Battery Options

[JungleJustice]

What do you guys think about Yuasa batteries...? (SYB14L-42)

Any other good value batteries to consider. I don't keep the battery on a trickle-charger! I have it on a CTek battery conditioner (shared with a couple of other bikes, so I rotate it through...)

Still, the last new generic name battery (Cycle Tron) lasted 3 years in the bike and never let me down once until now! Should I expect more? Can't see paying double for something "better" that ends up lasting the same amount of time anyway!

Thoughts?

 

[tkent02]

What do you guys think about Yuasa batteries...? (SYB14L-42)

Any other good value batteries to consider. I don't keep the battery on a trickle-charger! I have it on a CTek battery conditioner (shared with a couple of other bikes, so I rotate it through...)

Still, the last new generic name battery (Cycle Tron) lasted 3 years in the bike and never let me down once until now! Should I expect more? Can't see paying double for something "better" that ends up lasting the same amount of time anyway!

Thoughts?

Keep them off the chargers and maintainers and they will last a lot longer.
And get an AGM battery.

 

[JungleJustice]

Keep them off the chargers and maintainers and they will last a lot longer. And get an AGM battery.

Not on your life!

You should go and do some research on battery conditioners versus regular chargers versus a trickle charger. I have used conditioners for years - they are a MUST-have unless you're going to ride the bike weekly (no such luck in Seattle winters.) Even then, charging systems being what they are - especially older systems...

Regular chargers and trickle chargers, I would agree - keep them away! Guy parks his summer toy with a 2AMP trickle charge on it all winter long. Goes to start it and it's dead - doesn't know why! Get's a jump-start and a month later the battery finally dies for good. Guy can't figure it out...:-s

Nah, QUALITY battery conditioners (like the CTEK) is the way to go.

Anyway, thanks for the plug on the AGM battery.

 

[Redman]

What do you guys think about Yuasa batteries...? (SYB14L-42)
.
.

Yuasa, major brand name that has been around since I first needed to buy a mo'cycle battery (early 80s).

Would that be ...14L-A2 ...? (I recall the part number YB14L-A2)

Not on your life!

You should go and do some research on battery conditioners versus regular chargers versus a trickle charger. . . .
..
..

You do seem to have some familiarity/experience with this.
Yes, folks do need to make distinction between a 1amp (or even 2 amp) "trickle charger" that they get at big box auto parts store for $12, ... and a "maintainer" that regulates itself to turn completely off (float?), those cost more like 40-50-60 bucks and not found at as many places.

Good that someone uses at "trickle" charger instead of a 10 or 12 or 15 amp charger, but even still should not leave on for any longer than necessary.

Previously tkent has stated bad experience in using "maintainers/tenders" left on for long time.

I have a battery tender (brand name), but don't leave it on for weeks and weeks or months. Over the winter, I use it as a trickle charger, but am not too concerned if I leave it on for several days. I put on one bike for a few days, and move it to other bike for a few days, then set it aside for two three weeks. Then repeat.
SOmetimes during summer, if a bike is not used for a few weeks, I may put on for a day or so.


.

 

[Dogma]

An AGM will get you through a SW Ohio winter without a tender, but you may need a little help on the first start in the spring. Put it on a trickle charge a bit in advance of the first ride and you should be golden.

 

[srg]

I looked into getting a battery tender, and I'm going to pass on it.

I plan on riding for at least PART of the winter. I might go a month without riding, but in that month I plan on starting up the bike at least once a week and taking it for a spin around the block. That's all I need to do to keep the battery (and gas! and everything else!) in good shape.

I actually recently killed my battery running a compression test. I used car jumper cables and hooked it up to my car battery (WITHOUT the car running!). I let it sit for an hour or so, and it was good enough.

 

[Agemax]

a 2 amp charger is NOT a trickle charger. my Oxford optimiser has a 0.6 amp output and an auto cut off feature. connect it up once a month if the bike is not used and leave it until it switches itself off. perfect battery for years.

