New Battery????

So... my battery was going flat while on the bike. If I didn't start her up for 4 days she would be flat.

I got my local mechanic to charge it for me each time (I couldn't push start her for some reason, tried everything???)

Anywho, went away for three weeks and took the fully charged battery out of the bike. Got back and re-installed...flat again.

Do I need a new battery?
(Or would most batteries go flat in 3 weeks without use?)

1983 xj650, running well otherwise.

 

If a fully charged battery went dead in three weeks sitting on a shelf it's shot.

If the battery is completely dead you cannot push start an XJ. It's got an exciter coil alternator which won't produce electricity without some battery voltage to run the magnets.

 

Yep bad battery, anyone have any feedback on a AGM style battery?

 

car batteries will sit on shelves for weeks before being installed. they generally fire right up.

motorcycles are the same way. if the battery isn't too old. and doesn't have a drain. it shouldn't have any problem firing the bike up after 4 months of sitting. where i live 4 months is about my averyage sit time during winter. i don't keep the bike long enough to install a new battery during my ownership so i've never used a tender.

if your like most of the folks though and keep your bikes for a longer time. a battery floater would be a good idea. harborfreight sells them for $8. my uncler has 4 atv's. it's a pain to pull the batteries so he connects them all together using home made wiring with alligator clips. one floater to all 4 atv's at once.

the company i once worked for. they build a bench. and a pipe rack more or less. 2 copper tubes running across. one tube is negative the other tube is positive. they put a few batteries on the bench. using jumper cables connected to the copper tubes. then hook up a battery charger to those copper tubes. they'll charge as many as 10 batteies at one time.