If the charging system on your bike is working properly (keeping the battery fully charged, or nearly so), then using a tender all the time is not necessary and can actually get you into trouble. It will pretty much insure that your bike will start every time......when at home. When you DO reach the point where your battery is worn out, however, it will start at home but then won't at the other end of your trip. It is MUCH better to have the weak battery show up at home rather than out on the road. Unless your charging system is not working right or all of your rides are really short, constant use of a tender does little or nothing to extend your battery life.