 

[Guest]

Hi,
i asked a similar question a few weeks back, Battery Preservation ! hard to make sense of it all, i hope this helps and ill be watching your question with great interest.

 

[650cafe]

I have a Battery Tender for all my powersports equipment. One on my shovel, one on my Dyna, one of the wife's Sporty, one on the Camaro, and my new-old GS is getting one too. I've quit buying cheap-a$$ed batteries, so when I'm spending $100-plus on one, the Tenders are worth it. Since I started using them 3 years ago I have yet to buy a replacement battery for any of the listed machinery when I used to have to replace at least 1 battery a year, if not 1 in every machine.
To me the way to do it is to just buy 1 unit for every couple machines. Then go to Batteries Plus and get a couple more of the pigtails for hooking the Tender to your battery. I prefer the terminal ring style over the alligator clips cuz I leave them on permanently anyway. About once a month through the winter I switch the charger over to a different machine. They are tiny and portable, so you can take them on a trip if needed, and you can get adapters to plug in a cell phone or other device to charge while you ride. I think they are the only way to go, but I'd start with a really good quality battery first.
I just bought an Xtreme AGM type (at the suggestion of folk here) and it seems like a good battery. $95 at Batteries Plus, but you can mount it in any position except upside down. One word of warning though: though the battery I got was listed for my machine (83 gs650gl), it would not fit in my battery cage. No matter in my case; I'm customizing it and building new bracketry for all the electrics and battery anyway.

 

[850 Combat]

I have a Battery Tender for all my powersports equipment. One on my shovel, one on my Dyna, one of the wife's Sporty, one on the Camaro, and my new-old GS is getting one too. I've quit buying cheap-a$$ed batteries, so when I'm spending $100-plus on one, the Tenders are worth it. Since I started using them 3 years ago I have yet to buy a replacement battery for any of the listed machinery when I used to have to replace at least 1 battery a year, if not 1 in every machine.
To me the way to do it is to just buy 1 unit for every couple machines. Then go to Batteries Plus and get a couple more of the pigtails for hooking the Tender to your battery. I prefer the terminal ring style over the alligator clips cuz I leave them on permanently anyway. About once a month through the winter I switch the charger over to a different machine. They are tiny and portable, so you can take them on a trip if needed, and you can get adapters to plug in a cell phone or other device to charge while you ride. I think they are the only way to go, but I'd start with a really good quality battery first.
I just bought an Xtreme AGM type (at the suggestion of folk here) and it seems like a good battery. $95 at Batteries Plus, but you can mount it in any position except upside down. One word of warning though: though the battery I got was listed for my machine (83 gs650gl), it would not fit in my battery cage. No matter in my case; I'm customizing it and building new bracketry for all the electrics and battery anyway.

battery tender uses SAE connectors, like my Eclipse and Gearz electric vests. I've also changed the plug on my Tourmaster electric gear to SAE connectors. Also have adapters to charge through USB off of them and to operate a small inverter.

It works very well. I don't ever like to leave my battery tender plugged in all the time. I'm out of town a lot, and mine get warmer than I like. I mostly use the least expensive AGM battery Batteries Plus stocks. My bikes usually will crank easily after six to ten months sitting. I also have some cheap float chargers from Harbor Freight, and a couple others. On a motorcycle battery, 2 amps is way more than a trickle. half amp to three quarter amp should be plenty.

 

[tkent02]

You seem very opinionated for someone who only gets three years out of your batteries.
Seattle winters aren't so bad. Some years it doesn't even snow.
Motorcycle was my only transportation there for years.
They do make rain gear.

 

[650cafe]

You seem very opinionated for someone who only gets three years out of your batteries.
Seattle winters aren't so bad. Some years it doesn't even snow.
Motorcycle was my only transportation there for years.
They do make rain gear.

I didnt say that I only get 3 years. I said that since I started using them about 3 years ago I havent had to replace one. Before that I had to replace them typically once a year. So far thats a 66% improvement rate. So yeah, my opinion is strongly in favor of them. And 3 years in a Harley is more like 6 or 8 in a buttery-smooth I-4.

