Cheap prices at Batterymart and Batterystuff. What do you think?

[salty_monk]

I use MotoBatt or Deka. Scorpion are "ok" but last 2 years instead of the 5 or so I've been getting out of the other two brands (and that's if they don't leak..). All the cheapies seem to be about the same..

Both of mine have Deka at the moment - motobatt can be hard to get sometimes. They are great if you want a second set of terminals though.

[wymple]

I just ordered the AGM version from Battery Mart, $44.95. Hoping for a good outcome.

[salty_monk]

Yes that'll be a Scorpion or similar. They all come from the same place I think. Watch it for leaks from case splitting. That's the only issue I've seen. Possibly caused by vibration/wear in the battery box. Thin cases for low cost...

[Boriqua]

Hmmm .. now you guys have me looking up what ISNT a wet battery. In my rebuild I just bought what my local O'reilly's had. I thought the price was way high at some 60+dollars but its a regular old battery that came with a sack of acid that wasn't quite enough to fill the battery

I remember MC batteries being no more than $45 not that long ago. So now .. I guess I should see what "not wet" batteries are and why I need one. AZ is a killer of batteries. We just dont get the normal life expectancy because of the heat.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Hmmm .. now you guys have me looking up what ISNT a wet battery. In my rebuild I just bought what my local O'reilly's had. I thought the price was way high at some 60+dollars but its a regular old battery that came with a sack of acid that wasn't quite enough to fill the battery

I remember MC batteries being no more than $45 not that long ago. So now .. I guess I should see what "not wet" batteries are and why I need one. AZ is a killer of batteries. We just dont get the normal life expectancy because of the heat.

To me, a wet battery is a battery you have to add water to during it's life. An AGM battery is filled and then sealed and needs no water during it's life. I have an AGM in my GS now. The previous Yuasa AGM lasted over 6 years. Despite several sources, including Yuasa, saying that an AGM battery won't last as long when installed on a bike that came with a conventional battery, that battery lasted longer than any so far. Nothing but AGM for me from now on. So I took a chance and bought the new AGM battery from Battery Mart because of the lower price. But I doubt the battery will last 4 years. A lot can go wrong when initially charging a battery that will shorten it's life. I don't know what they do at Battery Mart but I feel something wasn't done right. Not enough acid in the battery, too quick initial charge, seals broken before initially charging...I'll buy only bottle supplied batteries from now on. You don't need to pay top dollar for a genuine Yuasa. I bought a Yuasa high performance AGM for my ZX14 for $80 from Amazon.

[Boriqua]

Ok went to the yuasa Site so now I get it. I have a battery with plugs that will most certainly have to be maintained with water. I would have gotten maintenance free just so I did not have to remove my filter box. I don't have to store my bike so holding a charge or its ability to trickle well isn't so important but longevity is. Never bought an extended warranty on a battery until I moved out here. My car batteries usually get half the stated life expectancy.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Ok went to the yuasa Site so now I get it. I have a battery with plugs that will most certainly have to be maintained with water. I would have gotten maintenance free just so I did not have to remove my filter box. I don't have to store my bike so holding a charge or its ability to trickle well isn't so important but longevity is. Never bought an extended warranty on a battery until I moved out here. My car batteries usually get half the stated life expectancy.

It gets really hot in my garage too. I don't know how much battery life is lost. I always keep blankets over my bikes, completely covering them. I do it to keep dust and moisture away, but I think it helps a little to keep some heat out.
I went with AGM batteries years ago. I had to add water a good 3-4 times a year to the conventional batteries and it got to be a pain in the butt. The AGM's are so much better and easier to live with. You can get them in higher performance versions that add another 10-20% in cold cranking amps. If you buy a bottle supplied battery, the filling and initial charging are very easy to do.
I suggest buying a charger. I have a Battery Tender Plus on both bikes. Yuasa makes a 3 amp charger that is supposed to work well too. The BT's cost around $40. They come with a lead that you can mount under the stock terminal bolts and route the lead to a convenient spot. After each ride just plug into the lead and the charger does it's thing.
If it's possible, I'd return the conventional battery and get an AGM. Say the bike is cranking slow even if the volts seem OK, like an internal problem or something unexplainable.