Motorcycle Repair: charging battery, honda vlx, charging battery

Question
hi, i was wondering how to charge a battery in my 1995 honda vlx.  do you have to take off covers on both sides? does the battery have to be totally out of the bike to charge or can i charge it while it's in there? thanks for your help!

Answer
I'm not a Honda mechanic so I don't know without looking what covers you have to take off.  But when you get to the battery of course you can charge it without taking it out.  Make sure you put the positive (+) lead on the red and the negative (-) on the ground (the one that goes to a bolt on the frame or case).  Use only a charger with a maximum output of 1 to 2 amps and don't charge it so long that the battery gets hot to the touch.  The best is to use a mini charger that puts out like 750ma (miliamps).  Do yourself a favor and buy a Battery Tender Junior from Drag Specialties for $29.95.  Any bike shop should have one or be able to order it for you.  You can then hook up a connector to your battery with a little plug that hangs out from under your sidecover.  To charge, just plug it into the Tender, plug the tender into the wallsocket and leave it alone.  It will turn itself on, charge the battery, and then turn itself off until the battery needs to be charged again.  You can leave it on all winter.  It beats buying a new battery every other year.  And when you sell your bike you can take the connector off and put it on your new bike, or your car, or your lawnmower, etc.