 

[Guest]

Some Girls do ! Some Girls Dont !

 

[Weeksz]

So I need a new battery for my 81 GS750 (YB14L-A2) and as I live in Northern Michigan, we have pretty harsh winters up here. I wanted to buy a battery but I'm worried about it getting toasted or at least using up some if its live span over a period I wont even ride it. I just finished my rebuild and am waiting on coils in the mail before it will run but my old battery wont take any charge. I know battery tenders will keep them healthy but I'm thinking about waiting to buy new. If I remove the battery and store it inside off of a trickle charge (disconnected entirely) will that likely take away from some if its life? Is trickle charge the only way to go about it?

 

[78550GS]

So I need a new battery for my 81 GS750 (YB14L-A2) and as I live in Northern Michigan, we have pretty harsh winters up here. I wanted to buy a battery but I'm worried about it getting toasted or at least using up some if its live span over a period I wont even ride it. I just finished my rebuild and am waiting on coils in the mail before it will run but my old battery wont take any charge. I know battery tenders will keep them healthy but I'm thinking about waiting to buy new. If I remove the battery and store it inside off of a trickle charge (disconnected entirely) will that likely take away from some if its life? Is trickle charge the only way to go about it?

The only thing I can offer is that storing off a tender helps NONE. I had mine unhooked for about 4 months. Battery was only 3 months old, AGM. Now it's kaput.

 

[GateKeeper]

I have a couple of these

use it with one of these

Connected together all winter, well at minimum 4-5 months

No issues.....

and this is in an unheated garage, left in the bike, all I did was hook up the connector so I just plug it in and walk away....

I check on the unit every once in a while to make sure it's on, only due to a power failure if one should happen

 

[eil]

So I need a new battery for my 81 GS750 (YB14L-A2) and as I live in Northern Michigan, we have pretty harsh winters up here. I wanted to buy a battery but I'm worried about it getting toasted or at least using up some if its live span over a period I wont even ride it. I just finished my rebuild and am waiting on coils in the mail before it will run but my old battery wont take any charge. I know battery tenders will keep them healthy but I'm thinking about waiting to buy new. If I remove the battery and store it inside off of a trickle charge (disconnected entirely) will that likely take away from some if its life? Is trickle charge the only way to go about it?

As noted earlier in the thread, there's a difference between battery chargers and battery maintainers. Never keep a battery on a battery charger (even a trickle charger) once it's fully charged. The battery will get overcharged and thus destroyed. A battery maintainer (like the Battery Tender brand), sure. A maintainer shuts off power to the battery once it's fully charged and only tops it off when the charge drops below a certain level.

A standard flooded plate battery doesn't need to be connected to a charger if your charging system is good and you ride at least once a month. If you put the bike up for the winter and don't ride it for a few months, disconnect the negative cable from the battery and either put a battery maintainer on it or top it off with a standard charger once a month. (Do NOT overcharge it.) It's better to store it in the cold garage than in the warm house. Lower temperatures slow the chemical reactions that cause self-discharge, prolonging the life of the battery. (They also slow the chemical reactions that make a battery work, which is why batteries perform worse in the cold.)

An AGM battery has a much lower self-discharge rate and can go months without needing to be topped off, so that's really the best way to go.

 

[Gorminrider]

What do you guys think about Yuasa batteries...? (SYB14L-42)

Any other good value batteries to consider. I don't keep the battery on a trickle-charger! I have it on a CTek battery conditioner (shared with a couple of other bikes, so I rotate it through...)

Still, the last new generic name battery (Cycle Tron) lasted 3 years in the bike and never let me down once until now! Should I expect more? Can't see paying double for something "better" that ends up lasting the same amount of time anyway!

Thoughts?

Yuasa might give you the extra crank, the extra recovery. If you are commuting to work, go for it.
otherwise I think you are doing ok. 3 years on a cheapie -you got your $ worth.
I think, If nothing ever goes wrong on the bike-running it dead,or severe cold snaps when you ran it dead, if nobody knocks your bike over in a parking lot, or steals it, or the multitude of other stuff that wrecks any battery, then go for the $ shot.

