Who makes good AGM batteries?

[Quattro Pete]

Looks like my bike needs a new battery. I'm thinking of replacing the stock battery (Yuasa) with an AGM-type maintenance-free battery, however Yuasa does not make an AGM version for my bike. I found Scorpion makes one, but the reviews aren't all good. Any other companies I should check out?

 

[wrcsixeight]

I have heard good things about odyssey batteries.

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/batteries.htm

Check to see if Sears Die hard platinum batteries are made in your desired size. Same as odyssey, but less $$

 

[Quattro Pete]

Thanks. Neither of these have anything available for my bike.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Odyssey/Diehard Platinum are AGM batteries, so is East Penn/Deka.

http://www.dekabatteries.com/default.aspx?pageid=218

 

[Quattro Pete]

Nothing from Deka available either. Looks like I might have to stay with a conventional battery...

 

[Redline955]

Take a look here http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/?gclid=CKTkmL6D9qYCFcbd4AodUkCbHQ

 

[Quattro Pete]

Well, yes. Batterystuff.com is where I found the Scorpion battery I mentioned in my original post, and so far this seems to be the only AGM battery available for my bike, but many people complain about Scorpion...

I also found another company called DVoltBatteries that sells gel batteries. They're maintenance free, but I've read somewhere that they take much longer to charge (compared to traditional or AGM) and that "overcharging a gel cell battery can cause voids in the gel that will never heal causing a loss in battery capacity." Not sure how much truth there is to it.

 

[OldSparks]

Some local guys were looking at LiFePo4 batteries, but I think more for weight reduction reasons...

 

[wileyE]

I've bought a couple cheap brands from walmart recently and they were identical in every way and detail to the Yuasa that I took out.

 

[Quattro Pete]

When you buy it at WM, do they "activate" it for you by filling it with acid and performing a proper initial charge?

 

[wileyE]

The one's I bought were sealed glass mat( what the OP asked about) But I have bought them that come with the acid you pour in, did my own initial charging at home (per the included instructions). Point was, they both appeared identical the the Yuasa.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Thanks. I guess I'll see what my local WM carries.

 

[bigbird_1]

Forget the Scorpion, go with Odyssey.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Again, Odyssey does not make a battery for my bike.

 

[BigCahuna]

Here's another place you can to try. http://www.bohannonbattery.com/html/motorcycle.html

 

[47HO]

Take a look at Interstate Batteries.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Here's another place you can to try. http://www.bohannonbattery.com/html/motorcycle.html

Thanks. They have something, but it appears to be a conventional wet (non AGM) type.

By the way, found a place that shows a battery cross-reference info:
http://www.staabbattery.com/product/Yuasa-Motorcycle-Battery/Yuasa-YB12AL-A-Battery.html

Doesn't look like Walmart will have anything either.

 

[Ken2]

Pete

If you search for an AGM battery by just amp-hours, length, width, and height, and post layout, can you find anything? If the amp-hours are OK, you can use a smaller battery and shim it into the battery box.

 

[RonH]

Very few if any smaller maintenence free batteries for motorcycles are made, so as found none of the name brands build one. There's a new battery called Lithium Iron, yes "iron" as opposed to "ion". Jury is still out, guys on various forums are using them and have not reported problems yet, but only time will tell. These are real small light battery, but expensive.
http://www.shoraipower.com/

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
Pete

If you search for an AGM battery by just amp-hours, length, width, and height, and post layout, can you find anything?

To tell you the truth, I'm not exactly sure how to perform such a search. Are there some dedicated search engines for this? All the places I found make you search by bike.