Should my Shadow stay running with the battery disconnected?

["Captain D"]

A regular ol` SquallMart 6/12Volt $19.99-$29.99, is what I bought after the last 2/10/50 amp charger gave up, it`s done a good job on my batteries here on the farm...
IF I don`t shut the Bike OFF with the KEY, I`m liable to leave it switched ON again, I shut down with the key regularly...
I have caught myself NOT switching it OFF ~ if the Bike quits running its` own...
Good Luck,
Dennis

[JoeBeerMan]

I had a similar problem. I bought a "new" battery in the spring. Installed it and nothing. Dead. Tried charging it with my trickle charger. Said it was charged, but still wouldn't start, just clicked. I figured if I jumped it and rode the crap out of it, it would charge. Started it, rode it, shut it off, tried to start it again.... nothing. I thought it was a bad alternator too. My buddy that works on cars told me to jump it again and disconnect the neg cable. If it still runs, its not the alternator. I passed on that suggestion and just took the "new" battery back and exchanged it. Put the new "new" battery in and the bike fired right up. Sooooo glad I didn't do the "unhook the battery" thing after reading this thread. Moral of the story: Once the battery is dead..... it's dead.

[hauschild]

Just to add to this discussion with my experience today: I came to work at 8:30am, left the key on and came out at noon to find my painful error.

I replaced the battery this past winter, so it is pretty much new. I didn't buy a cheap POS, I purchased the actual real thing (the one from Japan Yuasa).

I have a Sears DieHard (950 Gold model) portable jump starter that I used - successfully. It fired right up and didn't even take 1% of juice off the jump starter. That was actually the first time I've jump-started a cycle, so it obviously works and I still have all the hair on my head, so it must also be a safe procedure.

Needed to share this because a lot of guys have told me over the years that once a motorcycle battery goes completely dead, it's shot. I would probably agree if the battery is a cheap battery, and it's over 3 years old, or thereabouts.

Just curious how much longer until we individuals will need a license to jump start a battery - presented in the usual guise of saving us from ourselves. But, that is a discussion for a different day and different type of forum.

[gmck]

most car chargers/ jumpers are way too powerful for a bike. They are supposed to be charged with only 1-2 amps. I bought a small one that will only put out 2 amps. after the battery is charged it switches to a maintaining charge.