[ST] Battery Charging

["Robert Fastner" <bobfastner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,
    Have not been posting for quite a while. I am still using my original
battery in my '99 Sprint ST which I bought in July of '99. If the battery
has been maintained properly (by you and the dealer and/or previous owner),
it should last just fine. If they are dying suddenly, I would suspect the
Triumph circuitry, not the battery. Batteries have tried and true
technology. The electrics/electronics they power changes.
    I live in the Twin Cities, Minnesota and it gets rather cold here
(except this winter...so far). I take the battery out of the bike over the
winter and bring it into the house (between first snowfall/salt application
and first Springtime rain that washes the salt off the roads). I charge it
once a month whether it needs it or not (it only shows a very slight
discharge, if any at all). If you leave it in, it is powering the clock
which shouldn't draw much as it is an LCD type. I don't think that there is
anything else receiving power unless you have wired "always powered"
accessories into the circuitry. If they only operate when the ignition is
on, you should be OK. I never use battery tenders and the bike may sit for a
month (combo of travel/weather) even during the riding season. Ditto for my
car. I have never had a battery that didn't last more than 3 years. The one
that died at 3 years was due to a bad voltage regulator. I usually get
longer life out of batteries that are OEM. My bike starts immediately when
cranked over in the Spring (knock on wood).
    However, If you dump your bike or crash all bets are off. Street bike
batteries are supposed to be insulated from extreme heat and shock and
should remain upright.
    By the way, I saw a Gold Wing on the freeway yesterday (35 degrees high
temp). I have seen about 3 bikes a week through most of this winter. The guy
2 garage stalls down rode his Vulcan home from the shop 30 miles away just
before Christmas. It has been a rather mild winter. All the snow is melting
away and the ice is thin and weak. In fact, a bunch of big covered trailers
and straight trucks fell through the ice at a snowmobile race in Detroit
Lakes yesterday.
Regards,
Bob



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