Wish they would have done this on the FJR

[keithaba]

So I decided to hook the battery tender up to the FZ1 since it's down for winter.

Pop the seat off, there's the battery!!! Man that was easy. I hate messing with those obnoxious panels on the FJR, and there is no room to leave the SAE connector on. (already have heated hand grips, gps, powerlet, radar) Can barely get the things to screw in!

The guy who painted my FJR also was wondering about battery placement. He commented about how that must throw off the center of balance. I quickly replied, at 687 pounds, a 10 pound battery ain't gonna do ****!

 

[FJRMGM]

at 687 pounds, a 10 pound battery ain't gonna do ****!

My '05 does not weigh anywhere close to 687 pounds..

 

[okmac]

I have my powerlet hooked directly to the battery and then I just plug my battery tender in to the power let. works great.

Mac

 

[keithaba]

at 687 pounds, a 10 pound battery ain't gonna do ****!
My '05 does not weigh anywhere close to 687 pounds..

With rider, gear, and bags packed?

 

[Scab]

at 687 pounds, a 10 pound battery ain't gonna do ****!
My '05 does not weigh anywhere close to 687 pounds..

With rider, gear, and bags packed?

Maybe he's anorexic.

 

[shokdimn]

IIRC there was a thread, with a few pictures, some months ago that revealed how a rider relocated his battery, which was supported by a custom made frame, to an area below the seat. I’ve searched for that thread a few times and haven’t been able to find it yet. Wish I would have book marked it. I’d like to know how the project turned out. :questionmark:

 

[keithaba]

IIRC there was a thread, with a few pictures, some months ago that revealed how a rider relocated his battery, which was supported by a custom made frame, to an area below the seat. I’ve searched for that thread a few times and haven’t been able to find it yet. Wish I would have book marked it. I’d like to know how the project turned out. :questionmark:

I remember seeing that, and thought about it a little, but wiring scares me!

 

[madmike2]

IIRC there was a thread, with a few pictures, some months ago that revealed how a rider relocated his battery, which was supported by a custom made frame, to an area below the seat. I’ve searched for that thread a few times and haven’t been able to find it yet. Wish I would have book marked it. I’d like to know how the project turned out. :questionmark:

I remember seeing that, and thought about it a little, but wiring scares me!

This explains why you haven't added a "powered barrier strip" rather than hooking everything direct to the battery?

 

[Bounce]

yup.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/mods/pdb/pdb.html

 

[Fred W]

at 687 pounds, a 10 pound battery ain't gonna do ****!
My '05 does not weigh anywhere close to 687 pounds..

With rider, gear, and bags packed?

Hmmm, the '05 weighs 622 wet. So what Keith, you really are a lightweight? 55 lbs including gear? :blink:

I figure I'm rolling at about 840 lbs with no gear or pillion.

 

[double_entendre]

yup.
https://www.fjr-tips.org/mods/pdb/pdb.html

I've always wondered about having all those electrical connections out in the open (more or less) exposed to rain. I put my Blue Seas under the right-hand sidecover with a bolt going into the airbox to support it. Pretty damned clean, I think. I'll have to post some pics. The idea of moving the battery under the seat does have appeal, even if it's only for the fun of doing it more than practical concerns.

Rancho

 

[Randy]

I have my powerlet hooked directly to the battery and then I just plug my battery tender in to the power let. works great.
Mac

I have 1 Powerlet hooked up to my Blue Seas (switched power) and 1 Powerlet hooked directly to the battery for unswitched power - that's where I plug in my Battery Tender.

 

[keithaba]

at 687 pounds, a 10 pound battery ain't gonna do ****!
My '05 does not weigh anywhere close to 687 pounds..

With rider, gear, and bags packed?

Hmmm, the '05 weighs 622 wet. So what Keith, you really are a lightweight? 55 lbs including gear? :blink:

I figure I'm rolling at about 840 lbs with no gear or pillion.

I fill my tires with helium, that takes off at least 100 pounds!

really, my math is just piss poor.

 

[FJR1300Mark]

I too have a direct battery connection for a powerlet outlet. I use it to power my gps when riding and to plug in my batteryminder when stored. Nice and easy to just plug in the batteryminder.

 

[RRA]

I have my powerlet hooked directly to the battery and then I just plug my battery tender in to the power let. works great.
Mac

Do you disconnect the battery from the bike or just leave everything hooked up?

RRA

 

[keithaba]

I have my powerlet hooked directly to the battery and then I just plug my battery tender in to the power let. works great.
Mac

Do you disconnect the battery from the bike or just leave everything hooked up?

RRA

You can leave everything hooked up, just wouldn't have gadgets (radar, gps) plugged in while it's charging.

 

[Randy]

I have my powerlet hooked directly to the battery and then I just plug my battery tender in to the power let. works great.
Mac

Do you disconnect the battery from the bike or just leave everything hooked up?

RRA

You can leave everything hooked up, just wouldn't have gadgets (radar, gps) plugged in while it's charging.

If you have a power distribution block for gadgets, you can leave them all plugged in while it's charging.

 

[markjenn]

This power distribution relay...

https://www.electricalconnection.com/power-...ion/pp-univ.JPG

has a battery charger connnection that automatically ties the connection to the battery when the bike is off, but switches the connection out (and powers all the other connections) when the relay is on.

I agree that the location of the batery is a pain, although it's not as bad as some other bikes, particularly many models of BMWs. The location of the battery this far forward, off to one side, and high has been mentioned as a possible contributor to handling oddities, although I would never consider relocating for this reason. While getting the battery closer to the center of mass is certainly desirable, you're also moving weight off the front end to the back and the bike has probably been designed with fore-aft weight distribution assuming the battery is in the stock location. You might do more harm than good relocating it although it would certainly be interesting to try as a project.

- Mark

 

[Randy]

This power distribution relay...
https://www.electricalconnection.com/power-...ion/pp-univ.JPG

has a battery charger connnection that automatically ties the connection to the battery when the bike is off, but switches the connection out (and powers all the other connections) when the relay is on.

I agree that the location of the batery is a pain, although it's not as bad as some other bikes, particularly many models of BMWs. The location of the battery this far forward, off to one side, and high has been mentioned as a possible contributor to handling oddities, although I would never consider relocating for this reason. While getting the battery closer to the center of mass is certainly desirable, you're also moving weight off the front end to the back and the bike has probably been designed with fore-aft weight distribution assuming the battery is in the stock location. You might do more harm than good relocating it although it would certainly be interesting to try as a project.

- Mark

Mark,

I wouldn't use that as an inhibitor. The fore-aft weight distribution changes constantly as fuel is consumed. The battery weighs a lot less than a tank of fuel.