After visiting my pal Dean in Show Low, who has all his motorcycles connected to trickle chargers, I was compelled to ask him why. His reply was that if you keep a battery at an even charge it will last nearly forever. Hmmm…i pondered this as I had just replaced my battery on my original Bandito only a few months ago and only one year after buying a new one. It seems there was some credibility to what he espoused, not that I ever doubted his wisdom. Well, I searched the web for any information I could find regarding battery chargers and battery life and finally found this info on good ol’ webbikeworld.

This was what I found most interesting…
“Standard operating procedure is to connect the bike to the Battery Tender as soon as the bike is parked, and the bike is remains on the charger until it’s time for another ride. I also use one to keep my riding lawnmower’s battery charged and ready to go.

Some motorcyclists will only use a battery charger occasionally in the winter, but most modern motorcycle battery chargers have a sophisticated electronic control system that allows them to be connected whenever the bike is parked.

The systems will charge the battery when necessary and then they will continuously monitor the battery’s condition, activating the charging mode again if necessary.
This is true for both the Battery Tender (made by Deltran Corporation) and for the Battery Doc (manufactured by Operating Tech Electronics, Inc.).

Since most motorcycles are not ridden every day, and since motorcycle batteries, generally speaking, seem to be, shall we say, less robust than their automotive battery counterparts, it’s a good idea to keep the bike on a battery charger whenever it’s not being ridden, no matter what type of battery is installed.

Another good reason to use a motorcycle battery charger is to increase the potential lifespan of the battery itself. Motorcycle batteries take lots of abuse, from heat and vibration to weak charging systems and too many power-draining accessories.” webbikeworld

I now have my new Bandit on a charger as we enter into the season of less riding and to maintain the battery optimally.