Hey there Sportster fans!
Quick(stupid) question that I think I know the answer to:
Normally, I never put my bike, currently a 2016 Iron, on a tender because I am usually able to get out for an actual ride(maybe a cold one) at least once a month and never have any issues. This year, I did not think about it then we got snowpocolypse and I just noticed that I have not started her for about 60 days. I was going to just slap the trickle on it as I will not be able to get out for another few weeks. That is the right thing to do...right? Someone else suggested that I should pull the battery and charge it "properly" what ever the **** that means. Yet another suggested hitting the start button and if it starts just let it idle to charge(not a good idea I think). I usually go with my gut, but then my brain started to second guess things.
On a related side not, my wife had some concerns about leaving a trickle charger plugged in all the time. There was a recent home fire that started in a garage from a charging lawn equipment item. Killed two folks in the fire right up the road. Again, I never had a worry until she planted that thought in my head.

 

Some tenders can't bring a battery up to full charge if it's too low. You can give it a try but a charger will get it done if the tender doesn't. You don't have to remove the battery to charge it. And idling the bike won't bring up the charge enough.
The whole idea of the tender is to leave it on all the time. I have at least 2 tenders and a power tool charger going at the same time and my garage hasn't caught fire yet.
I can understand the logic behind your wife's fear, but unless you unplug everything in the house when you leave or go to sleep there's not much else you can do to avoid something melting down.

 

Check the voltage on the battery, with the ignition off. The table below indicates the state of charge:
12.66v 100%
12.45v 75%
12.24v 50%
12.06v. 25%
11.89. 0%

If it's at or above 75%, you can bring it up to full charge with a Battery Tender. Don't use a trickle charger. Keep it on a battery tender.

At 50% put it on a battery charger, then when it achieves 100%, put it on a battery tender.

Less than 50%, you damaged it. Replace it and keep it on a battery tender.

If you are concerned about keeping it on a battery tender, put a smoke detector in your garage, and have properly operating smoke detectors in your house,

 

Let's clarify a few things! A proper battery charger will charge a low battery at a high rate until it achieves a full charge. It should do that in a few hours at the most and shouldn't be left connected any longer. A trickle charger is a low output charger which will supply a low charge continuously. After possibly many hours it will fully charge a low battery, but shouldn't be left connected after that.

A modern tender is a charger with attitude! It includes electronics which will sense if your battery needs recharging, charge it, then switch off. It is not a 'proper' charger, nor a trickle charger. The latest expensive tenders may include the ability to fast charge.

Your home should have smoke detectors, if not install them! Otherwise it is safe to leave a modern tender on charge all the time - it will sleep most of that!

 

I agree with Graham...My battery is hooked to a Battery Tender, I brought from the US, all the time. I even have it plugged into a current converter which was needed due to the different amperage here. The bottom line is that in the past 3 years I haven't had any problem at all and it is on the tender whenever I am not riding. At one point this year I could not ride for 3 months due to illness and all was well.

 

I hook my battery (still in the bike) up to one of these guys and typically leave it on there all winter.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tende...tery+tender+jr

 

I have three tenders running as I write!

 

All great info!