RE: Requesting list wisdom re gel battery and Battery Tender Plus

["paul kalichman" <pkalichman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ben,

I am disappointed. You splurged at Walmart for an $8 adapter!  Why didn't 
you pick one up at the electronic salvage stores on Queen Street?  I am sure 
they are only 2 or 3 bucks over there!!!!  But I have to agree with you, the 
bike couldn't care less whether it has a fancy smancy battery installed!


regards,
paul
pickering, ON
84 R80RT




- ----Original Message Follows----
From: Ben Barkow <dr.ben@xxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: oilheads@xxxxxxxxx
To: oilheads@xxxxxxxxx
CC: Steve Makohin <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Requesting list wisdom re gel battery and Battery Tender  Plus
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:42:44 -0400

There are a few kinds of non-slosh batteries but I'm not sure I know  (or 
care, read on) about the differences. I've been using  Westco/Panasonic and 
BMW-sealed since 1999. Yes, they once gave me no  notice when they fail and 
that is often on a hot day while you are out  riding; pre-emptive 
replacement at 3-4 yrs may overcome that awful  drawback as it has for me.

I think trick charging is pure snake oil. For sure the bike's charger  is 
about as crude as anything you can buy at Harbor Freight so why  finesse the 
trivial (and largely needless) trickle tickle. If there are  differences 
among types of batteries or different results from  different charging 
regimes, can't be all too important since the crude  bike charger makes no 
distinction.

Although I have an assortment of lab-grade regulated power supplies on  my 
bench, I use a wall-wart $8 trickle charger that, like the paint pot  in 
PhotoShop, just slowly pours juice into the battery and when the  battery is 
near full, naturally tapers off and that's that.

BIG FAVOR: I'm comparing the flow rate of air filter media and would be  
grateful to get some paper/stock R1100S filters, please. Please ding me  
off-list.


If anybody wants a peek at some of my unusual mods and tools:

http://bigmail.ica.net/users/barkow/Pictures/

Cheers.

Ben                                                                          
                                           Ben Barkow, Toronto... 40 seasons 
on Beemers, 45 as a biker

1961 R69s/rod, 1967-1999... really sup'ed up and fast

1984 R80RT/rod, 1998-2005  5 extra peak ponies in a wider flatter power  
band,
   much modified 2-into-1 exhaust, CR 9.5, Keihin PJ 34mm oval carbs,
   Uni filter, dual-rate springs with cartridge emulators, BT45/S11,  Saeng 
fairing

1999 R1100S, 2004- Leo Vince exh, JetHot coatings, Techlusion 1031,
   large sticky foam filter, TB balance tube, debaffled exh xover, 12%  
reduced front spring, 26 inch windscreen, air horns, Diablo Stratas

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End of oilheads-digest V3 #59
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