This may have been mentioned in older posts but, since I am lazy and don't want to read that far back...here goes. Is it just me or do any of you guys have issues with you batteries not wanting to hold a charge for very long. I am on my second battery...i have had this one for almost two years and it seems that if i don't ride the bike at least twice a week it won't hold a charge at all. I know that when it gets colder out it makes the batteries exceptionally suceptable to losing a charge....but all the time? damn batteries

 

Try a Battery Tender.

 

Yeah, I have thought of that, but it seems like it just shouldn't go dead that fast without it.

 

I believe in the Manual it says that if its cold out and the bike isnt started for a while it says the chance for discharge is higher. Now that being said Ive heard ppl say that the charge should last anyways. Im not leaving anything to chance and use a Tender anyways. Finally got to ride my bike last night, the first time in 2 months. Here in Milwaukee it rained like 5 days straight and washed all the salt away. I didnt care it was in the 20's! It was sooooo liberating! Also believe it states in the service manual that the battery for optimal use must be charged at leats once in a 1 month period regardless of season. Ill research the service manual for where I saw it.

 

This upcoming season wil be the third season for my 954. I am still on the factory battery and I have never charged or tended it once. I do periodically start it and let it warm up in the winter, if that has any thing to do with it. It does seem unusual that your losing charge faster than normal. Perhaps the battery you bought is a piece of crap.

 

your battery wll lose about 1% or more of it's charge per every day that it sits, that's the reason you put a battey tender on your bike if you let it set for a long period, also your stator won't actually charge the battery unless the bike is running around 5,000 rpm, below that your stator is just putting back what is bieng used by the headlights, and taillights and ignition, so just get you a tender and your problem will be solved (plug it up every time you come back from riding)

 

I might just pick one up. I think that might be it. I went for a long ride last weekend, and it seems to be holding fine for now, however i know if i let it go for a week or so...it'll be dead again very soon. The battery may have been older than I expected when I bought it also. At $100 a pop, you would think the damn things would last a while.

thanks again guys.