[dinger]

I recently bought a new battery for my Yamaha V-Max. At one of the bike type of stores (think helmets, clothes, and some accessories) I shopped prices, the kid told me that my bike and most of the newer bikes don't have a charging system. He says there is enough to keep the battery maintained while riding but the battery, unless the bike is ridden EVERYDAY, need to be kept on a battery tender. Is this true and can someone explain it to me. It just doesn't seem to be able to work this way, IMO. Dan

[T-bucket23]

Makes no sense. I did a quick Google search and there are several people who sell alternators for the model you mentioned.
I think he was talking just to talk

[cobalt327]

I think the guy's a bit mistaken. Everything I've ever owned, street bike-wise, was able to recharge the battery. All the way from a '64 200cc Bultaco Metralla to Harleys.

I mean, if they couldn't recharge sufficiently, it would take a couple dozen electric starts and it would be dead. Not to mention the headlight burning constantly in many jurisdictions.

[dinger]

Thanks, guys. This re-affirms my suspicions, I will stay away from this place. I had to get a jump start a few weeks back, drove the heqq out of it for about an hour, the battery had a charge in it when I finished. He tried to sell me a battery for 50 bucks, 30 day warranty, 5 bucks more for a 60 day warranty. WTH? Made my spidey sense tingle, went to NAPA, bought a battery for 70 bucks with a year warranty.

[richard stewart 3rd]

Hi Dan
Here's something about improving the charging system on a V max. I hope it works for your year & helps you.
Rich
http://www.vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/crimp.htm

[dinger]

Rich, thanks for the tip! I will do that before I put the battery back in, probably Saturday. Dan

[SSedan64]

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[vicrod]

Battery tenders should be used for rigs that don't get run very often. Battery will last 3 times longer.

vicrod

[crazy larry]

Dan, when I lived twelve miles out of town, i never had any issue with my battery staying fully charged... Moved to town..., if i just run back and forth to work, about three miles, my battery doesn't keep a good charge. I have a battery tender on it, and use it.... the voltage at the battery at idle is just under thirteen volts, run the rpm's up, and the voltage will go up to 14-14.5... just take it out on the highway once a week seems to do the trick. I went to do the tip suggested by Rich Stewart, but someone had beaten me to it.