Let's Talk Motorcycle Batteries

[LoneRanger]

Flooded Lead Acid... who's ever still using those (or even making them for bikes). Valve Regulated Lead Acid Absorbent Glass Mat (VRLA AGM) ... the norm (with calcium enhanced lead or something) Lead Acid Gel ... or something like that. Has some sort of drawback, maybe. Lithium Iron Phosphate ... Need a special IC controlled intelligent charger, but some 16 cell units have north of 1000CCA... will that much power screw up something on a bike. Which kind do you like ? Lots of Chinese made AGM's out there under various bargain house labels, gotta watch out. Might be okay, or might be junk. Eastern Penn Manufacturing makes a nice lineup of VLRA AGM batteries here in the USA under the brand name Deka. Heard the king dog YUASA farmed out production to Mexico and/or China around about 2013 ... True?

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger

Flooded Lead Acid... who's ever still using those (or even making them for bikes).

Yuasa make them. I dunno if they try and sell them to Americans, but they sell a lot here. They are mostly sealed valve regulated though. I don't believe many are AGM or Gel but I suppose some of them might be. I have a tiny old one with cell fill ports on my Yamaha RZX (kick start only) but its dead and I dunno if I'll be able to get a replacement if I ever find the carburettor and start using the bike again. Might try and find a big electrolytic capacitor instead.

 

[Dyusik]

Had a dead yuasa, took an impressive amount of time to kill it. I have another agm in the HD, by exide. Seems to hold a charge decently, as the charger shows 100% every time I hook up, unless it sits for several months. Have a shorai lifepo in the R1 now, never charged, never dead. And it weighs less than a maglite.

 

[justintendo]

try to get a deka...well made batteries. they are who makes napas top batteries past few years, of course at a markup. ive been using the deka agm is my bike and my dads tractor for a few years now with no issues. i do take them out during winter and put them in the basement to keep them from freezing too badly.

 

[02SE]

I like Odyssey for applications they are available for. For stock motor applications where I can't get an Odyssey, I like Yuasa. For my bored and stroked high compression engine, I use a Lithium Antigravity battery. It has the necessary cranking amps to start the engine, and it fits in the stock battery location with some slight mods.

 

[Langanobob]

If you have the patience and interest, here is 122 page motorcycle battery thread on advrider: http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/mo...-lifepo4.757934

 

[Robster]

I like Yuasa. . .always had good service life from them. BTW, they are made just down the road here in PA: http://www.yuasabatteries.com/about.php

 

[LoneRanger]

Apparently in order to be reliably leak proof when tilt mounted, an AGM battery needs to have been properly activated by following the procedure to the letter. Factory Activated is probably the way to go for best service life. What I like about Lithium is the complete lack of any possibility of terminal corrosion, and the weight savings. What I don't like is the cost, which goes up even more when buying the proper IC controlled charger/maintainer.

 

[SZR48207]

I still use flooded batteries in both of my bikes and haven't had any issues in 4+ years (knock on wood). I keep both bikes in a garage and on a battery tender, which I believe is why they have lasted this long.

 

[Dyusik]

I payed for my lithium as much as the Yuasa would have been. I did not follow recommendation, but rather stock cca rating of the original battery. Recommended was higher power, but I am sitting over the stock cca rating with this one still. Sometimes doing a little homework goes a long (like 50 bucks) way.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: Dyusik

I payed for my lithium as much as the Yuasa would have been. I did not follow recommendation, but rather stock cca rating of the original battery. Recommended was higher power, but I am sitting over the stock cca rating with this one still. Sometimes doing a little homework goes a long (like 50 bucks) way.

Until it gets 40 F or below. Then a Lithium battery may not start your bike unless the LCA rating (not CCA, LCA) is about double what your lead-acid original equip battery's CCA was. Also have to warm the Lithium battery before trying to crank the bike in temps around 40 F or less. Do that by making a power draw on it by some accessory or the parking lights. Learned enough about Lithium power sport batteries to know that valve regulated lead-acid AGM (calcium) is the way to go right now in bang for buck. And about 90% of all power sport batteries are being manufactured in China.

 

[Dyusik]

Yes, the juice will ooze rather than flow at low temps, however, the Li batteries self correct that issue under load. Kind of the opposite of the current "Let your engine warm up" argument. Give it whirl next time.

 

[barryh]

I'm almost 4 years in a on a cheap generic AGM/Gel hybrid battery. It has to be made in China but I can't knock it on value for money as it destroys the economic case for buying an expensive AGM like an Odyssey at near 3 times the price. I love the very low self discharge rate. As for wet cells I can make a Varta last a very long time but it will be a pain in terms of maintenance by comparison. Yes basic Gel batteries do have draw backs and in particular are more sensitive to overcharging damage. These new AGM/Gel hybrids are not so sensitive and are reckoned to have some of the best features of both types.

 

[SlipperyPete]

I've always had great results with regular Yuasa batteries. I ride year round so they don't sit long enough to discharge.

 

[alarmguy]

Yuasa is a great reliable battery for me and all I ever used in my bikes. Im sure there are others too. My OEM Harley battery s**ked, Yuasa night and day difference, I got the 500 CCA battery. All maintenance free batteries umm better said sealed batteries are AGM, I doubt you can buy any flooded cell battery for a motorcycle anymore. The word AGM now is used for marketing by some battery makers, makes it sound special even though everyone else has it in all sealed batteries. Also with batteries, some less then honest makers site Cranking Amps which makes the battery look more powerful them it is, many battery makers will misled you by quoting Cranking Amps. The INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR BATTERIES IS COLD CRANKING AMPS, Im not yelling, just trying to help those out that buy batteries thinking that got a battery that was powerful, yet was labeled in a misleading way. Click for those interested

 

[FZ1]

Yusa and a battery tender is all you need.