what type of charging system?

So I was at cycle gear when the salesman tried to get me to purchase a trickle charge kit. I explain that I ride it every single day at just over four grand for about 80 miles. He laughed at me and said it dose not matter because bikes do not have alternator's like a car. I told him that I believed the higher RPM's would take care of my battery just fine. Two question's? First, am I wrong! Do I really need a charger. Since Honda used a car sourced engine, does the bike also possess a typical vehicle alternator. Okay, so three questions!

You are fine. The only time my battery had trouble on my last bike (Nighthawk 750) was when it was 16-25* outside, and I wasn't riding it enough...and the Nighthawks don't have very strong charging systems. A tender is great for long-term storage to keep the battery full.

Thanks! That's what I thought. However, the way he laughed at me had me second guessing!

The bike is charging the batteries. And if you ride every day, no external charger is necessary. We need a charger here up in the north were we store the bike each winter for 4-5 months. Here it is recommended to give the battery a charge each month. I use this charger that is recommended:
Buy Battery Chargers | CTEK Battery Chargers (that is for you US friends).
For us Europeans this link is better: www.ctek.com

EDIT:
This little fellow is connected to my bike's battery, giving an easy to get at charging connector, and also telling the state of the battery. Flashing green means all is ok. Flashing yellow means it is ok but charging is ok to do. Flashing red means that charging is necessary.

Trickle chargers can damage a battery since they don't contain the electronics to determine whether the battery is fully charged. Smarter maintenance chargers can be safely connected for an indefinite period. I use the Batteryminder brand on everything I own, including tractors, army trucks, and lawn equipment. It includes a desulfating function that I think is important to maximum battery life. Sulfates form an insulating layer on the plates and will eventually kill a battery. But sulfation is a reversible electrochemical process. It takes higher than charging voltage in order to desulfate a battery - high enough to damage it from the heat if held for an extended period. The desulfation mode uses high frequency pulses of the higher voltage in order to break up sulfation without causing damage.

I strongly recommend them. Batteryminder, not the Deltran Batterytender. In temperature controlled areas like my bike shop I have use the Model 12117 on normal battteries and 12118 on AGM's. The 12118 is no longer made as the 12117 has been extended to use on AGM batteries. Outdoors where there can be wide temperature swings, I use the temperature compensated 2012 and 2012AGM chargers.

motocommuter said:

So I was at cycle gear when the salesman tried to get me to purchase a trickle charge kit. I explain that I ride it every single day at just over four grand for about 80 miles. He laughed at me and said it dose not matter because bikes do not have alternator's like a car. I told him that I believed the higher RPM's would take care of my battery just fine. Two question's? First, am I wrong! Do I really need a charger. Since Honda used a car sourced engine, does the bike also possess a typical vehicle alternator. Okay, so three questions!

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The salesman is wrong, and either lying to make the sale or just plain ignorant. I would take my business elsewhere after hearing a story like that.

The NC700X does, in fact, have an alternator fully capable of maintaining the charge on the battery.

Greg

I think I would also shop somewhere else. It amazes me how little some of the "experts" actually know. Just keep riding and you won't need a charger.
Mike

How many amps of output deos the NC 700x alternater produce?

bugsynbetsy said:

How many amps of output deos the NC 700x alternater produce?

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420 watts (or approximately 30 amps) rated at 5,000 rpm.

Salesmen like that, should be shot.
Period.

They pick on idiots though, so don't be one.

happy said:

Salesmen like that, should be shot.
Period....

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That's pretty harsh.

Lots of salesguys don't share the interest that many of us have in the function of the bike and are more ignorant than malicious.

Also, keep in mind that many salespeople cater to the "cruiser crowd", many of whom will only ride around the neighbourhood on a sunny Saturday. For them, a battery tender is almost mandatory.

Personally? I don't see a downside to using a battery tender (as long as it has a float mode). I installed an, easily accessed, pig-tail on both my bikes and will plug them in whenever they are parked in my garage. With ring terminals on one end and a quick plug on the other, it's easy to connect and have it tucked into some nook or cranny for quick access.

VERY WELL STATED, The bike will charge the battery but not to one hundred percent, The battery chargers are capable of 25 volts dc, and high frequency to brake up sulfation.
The nc will not put out over 15 volts dc at any time, CHARGE your battery over night once a week and it should last four years or more. Like beemerphile has said i always keep all my bikes and cars on a tender. When I get a chance ill check total draw, and brake even speed on the nc700x and post it.

i run Deltron battery tenders on everything i own, and have done so for the last ten years. they have worked very well for me, and i cannot remember when the last time i bought a battery.