Battery Preservation !

[Andrew Vanis]

After going through a battery every couple years, I got me a lifetime warranty battery for about $80. Any time I need a new one, just bring it in for a swap.

http://www.cyclegear.com/CycleGear/Parts/Batteries/brand/MEGABOOST/Batteries/p/36686_47076

(I also fixed the charging system with a CompuFire but since some of the batteries died while on long-term float charge [BatteryTender] I figured the life time warranty was a good thing.)

 

[tkent02]

(I also fixed the charging system with a CompuFire but since some of the batteries died while on long-term float charge [BatteryTender] I figured the life time warranty was a good thing.)

That's what I'm talking about!

 

[Guest]

Don't any of you late model GS owners have kick starters ?

Gotta have a 79 or earlier model, because after that all bikes are pointless !

I use an AGM, leave it in without a tender, and have not had a problem.

 

[Guest]

What options are there options other than lead / acid?

lithium ION? seems expensive and pointless
BTW
the freezing point of a charged battery is -90F degrees, half charged is -20F
a charged battery will not freeze on this planet, cold also slows down the self discharge rate

PS. One thing Canada does well is winter, it gets a lot colder here than any irish highland, (it snowed here yesterday)

 

[Guest]

Lifetime warranty, sounds great, would be a bit of shipping on that, maby 6000 miles, I don't know of any closer, whatever effect at whatever temperatures cold and long periods of not being used sure does kill batterys round here, unless our batterys are inferior, the best we would have is probably Varta Bosch and Yuasa in that order IMO, a new battery perhaps every 3 years, just out of warrant of course. The idea of kick starting a bike sure sounds romantic but last bike I kick started was a BSA 650 lightning twin in about 1969 ?, now I find press butt is ideal.
Anyone go for gel or true gel perhaps there's no difference, iv never had anything other than lead acid ? Your winter in canada sure has started early ? but like Shania Twain sings, Don't impress me much and doesn't sound like much fun eithor but it rained here yesterday and rain's for a while most days, na were not tropical ! Spyug the Canadian who thinks he's
Scotch will understand about the Highlands of Scotland, its a local thing for us small town guys.

 

[eil]

anyhow, ok guys, ill go with that, forget the mentainers, keep the battery cool but not cold, discharge it completely once every winter and charge it immediately

I hope that is a typo, deep-cycling a lead acid battery is not good for it, and they do not suffer from any sort of "memory effect" like other battery chemistries. (Although I believe it's not proven that there is such a thing with those either.)

What options are there options other than lead / acid?

Lead acid is pretty much impossible to beat for engine starting applications. But there are other types of lead acid batteries besides the flooded-plate ones used in our bikes. A lot of people here swear by AGM batteries (absorbed glass mat) because they are sealed, tend to last longer, and are not much more expensive than the standard flooded type. There are also gel cells, commonly used in emergency lighting, UPS systems, and power wheels toy cars. I've heard of people using them but don't know much more than that. They are supposed to be physically smaller than flooded batteries.

 

[Guest]

YES, I get that but AGM and gel cells are still lead acid, some body posted that there are other options,(??) I have pretty much switched to AGM because maintenance, venting and spillage, they do seem to last longer, However one of my friends still has the original battery in his 13 year old hayabusa, he praises his battery tender.

 

[Guest]

However one of my friends still has the original battery in his 13 year old hayabusa, he praises his battery tender.[/QUOTE]

That's incredible iv never heard of any battery in any application lasting beyond 9 years, if only I could have some of that.

 

[Gorminrider]

for Acid batteries, this is good reading from Yuasa...
http://www.yuasabatteries.com/motor_battery.php