Gel Battery

[RustyTank]

Update, for what it's worth
We decided not to put the battery in the seat cowl after all. Building a custom battery box in the middle section with a standard AGM battery with the stock requirements instead. I'm actually really happy we went this route. I think it's gonna turn out great and be better in the long run

[salty_monk]

Motobatt: http://www.motobattbatteries.com/motobatt-mbtx14au.html

This Li has been recommended by a user I trust on the KLR forum as being a good alternative. The KLR uses the same battery as the GS's and it's charging system (in fact the whole bike is no further advanced than an 82+ model) is no further advanced than a GS with a MOSFET RR fitted....

http://alienmotion.com/am8.html

Debating whether to try one on the KLR myself.

I have found these a good alternative to Motobatt - Get about 5 years+ the same out of them. http://www.etx15l.com/ They don't have the extra connects but are generally cheaper & at one stage were much easier to get hold of.

[wymple]

Any crappy little battery will suffice if you have and are planning to use a kick starter. You need very little amperage for that

[Rob S.]

I ordered a Yuasa maintenance-free, sealed battery today and was told it had a one year warranty on it. Is that less than standard?

[Steve]

One year warranty on a bike battery is on the better side. There are a few that come with two years, but most are 3 or 6 months.

.

[Sam Dorn]

Sounds strange to me as the most of good brands suggest at least two years of warranty, mostly three. I got a car battery from Optima (found a recommendation here ), seems like these guys also manufacture goods for bikes.

[Gorminrider]

most are 3 or 6 months

Yes, a warranty for a battery is really a warranty for the charging system and if I were a manufacturer, I'd be loath to stick my neck out too far for ANY battery beyond proveable defects of manufacture ....add that so many motorcycles are neglected in a garage for 6 months, so that a year is pretty generous.

Car batteries probably have better warranties because they can assume the customer drives it year 'round and also, will "arrive" at a real defect sooner.

[posplayr]

My comment: The Lithium Batteries are very attractive especially for a motorcycle. The main issue is you need a battery with a built-in Battery Management System (BMS) that can manage charging according to the new battery requirements. In effect the OE and aftermarket lead acid R/R charge circuits do not have an appropriate charge profile, but that power being delivered to the BMS should be able to manage the Lithium battery. The question is id there any BMS where it has been designed to work this way. I don't know. My only experience with a Lithium battery apparently without a a BMS is that the battery was dragged down till it bricked the battery in the first week.

Note the external BMS described below is something that goes between your R/R and your lithium battery. You do not get rid of the R/R.



What you need to know about lithium motorcycle batteries

If LiFePo4 batteries are charged without a BMS (Battery Management System) the internal cells do not charge evenly. This can lead to greatly reduced battery lifespan in many cases to as little as 2 or 3 years. Most european manufactured lithium batteries now have a BMS built into the battery to protect it and ensure it is being properly chharged while you ar riding the bike.

Manufacturers that still do not make batteries with a built in BMS recommend that you also purchase an external mains powerd BMS charger when you purchase their Lithium batteries, so that you can perform periodic cell balancing. Of course this does not provide the required protection, cell baancing and other BMS functions while you are riding the bike (which is of course when thhese features are needed most).

In the picture below of the battery with the top cut off you can clearly see the BMS (Battery Management System) circuit board.

http://www.fastbikegear.co.nz/index.php?main_page=page&id=18&chapter=1

[salty_monk]

Antigravity say they have a full onboard BMS. Their cut-off "restart" feature is kind of cool too I guess...

https://antigravitybatteries.com/restart-technology/

[posplayr]

Antigravity say they have a full onboard BMS. Their cut-off "restart" feature is kind of cool too I guess...

https://antigravitybatteries.com/restart-technology/

First Motorsports Battery with low voltage cut-off & full BMS built-in.

It is baffling to me that it has taken this long to get something like this to market. Electronics SWAP-C (space weight power and cost) is going to zero. I recently bought some Ebay 3A DC-DC convertors. They are 1/2"x3/4" in size. The pair was $1.79 from a US supplier. I could probably find them cheaper shipped from China.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-Mini360-3A-DC-Voltage-Step-Down-Power-Converter-Buck-Module-3-3V-5V-9V-12V/123798965111?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

The main limits for power supplies is the thermal limits and how much heat you can get out; the non-power devices just keep shrinking.

[wyly]

when my current Motobat dies I'm going with Li-on, save 10lbs in weight and move it under the tail cowl.