Optimate, Accumate, Ctek?

[DrDonnyBrago]

Quick question, what is generally considered the best bike battery charger/trickle charger for under £50.

[Dan87]

If you have the money optimate all the way. In saying that I have a cheap aldi thing that works, question is for how long for ....

[cyberglass]

my cheap aldi things worked well for 4 years.

No way in hell i would pay through the nose for the same thing with a few pretty lights added calling itself an optimate
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DL650 Vstrom 2004
DRZ400S 2003
Yamaha R1 2005

[doggone]

The cheaper units will be OK, just don't expect them to last so long.
You might be more likely to have problems with the leads and connectors.
Have an Oxford optimiser and was baffled it stopped working not much more than 2 years old - investigation revealed stupidly thin wire had broken off by the connector.
Easily fixed but some could have assumed unit was broke.

It seems nit-picky to use super flimsy wire to save a few pence on the build when the unit otherwise seems quite good.

Having said that I bought a £10 4amp charger from Halfords in 1984 and it's still working fine despite spending it's life in cold and dusty farm sheds, charging tractor batteries and allsorts.

[panrider_uk]

I'm happy with my Optimate.

Good build quality - don't know how it compares with cheaper models though.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[SpicyBlimp]

[map]

Optimate or Accumate.
IIRC the only difference is one gives you a 6v option if required.
Both from the same company.

Other variations can charge more than one battery.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[dodgydog]

I had an optimate that packed in, I have a couple of cheap Bike it ones now, been going for the last six years or so.
£15.99 trade, about £30 retail.


Dog

edit

at the time the Bike it ones were exactly the same as Optimate, different stickers on was all.
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I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realise that what you heard is not exactly what I meant

[jay12329]

I picked up what HG had in stock about 5 years ago. Is currently connected to my bike keeping it topped up while its cold. No idea what its called but been using it for ever.

HTH
J

[Dazbo666]

I got the Optimate 3about 4-5 years ago, and still going strong. Having said that, it was a particularly good buy in an end of season sale, due to Optimate tying to entice people to buy the newer version at the time.
Not sure I'd have been happy paying the full retail price - I was just lucky to be looking at buying one at the same time as the sale

I can't comment on any other brands, cos the Optimate is the only one I've ever owned or used.

I guess it's just a matter of getting the best that you can afford
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[DrDonnyBrago]

Cheers fellas, I've just bought an optimate 4.

My old dear asked me what my brother (bacon) wants for his birthday, said I'd sort it and get him a battery charger; I don't mind if it is a bit on the expensive side so long as it is good.

to all .

[t121anf]

i've got a halfords car/bike one and it works as expected.

https://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_210939_categoryId_165629_langId_-1?cm_vc=IOV4PDPZ1&iozone=PDPz1#dtab

think its that.

Dad bought a Lidl one and again its fine, think his was £4.99 or something, keeps his divvy going during the summer and vfr800 in the winter (Honda HISS is a battery killer according to him)

[JP7]

Very pleased with my Optimate.