I'm in the "give it an occassional charge up" wet-cell camp, in winter, because I'm a gloomy kind of fatalist when it comes to batteries. See above.
I have an old 6 amp unit to charge everything. These mostly are voltage controlled in a rugged way and drop to a trickle-it has a funky ol swing needle gauge on the front of it. Usually shows 2 amp for a minute or two and drops off to trickle pretty quick. Battery voltage does not rise beyond 14+ I have it on a timer so I don't have to remember to take it off. ...My 3 wet cell motorcycle batteries are 1,2 and 4 years old. So far so good.

 

[cowboyup3371]

The only thing I can offer is that storing off a tender helps NONE. I had mine unhooked for about 4 months. Battery was only 3 months old, AGM. Now it's kaput.

Something else was wrong with it then. You only need a tender for an hour or twoevery few weeks with an AGM battery especially if the tender is not working well (I killed a brand new AGM last year while sitting on my maintainer for two weeks).

 

[suzukizone]

Will offer my opinion. Willing to take heat if someone wants to jump on me but I really am trying to play nice, not question anyone else's integrity or intelligence.

It would be good to refer to the name brand product "Battery Tender" as a specific brand & not use the word "tender" for sundry items. I worked for some years at a cycle shop(not a mechanic) & a lot of batteries needed replacement. I tried to learn about BATTERY TENDER brand charger/maintainers as there were cheaper products out there. I spent a good bit of time on the phone with that company so i could offer their products with confidence. (Granted this info was from that company & therefore a form of self-interested propaganda)
I was told that the BATTERY TENDER line does not just turn on & off as needed but it first puts out its max output (Usually 3/4 amp on the "Jr." model or 1.5 amp on the larger units)until the battery reaches its fullest charge. The TENDER then drops down to a trickle to maintain. I was told that this "trickle" is somewhat variable as the BT is actually monitoring the charge of the battery & effectively juggling the floating charge level. The maintenance cycle is continuously variable therefore. This based on the concept that the closer to always being at the ideal full charge for the longest continuous period of time, the longer the battery will last. Up & down charge levels are contributing to the shortening of the battery life. They were emphatic that the best way to use the BATTERY TENDER device is to have it on the bike 24/7 UNLESS you are riding. I began to tell customers that as they lifted their leg around the seat to dismount, they should be reaching for the lead wire of the BT & plug it into the bike.

I was turned onto the BT by a customer who had the original battery on his DL1000 Suzuki after 12(Yup TWELVE) years. We tested his battery & it read as good as a brand new installed & fully charged battery.
I got 8+ years from a basic YUASA Yumicron old fashioned lead acid battery. The first year or two I had not yet gotten to be a BT user so it likely would have lasted a lot longer. It was NOT dead when I replaced it, worked fine as long as I rode & kept it on the BT. But I could tell it was not the fresh young battery it used to be & had a few camping trips coming up & just wanted to have a new strong battery onboard. My current battery, on the BT since new, is over 5 years old & strong like bull.

None of this meant to dispute anyone else's experiences. These are mine. Info from Battery Tender company is just what it is. Can't prove the science or conclusions but have yet to see anyone I sold a BT to back then ever have anything but great joy & a full charge.

There are other name brand trickle/maintenance chargers from Yuasa, Optimate, etc. They might be better, worse or the same. For me it is an open & shut case for BATTERY TENDER, don't need to experiment. I use the Battery Tender Jr. though I have the 1.5 amp unit I put on the lawn mower. I always keep it plugged in unless I'm riding and stress, if you have an old fashioned wet lead acid like the Yumicron, CHECK THE ELECTROLYTE LEVEL AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. Constant hook up will cause the water of the electrolyte to evaporate faster than usual.

OK nuff from me. Just wanted to offer that it wasn't clear if I was reading the word "tender" if the writer was referring to a BATTERY TENDER or another device.

Be safe & happy,....simultaneously.

DH