Had to replace my battery after one year.
I leave my quad at my cabin year round. Which I also use year round. After last winter (second winter for the quad) I arrive on a spring trip to find out the battery is dead. I gave it a charge for a few hours and all was good. Next time up battery is dead again. This time about five minutes after hooking up the charger the leads on the charger are melting and also the power cord. This does not look good at this point which is a Friday night with a ride planned in the morning. We jumped it from the van and she started and seems to run fine. I let it run for thirty minutes or so with no problem restarting.
The next morning it is dead again. Everyone is ready to ride except me. At this time I do not know if the battery is the issue or some electrical problem. At this point its try a new battery and catch up with the crew after the fix. I was able to find a battery in town for 130 dollars. This was the only option to get back on the trail. I did have the old battery checked and was only checking at 11. something volts.
So the new 130 dollar battery goes in and I off. The quad started up fine the next day so I hope it was the battery.
I don't know if the winter did the battery in or what. I do not leave the power on when we leave the cabin so a battery tender is not an option.
What do you guys think? Just a bad battery or is this due to not enough ride time in the winter. The quad will sit for as long a 3-4 weeks sometime.

 

I think it is the battery and it sat too long. Mine will all do the same if they sit for a month. Not dead, but weak. It takes a lot of amperage to start these beasts! I was going to suggest a battery tender, but as you said you don't leave the power on. Unfortunately, the battery is really hard to get to so pulling it and taking it home each trip is also not a viable option. Maybe relocate the battery to a more easily accessible place like the bed?

 

Also, the cold weather is really hard on batteries, hence, the measurement of cold cranking amps (cca). How bout more trips to the cabin for a ride! LOL!

 

i leave mine in for the winter and dont start it at all (this is the first year i took it out, but not the wifes bat. in the 400)and the only thing i do is make sure there is 100% charge in the battery so it doesnt freeze and then start it in the spring w/ mo problem. now as batteries get older this becomes harder as the life is wearing ut of the battery after at least 4 years. imo.

 

You get 4 years out of a battery? Wow! That amazes me. I dont' think I ever got more than 2 years out of a motorcycle battery. What's your secret? LOL! Obviously I'm doing something wrong!

 

As you said no power at the cabin for your tender,why don't you get a small solar panel and attach it to your bike.
I think at canada tire there about $ 30 so it should be cheaper where you are.
A friend of mine has a chev van(small motor home) and does not use it much and had one it to keep the battieries up and works great never an issue with dead or week batteries
this is it if the link works
solar panel

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true

 

this will be the fourth year out of my battery in my 05 800, i live in North Dakota and it has never been parked in a heated shed always shedded, i did have to replace the battery in my 700 though 97 bucks through polaris the interstate that was in it was only a little over a year old and shot already 117 for a new interstate.

 

My X2 battery is sealed, no water to top-off. Have owned mine for a little over a year with no probs.

Just a week ago I did install a Battery Tender and was suprised that it took a couple hours to top-off the battery!

As the others have suggested, the solar panels are the way to go for your application.

 

Thanks for the imput all. I like the solar panel suggestion. I wonder if I could hang one in an East facing window and get the job done?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mtpockets

My X2 battery is sealed, no water to top-off. Have owned mine for a little over a year with no probs.



Just a week ago I did install a Battery Tender and was suprised that it took a couple hours to top-off the battery!



</end quote></div>

Which one did you get (Plus, Waterproof 800, Jr)?

And where did you locate the charger? And...and... Looks like godd protection at an affordable price. Got to go out but gonna check out that site later.