smaller batteries - any good?

[JimmyR]

I'm doing up an '82 GS1100G and am at the rewiring stage. I have relocated the battery slightly but it still takes up more room than I would like. As technology has improved somewhat since 1982, are there any alternative batteries which would be smaller and/or lighter?

I have also found these batteries on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS1100E-GS1100-GS-1100-GS1100ES-GS1100G-GS1100GK-TRUGEL-GEL-BATTERY-/110787680975?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item19cb75dacf#ht_500wt_922

http://www.ebay.com/itm/82-84-SUZUKI-GS1100G-K-L-Katana-Motorcycle-Li-Battery-8-Cell-100-011-/310360370526?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4842eb6d5e#ht_1247wt_907

Has anyone tried either of these? Any possible issues?

Thanks!

[pete]

The gel cells are good but AGM's are apparently better.

If you're going Lithium, don't go with that one, fork out for a Shorai.

With the Lithium ones, unless you have proper battery management that actually monitors the voltage of each individual cell and charges it appropriately, they have a tendency to fail and sometimes get a little warm... as in flame generating warm...

[tkent02]

If your engine is running perfectly and starts in an instant every time, you don't need a big battery. My 1100 will crank for several minutes on it's stock battery, but it always fires up instantly so a much smaller battery would be fine. I'd just go with an AGM battery for a little bike.

[oldpara]

Hjfisk and I are putting together a little GS500 streetfighter, because of limited room on the tiny bike we got a Shorai.
They are incredibly small and light, only 1.5lbs. Because it is relatively new tech it was recommended that we also get a new reg/rec for the bike so we also got a new shindengen mosfet fh012aa reg/rec to better control the voltage. We'll see how it works out.
I've got the paperwork here somewhere , but the voltage needs to be kept to within 13.8 to 14.5. It will be an expensive booboo if things don't work out.

[koolaid_kid]

Gel batteries are good, but they are the previous generation technology. Current technology (of affordable batteries) is Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM).
AGM batteries are sealed and should never leak, come fully charged, and should last 5-7 years.
I use MotoBatt AGM batteries in both my bikes; they are affordable and have a 2 year warranty, versus most batteries that have a 1 year warranty (there are exceptions).

[pete]

Hjfisk and I are putting together a little GS500 streetfighter, because of limited room on the tiny bike we got a Shorai.
They are incredibly small and light, only 1.5lbs. Because it is relatively new tech it was recommended that we also get a new reg/rec for the bike so we also got a new shindengen mosfet fh012aa reg/rec to better control the voltage. We'll see how it works out.
I've got the paperwork here somewhere , but the voltage needs to be kept to within 13.8 to 14.5. It will be an expensive booboo if things don't work out.

Sorry to threadjack for the moment... is there a project thread for this? I know it's not technically in the up to '85 GS category, but we do have Greg's Honda thread in there...

[JimmyR]

Hmmm... Looks like the AGM batteries are the go. I have found somewhere local that sells the Motobatt AGMs at a reasonable price. But they are apparently the same size as the regular lead acid battery. Oh well. At least they are maintenance free and can't leak.

I wonder why they can't make them smaller? You'd think that in this day and age motorbike batteries could be a fraction of the size for the same performance. One day...

[pete]

I'm pretty sure the Shorai's are smaller, they're just not cheap...

[JimmyR]

OK I'll check 'em out!

[koolaid_kid]

I'm pretty sure the Shorai's are smaller, they're just not cheap...

I would agree on both points.

[JimmyR]

Ok I googled Shorai - some of the stuff I read didn't sound so good. I would LOVE a smaller battery but it sounds like the Shorai's aren't so reliable. Have any of you guys had experience with the Shorai batteries? FWIW I just installed a new (supposedly better) Stator and RR.

[pete]

Ok I googled Shorai - some of the stuff I read didn't sound so good. I would LOVE a smaller battery but it sounds like the Shorai's aren't so reliable. Have any of you guys had experience with the Shorai batteries? FWIW I just installed a new (supposedly better) Stator and RR.

Really? I haven't heard a single negative word about them... unlike the other Lithium based batteries which I've heard many a horror story about due to not having any battery management in place.

The only "issue" I've heard with the Shorai's is that if it gets really cold you need to get some load on them before they'll fire the bike up... not an issue in Perth

[JimmyR]

So I got a Shorai directly from Shorai USA. It sure is light! It feels empty! I've installed it and although my bike isn't running yet it kicks the starter over just fine and all the electrics work. The main thing is that it isn't that small! It's almost as big as the stock battery. The height is barely less at all. It's a bit narrower and that's it.

Oh well. I like that it doesn't have a vent to worry about. The stock battery vented some nasty stuff onto my new battery box so I'm glad I haven't got the battery box finished yet.

[argonsagas]

So I got a Shorai directly from Shorai USA. It sure is light! It feels empty! I've installed it and although my bike isn't running yet it kicks the starter over just fine and all the electrics work. The main thing is that it isn't that small! It's almost as big as the stock battery. The height is barely less at all. It's a bit narrower and that's it.

Oh well. I like that it doesn't have a vent to worry about. The stock battery vented some nasty stuff onto my new battery box so I'm glad I haven't got the battery box finished yet.

The "type" of battery internals have nothing to do with the "type" size, as the sizes are standardised. You would have to look for a battery with different dimensions to suit your space needs.

[pete]

Have a scroll down in this thread:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=188084

That's what I would expect from a Shorai in terms of size myself too... my guess is they matched it to your stock battery as a direct replacement...