Are there chargers available that can handle both car battery charging/maintaining duties as well as be safe for the motorcycle batteries?  Or all of them are that way?

Yes.

Get a car charger that automatically stops charging when the battery is completely charged with the 2amp and 10amp selections. The 2amp selection you could use for motorcycle batteries.

Yup, available in most auto stores. Mine has a switch on it to change the amperage.

thanks, i'll check it out

Just a word of caution.  My owners manual for the 2000 GS500E says that the OEM battery should be recharged at a maximum 1.1 amp/hr rate.  Not sure, but a 2 amp/hr rate may be too high/fast for the GS battery.  Maybe someone here can tell us the highest rate that is safe.

My vote: Battery Tender Plus.  Comes with leads you can leave on the battery when installed on the bike, automatic shutoff, automatic conversion to trickle charge when almost full, basically idiot proof. Cost me $40.

Cant use it for a car, but thats what car chargers are for. Just my $.02

Quote from: LarryJust a word of caution.  My owners manual for the 2000 GS500E says that the OEM battery should be recharged at a maximum 1.1 amp/hr rate.  Not sure, but a 2 amp/hr rate may be too high/fast for the GS battery.  Maybe someone here can tell us the highest rate that is safe.

The most effective charge rate is 1/10 of the amp-hr rating of the battery.
Since the GS battery is 11 amp-hr, the most effective rate is 1.1 amp.

Higher charge rates build a surface charge on the plates which does not allow charging to full depth.   The result is a less than full charge.

Good info John.

Yeah, my dad is going to get a battery tender. so i'm gonna steal it...or...borrow...

Quote from: GrainbeltMy vote: Battery Tender Plus.  Comes with leads you can leave on the battery when installed on the bike, automatic shutoff, automatic conversion to trickle charge when almost full, basically idiot proof. Cost me $40.

Cant use it for a car, but thats what car chargers are for. Just my $.02

Float charger is the generic name for a battery tender.  I was just in Harbor Freight Tools and they have a float charger marked down to $4.99 (normally $16.99).  Great deal.  I have two of them -- one for the Datsun and one for the Suzuki.

Sale ends December 19.

It's news to me about the maximum suggested current draw.  But I have to say that apart from a short period (<10 minutes) where the in-rush current may exceed 1.1 amps, my auto charger has been successfully keeping my GS500's battery up to charge for the past four years.

That said, a Battery Tender can work with a motorcycle as well as with a car battery.  If you've gotta buy charger, you'd be foolish to not buy a Smart one.

Quote from: GrainbeltMy vote: Battery Tender Plus.  Comes with leads you can leave on the battery when installed on the bike, automatic shutoff, automatic conversion to trickle charge when almost full, basically idiot proof. Cost me $40.

Agreed. Another plus about the BT+ is that it comes with a 10 year warranty. I mean, good luck finding a quality charger that's idiot-proof for 40 bucks that also comes with a 10 year warranty.

QuoteCant use it for a car, but thats what car chargers are for. Just my $.02

I've hooked the BT+ up to several standard car batteries and it seems to handle them just fine. Tested with my voltimeter and it was right on with what the manual said the battery would be during each light pattern.

Although, since it's only 1.25a it MIGHT not be enough for SOME batteries from what I've read but I've also read that 1.25a is plenty for most; It'll just take a lot longer to charge up a dead battery.

Here's a trickle charger that only does .5 amps.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MOTORCYCLE-ATV-BATTERY-TRICKLE-CHARGER_W0QQitemZ4597995093QQcategoryZ35580QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Yeah Chargers!!!

Beat Idnianapolis Colts!!

What? Isn't that what you meant.

Quote from: ratzYeah Chargers!!!

Beat Idnianapolis Colts!!

'

Wrong chargers.  :lol:  :lol: