Battery Access

ducct · 01-02-2012, 09:02 AM

How do you get to the battery. The pillion seat comes off, how does the main seat come off?
Which battery tender can I use? Gel or regular?

crabman · 01-02-2012, 09:45 AM

There are two bolts under the rear corners of the main seat. Just lift up the rear edge of the seat and you will see the bolts.

**HOG SLYR** · 01-02-2012, 10:30 AM

It takes a Torx

markjenn · 01-02-2012, 12:29 PM

While you might be able to fit a conventional wet battery, it comes stock with an AGM and almost all after-market batteries will be AGM's. (AGM's are sealed, no-maintenance batteries often mistakedly called "gels", but actually gel batteries these days are pretty uncommon.)

- Mark

ducct · 01-02-2012, 01:08 PM

can I use any battery tender or do i need one for Gel. BMW makes both.

Rainman · 01-02-2012, 01:23 PM

Don't waste any money on a BMW battery charger. They are junk, very expensive and not needed. Even my dealer says so.

Their selling point is they work with the CANBUS electronics, but believe me, when a regular Battery Tender is hooked up directly to the battery, what's the point?

Get a regular Battery Tender and a lead to the battery with standard SAE connectors, tie it down to the frame under the seat and never take that seat off again.

markjenn · 01-02-2012, 02:25 PM

Some of the old Battery Tenders (the regular Battery Tenders rather than the Battery Tender Plus) don't work very well with AGM's, but all the new ones do. Agree that you don't need the BMW one if you're wired directly to the battery - it's when you are charging to a accessory socket controlled by Canbus that you have issues that require special chargers. (Our S1000RR's do not have OEM accessory sockets and use Canbus only for the engine/braking electronics.)

Personally, I think the BT's are constructed poorly and have had much better reliability from the Optimates. But others like the BT's. Probably doesn't matter much.

- Mark

Rainman · 01-02-2012, 02:48 PM

I agree with Mark in this.

Use a charger designed for AGMs, (if you are using one like the OEM), but DON'T buy a BMW specific battery charger designed for CANBUS unless you are going to connect one via a CANBUS operated outlet. No need, and that's a really bad idea to begin with.

Also, if you have a Battery Tender brand charger, make sure it is of the "Plus" variety so it handles AGMs properly. I like them, they are cheap and do the job I need.

RRrider · 01-02-2012, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainman

Don't waste any money on a BMW battery charger. They are junk, very expensive and not needed. Even my dealer says so.

Their selling point is they work with the CANBUS electronics, but believe me, when a regular Battery Tender is hooked up directly to the battery, what's the point?

Get a regular Battery Tender and a lead to the battery with standard SAE connectors, tie it down to the frame under the seat and never take that seat off again.

+1
this works for me.

Getting the stock seat off is a PIA. I did that as infrequently as possible...Rainman's SAE trick worked wel for me. Then I upgraded to a sargent seat, which is not only a better seat, but easier to take on and off - win. Then I upgraded to a lithium battery....

**HOG SLYR** · 01-03-2012, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainman

Don't waste any money on a BMW battery charger. They are junk, very expensive and not needed. Even my dealer says so.

Their selling point is they work with the CANBUS electronics, but believe me, when a regular Battery Tender is hooked up directly to the battery, what's the point?

Get a regular Battery Tender and a lead to the battery with standard SAE connectors, tie it down to the frame under the seat and never take that seat off again.

+2 Plus it's a place to plug in a heated vest.