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I want a new motorcycle battery charger. Any suggestions? I can't leave the bike on charge all the time as the bike is stored outside at present.

I have a rocster (so?) and an older optimate both seem to work fine but the optimate is years old so can vouch for longevity

I've used Accumates for several years and they've been brilliant. I think they're essentially the same as an Optimate, but can sometimes be found cheaper.

Although I've an optimate which is plugged in next to where I park the Falco for those rare occasions when it needs a bit of a charge. I've also invested in one of the Aldi/Lidl ones (mainly use it on the cars and my son's bike).
I think they can't be beaten in terms of value for money - excellent.

Of course you have to be ready to buy on the fortnight each year that Aldi/Lidl have them in stock but if you are in no great rush ......

Sorry now that I hear the name acumate that rings more of a bell than optimate

I think aldi McClellan stuff is feb thro march reduced to clear in April

I have had a couple of these for years, I use them on the bikes, cars and a van. Really good quality and it comes with battery leads with a plug/socket and with croc clips.

http://www.outdoorbits.com/ctek-multi-3 ... p-470.html

Wally

Thanks everyone. Interesting to hear you don't keep the battery on charge all the time. Must get rid of the Datatool too!

ReggieGasket wrote:Thanks everyone. Interesting to hear you don't keep the battery on charge all the time. Must get rid of the Datatool too!

Sorry - I DO keep the battery on charge all the time it's not being used. The Accumate (and Optimate, I think) have what they call a 'float' charge which just keeps the battery topped up. I got rid of the Datatool very early in my ownership of the blue Falco. The red one has never had an alarm fitted.

If the bike is stored outside, get yourself a couple of solar chargers and put them in parallel, that's what I used to do when I lived in a flat and the garage was remote with no power.

I have a lidl one which served me well, but 2 months ago i bought an optimate and it wins hands down.

The lidl one couldn't recover my battery. It kept saying it was fully charged even when i knew it wasn't. Bought an optimate, hooked it up and it spent the next 12 hours recovering and conditioning the battery - not had a single battery problem since.

So for the extra money I would definitely say an optimate or similar is worth it.

I don;t have the battery on charge constantly as it gets used every day. I top pop it on every couple of weeks though for a quick topup.

+1 for Ctek. One of mine is 9 years old, and has spent all its life outside, sheltered only by the bike and its cover. Still works fine.

i use a solar charger from maplins