hit that start button its going to go !

[moayling]

  always hook the optimate up if leaving the bike for a time. I suppose the best answer is to ride it every day 

[virginiajim]

In a perfect world.

[Mikey]

Took the battery out, charged it for 30mins. started it and did what I should have done weeks ago. After a couple of hours I felt better and the bike looked like it was smiling