How to Attach a Battery Tender Cable

[Delray]

If you want to keep your battery charged, it's easy to attach a Battery Tender cable to the GT's battery. This is a half-hour DIY project.

You need two items: 1) Battery Tender Jr. charger that plugs into the wall, 2) Battery Tender cable with loops that attach to the battery on one end and a socket that plugs into the charger on the other end.

1. Remove the right fairing (4 screws).
2. Loosen two screws that hold the battery in place so you can slide it out enough to have access to the terminals.
3. Use strong tape to lock down the positive and negative cables to the battery so they stay connected during this operation. Disconnecting the battery can switch the electronic windscreen to the "off" position and a dealer will have to re-program it unless you have a $400 GS-911 laying around. You only want to remove the bolts, not the terminal cables.
4. Remove the negative terminal bolt then the positive terminal bolt from the battery.
5. Slip the Battery Tender cable loops on the battery terminals, red/positive first, then black/negative.
6. Tighten the bolts, positive first, then negative.
7. Slide the battery back into its cave and tighten the bolts that hold it.
8. Feed the Battery Tender cable forward giving it enough length so the plug-in socket can extend beyond a little ledge that overlooks the wheel well. That way, when you want to charge, you just reach up behind the fairing, fish out the plug in socket and connect it to the charger. When not in use, the plug-in socket can sit on on the ledge behind the fairing, out of the weather and protected from road debris.
9. Zip tie the terminal cable in place.
10. Replace the right fairing.

Charge!

 

[Greg goes wild]

From what my brother told me that i have the black cable hanging down below the left front fairing. He said that's
the battery charging cable. That is easier then what you had to go thru.

 

[Delray]

New bikes aren't generally delivered with a charging cable. Dealers sometimes attach them when other work is being done, often at no charge. My 2015 didn't have the cable so I added it myself.

 

[Greg goes wild]

I was just searching for the battery tender with a slide in below the fairing mine has it. So far i have not
seen one yet. But i will keep looking.

 

[Delray]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Battery-Tender-0-75-Amp-12-Volt-Car-Battery-Charger/1002650248?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-hdw-_-ggl-_-LIA_HDW_214_Auto-Batteries-_-1002650248-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiAieWOBhCYARIsANcOw0zOtoDBs82EU9SCUy59QBzHme0UBuAb7bgOeUrZh0TDKnOIIEqo7eYaAnpREALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Greg goes wild]

Well i got word from the original owner of my bike and he said that he never replaced the battery @Delray what
battery are you using on the BMW? can you share the link?

 

[Delray]

Not sure what I have. It's the OEM battery (and sorry, you're a nice guy, but I'm not going to remove my right fairing for you to check ;o).

I've had great luck with YUASA batteries on previous GT's, Burgman 650's and Silver Wings. They are cheaper than the BMW OEM battery.

 

[Greg goes wild]

LOL you did take the pics of one of your BMW'S above. I have been doing a lot of searching for the battery. but i
have NOT been able to find the one with battery capacity of 14 ah all i have seen is 12 ah and that is NOT good
enough.

 

[mjnorris]

I did not have any issues with batteries until my gps tracking unit was installed incorrectly so that it stayed hot all the time. BT Jr was not enough, had to get full sized one. Got a different brand installed and it would ‘go to sleep’ until movement was detected. Don’t have to use float charger now. I don’t know where Napa sources their batteries but they have enough cranking amps for the winter here in Oklahoma. Mine is not a garage queen and I ride it in the cold. If there is snow or wet for too many days I will put it on the center stand and fire it up and let it idle for 5-10 minutes while I do chores outside. My local dealership carries the Yuasa brand or go to any auto parts store with the model number for the battery and they should be able to help you. I don’t know that this model of power sports battery is available in a higher cranking amp. I used to buy the higher ones for my older 85 vehicles because they were getting old and were hard to start but I rarely have any issues with the bike unless it is in the low 30s and even then it only turns over 4-5 times before it starts.

 

[EvilTwin]

Looks like the OEM is a 12ah battery. Check this link for more pix for an aftermarket maintainer installation: https://www.webbikeworld.com/bmw-c-650-gt-battery/

Lots of replacements available for about 50 bucks. AGM or Gel battery. Size is ytx-14, I gleaned that from the batteries that came up in a search. You could always pull the battery and take measurements. Or take it out and go to a parts store. The OEM battery doesnt seem to have a size on it, just a bmw part number and goes for about 150 clams.

All of this is easy to find out if you just let your fingers do the searching on a keyboard. Google is your friend. Dont overthink a battery replacement, if it fits it will probably work.

 

[Greg goes wild]

Might max battery sold from home depot what is the maximum height ? Cuz the height of the
battery is 6.33. It does not tell you in the owners manual in the specs.