How often do you replace your battery?

[verboseone]

I use my bike for an everyday commute even during the winter. (We have mild winters here.)

My battery seems to ache for replacement about once a year.
Is this normal?

How often do you replace yours?

[tkent02]

Four, five, six years? Usually I replace the bikes more often than the batteries.
You might be overcharging, which is hard on batteries.

[Killer2600]

I just replaced my old lead-acid battery, it gave up the dust after 5 years of flawless service.

[DanTheMan]

I'm on the second year of my lead acid battery in my 1100, the third year for the AGM in my 850. I don't know why you're burning up one battery a year.

[koolaid_kid]

When I was buying Walmart lead acid batteries they only lasted a year or two.
When I switched to AGM batteries I got 6 years out of it. Well worth the extra cost IMHO.

[verboseone]

My batteries have been coming from my mechanic which has proven to be more and more shotty the longer I go. He usually orders one, has to put acid in it, and charge it a few days before I pick it up.

Next time I'll get one from Autozone. Thanks for the information guys/gals!

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I replaced my Yuasa AGM battery after 4.5 years just "because". A decent battery should last that long in a well-maintained charging system. A cheap battery will not fare so well.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[mike_of_bbg]

You might be overcharging, which is hard on batteries.

Yes, this.

When I switched to AGM batteries I got 6 years out of it. Well worth the extra cost IMHO.

And yes, this.

[1_v8_merc]

I won't buy Yuasa's, just bad luck with them.

I've bought 2 yuasa's from 2 seperate dealerships, and both crapped out in 1 season.
One even crapped out in a brand new jetski, and I constantly maintained it too.

Meanwhile, I'm going on 2 years on my $38 walmart battery...which I filled myself.

[7981GS]

5-7 years out of the Yuasa batteries as long as you keep them on the Battery Tender when not riding.
I just bought 3 of the AGM type for some of the newer bikes and will be hoping for longer results with them.

Eric

[mrbill5491]

When it dies, lead acid usually 3 years, though I'm on 3 years with the current battery though its been on a tender since 1st of last year and still shows to be strong.

[bakalorz]

I use my bike for an everyday commute even during the winter. (We have mild winters here.)

My battery seems to ache for replacement about once a year.
Is this normal?

How often do you replace yours?

The cheapest Walmart battery should give years of service with properly maintained charging system ... the most expensive battery you can buy will crap out in less than a year with a defective charging system ...

I have a walmart battery. Its fifth birthday is this month.

I was pretty anal about properly filling the acid, and then giving it a good long initializing charge (charge it 8-12 hours at a low rate before you put it in service) just like the instructions that came with it said ...

After that, I have been more hit or miss with it ... it is the kind where you are supposed to check the water level periodically ... I think I've checked 3 times in the 5 years ... should be at least once a season ...
(although I DID spend a dollar at the grocery store for DISTILLED water to refill it with ... NEVER use tap water)

And in the winter I'm pretty bad about topping up the charge ... don't have a maintainer, so I put it on the charger once every month or two if I think of it ... (which reminds me ... maybe I should do that now ...)

It was having a hard time starting the bike last year, and I thought I had to replace it. It turned out that the battery was fine, but the starter was defective. I repaired the starter, and the battery starts it right up again.

I have a Walmart battery ... 5 years and still going ...

You have some charging or maintenance issues ...

[cowboyup3371]

Bakalorz is right and his comment about not checking it is one reason I bought an AGM this year. My battery lasted me two years but I have a bad habit of not checking it (comes from too many vehicles with maintenance free batteries) as often as I should. I put it on the charger/maintainer in October but took it off in January and set it aside. When I went to look at it about a month ago, the fluid level looked pretty low; not sure why as it was sitting on the carpet in the house. Either way, i decided I was tired of it so I now have a Motobatt in the bike. I hope I get some decent mileage out of it.

[sedelen]

I replace batteries when they die.
My 1000 has a lead acid battery going on 2nd year, my 1100 has a Gell type also going on 2nd year, my charger says it's not good for recharging the
gell battery, so when it goes, it's back to lead/acid.

[Mysuzyq]

I replace batteries when they die.
My 1000 has a lead acid battery going on 2nd year, my 1100 has a Gell type also going on 2nd year, my charger says it's not good for recharging the
gell battery, so when it goes, it's back to lead/acid.

Not sure why it wouldn't charge the AGM? Most trickle chargers can be used on both types. A Battery Tender or Yuasa Smart Shot (JR, even) might be a good buy, for the long term.