Thank you--enjoy your new RT!

Glad it was helpful!

What did we ever do before zip ties?

I've had very good success with Yuasa in all my bikes. The oldest one now is about five years and still going strong.

Sorry--yes, the newer model years did make changes.

Older bikes and cars may not require pulling in the clutch in order to start, but on many modern bikes and cars there is a switch which prevents starting until the clutch is pulled in. There are two reasons for this. First, it's a safety concern. By pulling in the clutch you'll make sure the bike or car doesn't lurch forward if it was left in gear. Second, pulling in the clutch makes it a lot easier for the starter motor to do it's job. When you pull in the clutch you disconnect the driveline from the engine, and then the starter doesn't need to turn all of that extra weight over in order to get the engine going.

An AGM battery is what comes with the bike, I don't know of any gel versions. The Yuasa battery in the video is AGM style. AGM batteries are considered superior to gel due to their better performance in cold temperatures and because they can better provide starting amperage. The good thing about being able to add your own fluid is that you know the battery is fresh, and not sitting for months on a shelf somewhere.

@@tinderboxarts i guess that's a valid point. I never ride in cold weather. Can't really remember all the facts, but i saw a F9 review of different batteries and I remembered that I decided to stick with GEL that I always used. Sure it's fresh if you fill it yourself, but I believe that batteries that are correctly charged doesn't degrade when stored. Just what I took with me from the years of drone flying with lipo batteries.

Both AGM and gel batteries will self-discharge at a similar rate when sitting. Lithium is better in that regard, but has other significant downsides. So, either a pre-charged AGM or gel battery sitting for long periods before sale could be considered worn down in a way. For automotive batteries which have a brisk sales pace that may not be an issue, but for slower-selling motorcycle batteries it might be.

You can buy them on Amazon.

It would be best to keep your bike on a "smart" charger off-season if possible. If you now have a dead battery, though, you can try connecting another battery with jumpers and attempting to start. If you have a little more time, you'd be better served by putting the dead battery on a slow charger overnight or whatever. That's less stress on your alternator and ensures that the battery will actually recover.

@tinderboxarts appreciate the reply! I don't have that option during the winter, keep it in a storage unit without any outlets. To my surprise, it fired right up ok the first try after sitting (with Stabil in the tank) for more than 4 months, not quite 5. The starter chugged a couple extra times but it fired up without a fuss. Awesome! Haven't had that happen since my Goldwing.

I've got 2012. This spring will be the start of my first full season with it, but so far I love the bike.

I got my 2006 last summer, under 3,000 miles on her. But the battery I just replaced was installed in 2008! Your video helped me immensely and I replaced the battery with the same one you did, followed your instructions, and boom. Fired right up! Thanks!

That's beyond silly. BMW doesn't even make batteries--I think Exide makes them. However, that company has been through bankruptcy so maybe BMW now sources elsewhere. Anyway, all name brand batteries for cars and motorcycles are of similar quality, and all use nearly identical manufacturing processes and design. These are commodity items no matter if you are after lead acid, AGM, or lithium ion technology. The differences are only in marketing. That said, there is one potential difference you could run across in the purchase of a new battery, and that is the supply chain. The reason I like to buy batteries that ship dry and allow me to add the battery acid is because that way I know the battery is fresh. If you are buying a battery already "wet" and already charged, you don't know how well it was handled or how long it has been sitting. I've been using Yuasa brand batteries which do ship dry and I've been getting 5-8 years out of a battery.

@@tinderboxarts I think they just like to sell batteries. lol I've always used Yuasa as well and I've had good luck with them.

That's correct, the supplied liquid with the battery a battery acid, but the commonly used term is water. That's probably because the unsealed batteries were often topped off with distilled water or even tap water in a pinch.