Hi All,
When i had my 1200RT i connected a socket direct to the battery terminals (fused) and charged with my Optimate 3 with no problems. I now have a 1300GT and according to the manual, charging direct to the terminals without disconnecting the battery first will/could damage the electronics. Question: is this right OR are BMW just trying to get me to purchase another charger. I have a BMW charger for Canbus but use it on the other halfs F800st. Your thoughts would be most appreciated.

I replaced my OEM battery with and Odyssey and wired in another port.

The CANBUS on these bikes, with the OEM port, have to recognize the charger. You plug the (correct and expensive BMW charger) into the port, plug it in, turn on the bike, wait till it goes thru diagnostics and then turn it off. THE CANBUS is then activated thru the ZFE (replaced the fuseblock) and charging is then permitted. Fun, huh?

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-=grif=-
Grok this!

The book says you must disconnect the battery if you want to charge direct to the battery but I think and have been told that is rubbish as long as you keep the ignition switch off while charging. I hooked up a direct connection to the battery with my 2007 GT and no problems.

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Tom "Hoop" Hooper
"All who wander are not necessarily lost"

Si. There does have to be a road for the electrons to move down and that road is blocked if the key is off.

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-=grif=-
Grok this!

I have a Deltran Battery Tender. When I asked the question of my local BMW dealership the answer was yes, you can charge directly to the battery. I suspect Hoop is right about the ignition. You certainly don't want to turn it on while connected to the charger.

Just my opinion.

Hi All,
Thanks for the input, i have added a socket to the K1300Gt and connected direct to the battery terminals. The charger went through its cycle and i have all green lights. The bike electronics seem fine, so no need for expensive BMW charger..... friend did say BMW stood for....BLOWS MY WALLET

I use a Battery Tender Jr. wired direct to the battery. If 3/4s of an amp hurts the electrics on this bike then I made the wrong decision and need to go back to the more substantial Harleys (not that I ever fully left). I think the statement this would hurt the electronics is BS and agree with the Blows My Wallet quote. You get much more of a variance in amps with the charging system on the bike.

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Ride fast. Take chances.

2008 K1200GT
2004 Harley Road Glide "Kapo"
1992 Harley Low Rider

The problem with using a regular battery charger on the new OEM batteries is they are AGM, require different charging cycles and voltages to keep them alive and desulfated. Thus, the expensive charger. I also found the OEM battery not to have enough guts to spin the GT at times.

Odyssey baby!

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-=grif=-
Grok this!

Santa is bringing me a Battery Tender for Gel type batteries should do the trick

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IBA #33267
Beer is PROOF God loves us and wants us to be happy

When I traded the 06 for the 09 gt the BMW mech. hooked the pig tails for the charger
directly to the battery so its ok and I keep it on the charger when not riding

I went through all the same questions two months ago when I got my 1300GT. I saw the charger BMW recommends. I also have three battery tender plus' in the Hog Pen. I also read that Deltrans Co is the official charger manufacturing company for Harley and BMW. Looking closely at the Tender Plus' they look identical to the BMW charger except for the paper label. This prompted me to call Deltran manufacturing to see if they could tell me the real story. This is what they told me. The main difference is the charge rate / voltage of the charger.The later model BMW's use a Gel battery. They need to be charged at a lower rate and voltage. The Electronics on the new BMW's don't like the higher voltage output of a traditional charter. Detrans does sell a Battery Tender Plus for Gell batteries. They gave me a specific number and I purchased mine on Amazon for 49.99. The charger has a label "this charger has been programmed for Gel Batteries" There is no way I will not heed this warning about chargers . Too cheap / too expensive of a repair. #021-0156 Amazon.
So that is my story, and I am sticking to it!