Can anyone give a good DIY on how to install a pigtail for winter charging (the summer will be over soon and I'd like to be better prepared than I was last winter)?

sorry, no DIY, but all you need to do is access the battery under the rider seat. connect the positive lead to the positive terminal and the negative lead to the negative terminal. I placed the pigtail plug under the passenger seat and zip tied it loosely in place.

Ohhhhhhhhh; okay. That sounds easier than I thought. I thought I was going to have to remove the fairings. :confused:

Thanks Kelly! :thumbup:


Wait a minute............what about the actual pigtail plug?? Does one come with the tender? (yeah; I have a tender but just use it to charge my scooter).

You should be able to buy onother pigtai; plug from the manufacturer of your battery tender.

Snake, you said "another pigtail" so are you saying one most likely came with the tender? (and I just haven't seen it)

I have a battery tender, jr. and mine came with a set of pigtail and regular clip type charging ends.

Most battery tnders have a quick disconect pigtail that is permanently connected to the battery and the quick disconect end is place where it can be easily accesed so you can connect the other end of the battery tender to it. Most manufacturers will sell you extra quick disconnect pigtails so you can use the same battery tender on several bikes/scooters. You would just have to switch the battery tender from one to the other on say a weekly basis.

talldrink, What type do you have?

Okay Kelly! I have the same tender - I'll take a look at it once I get home. I probably saw it and didn't realize what it was.

Thanks Kelly and Rick for your help. :)

Here's how I did mine (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3). I used the same pigtail for battery tender and a Gerbing electric jacket.

Great! :) As Rick pointed out, you can get another set of pigtails if you want to use the charger on more than one bike. I have one on the 250 and one on my dirt bike (electric starter) and use the battery tender on both by switching to each on occasion.

talldrink, What type do you have?

I have the battery tender jr. also. I went online and looked at a pic of it and it appears that I DO have the pigtail.

The manufacturer calls it a replacement snap cord. Here is a link to it in the Dennis Kirk Catolg. Only $7.99. http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/search/search.jsp?searchString=28-919&store=&resultType=subCategories

Sears makes a "Battery Tender" for $16.00. It does have a switch for 12V and 6V. I glued a small piece of plastic into the switch so that it cannot inadvertantly be switched to 6V. It worked flawlessly all last winter. I bought a second one and hooked it up to my Suburban (which has two batteries because it is a diesel) and it worked fine in that application. The Sears unit is fully automatic, just like the Battery Tender--and a lot less expensive. I don`t drive the Suburban in the snow because it is a rear wheel drive unit.