in your opion and experience-what is the best make and type of battery?

[Papa Lazarou]

Winter is on its way and I just know that the puny Yuasa I have fitted will die...I'm thinking of something pricier but stronger, like a Motbatt sealed gel type.

Recommendations, thoughts, jibes and what not to buy...please

[kevin_stevens]

[zer0netgain]

IMHO, a battery is a battery is a battery.

The sealed types were supposed to be "no maintenance."  For people incapable of doing basic service and testing, this proves true, but it's not difficult to check fluid levels and add pure water to prolong battery life.

The gel batteries can produce more power in a smaller package.  They are supposed to be less susceptible to "fluid loss" from heat like lead/acid batteries are subject to.  They are also better for mounting in non-standard positions.

For all of that, if you do your own maintenance, I don't find one type to really be all that much better than another.

That leaves an issue of quality.  A Wal-Mart battery might last you as long as a brand-name battery will....depends on if you maintain it and the QC imposed from the manufacturer who made it.  I've had Wal-Mart batteries in my truck since I had to replace the OEM battery.  No complaints.  I was using Wal-Mart batteries in my bikes with no complaints I can't attribute (in part) to lack of use and maintenance on my part.  I tried a brand-name battery this time around, and I'll see if it makes that much of a difference or not.

[RRdvark]

I have heard that gel batteries require a stronger charger than your typical 1ish amp battery tender - something to keep in mind.

I have had the same standard Yuasa in my CBR since the spring of 2005.  If the bike is sitting for more than a week or so unused it get hooked to the battery tender, other than that I have never touched it since it was installed.

[tomek]

IMHO, a battery is a battery is a battery.

For all of that, if you do your own maintenance, I don't find one type to really be all that much better than another.

That leaves an issue of quality.  A Wal-Mart battery might last you as long as a brand-name battery will....depends on if you maintain it and the QC imposed from the manufacturer who made it.  

Do you realize you contradict yourself ?  

Anyhow , stay away from walmart motorcycle batteries , IIRC I`ve purchased 3 N`ever starts from wally world , the first 2 before I knew any better .
The third one , well the battery ( from walmart ) decided to die overnight ( with no previous warnings whatsoever ) in the middle of nowhere ( thanks to hilly terrain I was able to bumpstart the bike )  , guess where I was able to find  replacement  .  

 

[coho]

Gel and Absorbed Glass Mat batteries tend to be more resistant to cold than water-acid batteries.

They also cost a bit more.  It's worth it to you or it's not.  Yuasa makes a good battery, you may be fine.

[maddjack]

Winter is on its way and I just know that the puny Yuasa I have fitted will die...I'm thinking of something pricier but stronger, like a Motbatt sealed gel type.

Recommendations, thoughts, jibes and what not to buy...please

Optima

[Jesse]

Odyssey, AGM.

I haven't moved my VX in two years and the Odyssey was still showing a 12.4V when I checked it a few weeks ago. It's over four years old and hasn't been hooked up to a battery tender.  I was impressed but not totally surprised - it always fired the bike right up even in the dead of winter when the bike might sit a month or more between rides.

[Papa Lazarou]

Bit pricey-but I've just googled them and found they last 8 years +. Might be worth a punt.

[zer0netgain]

Do you realize you contradict yourself ?  

Yes.  I am a study in contradictions.  

Every truck battery from Wal-Mart has held up fine.

Until lately, every m/c battery from Wal-Mart held up fine.  Never had one die on me for no apparent reason, but the last one died way too soon (only got 1.5 years out of it).  That's when I decided to try a brand name (Big Crank, IIRC).

Generic name batteries are generally made by brand-name suppliers to the same standards of quality.  With Wal-Mart, they push the supplier to low-ball on the price, and I've found items made just for Wal-Mart, in the last few years, have dropped in quality, but I don't poo poo generic labels just because of what Wal-Mart might do.

[Mydlyfkryzis]

I replaced my old Yuasa Conventional lead acid battery (Older than 7 years old - the date code is older than Yuasa has records, so may be 8 or 9 years old) in 2007. I have a Yuasa AGM battery now. Going on 5 years old, stil has 12.6 Volts sitting.

I always keep my batteries on a Battery Tender.

In the "old days", on my CB360, I replaced the battery every year. The vibration and weak charging system on the old bikes just tore up batteries.

Keep the thing charged, and topped off with distilled water (if not a sealed battery) and you should get a few years out of it.

[paul13131313]

My stock Yuasa YTZ7S AGM is being exchanged for a Shorai LFX14L2-BS12 at the end of it's life! Two to three years usable lifespan per manual.(Five months away from three years!)

[caddydaddy]

My stock Yuasa YTZ7S AGM is being exchanged for a Shorai LFX14L2-BS12 at the end of it's life! Two to three years usable lifespan per manual.(Five months away from three years!)

I will add that you should get the biggest Shorai that you can fit.  They are all small and the extra CCA can make a difference when it's cold.  I have the LFX18A1-BS12 in my Triumph Sprint.

[ConPilot1]

Papa take a look at one of these new lithium ion batteries. I had one in my grubby mitts yesterday.

tell you what the damn thing weighed no more than 2 or three pounds, max.  Supposedly TONS of cranking power and long life. Pricey though.

I have a gel-mat maintenence free in the Concours. It's been great. I'll never go back to lead-acid again.

[mugwump58]

I took a quick peek on Google for these batteries. A lithium had a note about not a good idea be low 0⁰ C

Here's where the note about temprature was

We've started using Hawker AGM on vehicles at work. They can be brought back from the dead. What isn't clear is if a "regular" battery charger will work or not. According to the salesman no, according to others yes,I don't know.

[ConPilot1]

I havn't had any issue with the AGM battery with a trickle charger/battery tender. I'm going on two years with the battery and the bike unfortunately is stored in the cold.

[veefer800canuck]

I've been getting great life from my Yuasa AGM battery in the viffer.

It had a YTX-12bs and I swapped it for a YTZ-14s which is the AGM and it has more CCA.

I keep it on a tender throughout the winter, but not during riding season.

[garry]

I will be replacing the wimpy Yuasa YTX5L-BS in my KTM 530 with a Shorai LFX15L2-BS12. That should provide a huge increase in cranking power and also save 3 pounds.

The Yuasa YTZ14S battery in my KTM 950 seems fine after four seasons, but I might replace it too (just because). I'm thinking about putting a Shorai  LFX18A1-BS12 in there given the good reviews and it saves more like 5 pounds over the stocker.

Bottom Line: I've had good luck with Yuasa AGM batteries (bikes sit in a cool garage, not outside, on a tender for the winter), but I'm going lithium for the next round since they crank harder, weigh less, and supposedly last longer. We'll see...

[Baz]

I read once that the real killer of acid lead batteries is actually vibration & jarring that knocks the cells loose. (Freezing is #2) I always tender mine while its in storage.

I have had the origional Yuasa in my FJR for 6 years now. I will buy another when this one goes.

[Justin]

Papa take a look at one of these new lithium ion batteries. I had one in my grubby mitts yesterday.

tell you what the damn thing weighed no more than 2 or three pounds, max.  Supposedly TONS of cranking power and long life. Pricey though.

Here's a question about Lithium Ion batteries. I know Acid, Absorbed Matt and Gel batteries need more voltage to charge at colder temps. Are LI batteries any better in cold conditions?