Anybody using newer lithium ion batteries in their ST?

Eagle59

Eagle59

Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Messages
115
Location
Dewitt, Michigan
Bike
1997 ST1100
It's been awhile since I've been back home to the forums here. I miss this place. Covid and job situations have been interesting over the past few summers. We've been tempted with a few days of nice weather in Michigan. I know it's way too optimistic to think about getting Big Red out of the shop yet but I'm getting ready for it! I have a 4 year old Yuasa battery in the bike now that will need replacing this spring. Has anybody put in a newer lithium ion battery in their rides? I know there are differences in voltages and charging circuit characteristics. BMS management systems aside, does anybody have advice on these in the ST?
 
I have a Lithium battery in my '05 and it works good in that it spins the motor over quicker, but otherwise, I dont know that they are worth the price difference. I would think they should be coming down in cost to compete with conventional batterys, but I dont know if that is the case yet. Many people are getting good service from inexpensive lead acid batteries. I was PO'ed when my expensive lead acid yuasa died after a few years with no warning, so I thought I would try something else. My Lithium is only a couple of years old so it is still too early to speak of longevity. Honestly, i cant say anything bad about the lithium but if I were to do it over again, I would go for the inexpensive lead acid
 
Eagle59 said:
It's been awhile since I've been back home to the forums here. I miss this place. Covid and job situations have been interesting over the past few summers. We've been tempted with a few days of nice weather in Michigan. I know it's way too optimistic to think about getting Big Red out of the shop yet but I'm getting ready for it! I have a 4 year old Yuasa battery in the bike now that will need replacing this spring. Has anybody put in a newer lithium ion battery in their rides? I know there are differences in voltages and charging circuit characteristics. BMS management systems aside, does anybody have advice on these in the ST?
Click to expand...
A quick search using the ST-O search engine found under the magnifying glass found on the right side of the tool bar.

 
I know this is not a new topic but it seems some of the latest forum responses are several years old. I've always been able to get 3-4 years from lead-acid batteries. They don't last much longer than that. My current Yuasa is on year 4. The NOCOs are a bit spendy but have BMS built in which seems necessary. The economics of the lithium batteries would seem to support they pay for themselves after two replacements of normal AGM batteries. 260,000 miles on a battery! I'm impressed! not with the battery!
 
+1 on the antigravity. 30 months 45k miles and only hiccuped when I charged my phone overnight in the woods. It has the restart feature, so I just pushed the button on the battery and started the bike.
 
Last year I purchased a MotoBatt HYBRID battery.
Post is here: https://www.st-owners.com/forums/threads/fancy-new-hybrid-battery.180285/
It definitely turns the bike over with authority. We tried it out in my friend's Yamaha Super Tenere, a bike that has a notoriously small OEM battery (but which can fit the same battery the ST1300 takes). It turns his bike over with authority, better than anything else we've tried.

It's a year-ish old, so I can't say how it's going to perform in the long haul.
 
Current (ha!) lithium-based batteries are actually lithium iron, not ion, but are for some weird reason still described as "lithium ion". Their chemistry is lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). The LiFePO4 battery has the edge over lithium ion polymer batteries, both in terms of cycle life (it lasts up to 4-5x longer), and safety. This is a key advantage because while lithium ion batteries can overheat and even catch fire, LiFePO4 does not.

My VFR1200X had a LiFePO4 battery for six years or more before I got it, and I just replaced it with a new one. There has been no fiery conflagration so far. :eek1:
 
I installed a Shorai battery in the spring of 2015, it performed well until now. I turned the key a few weeks back and the dash lit and instantly went dead, so I guess there is a new battery in my future.
 
My $65 walmart battery is 4 years old and still starts my ST-1300 just fine.
 
I got my 1100 in August of '18 and put in an $88 AGM from Walmart. No battery tender or fuel treatment, just under a Dowco cover outdoors. The past four springs, and every other time, it has started as if it had been ridden the day before.

I will try to remember to record the first start this spring.
 
In an earlier post, iirc, consensus was that yes, Lithium batteries are lighter (which means picking up your dropped ST will be easier, and acceleration will be snappier), but they are more expensive than AGM or Flooded Lead Acid batteries (the cost will lighten your wallet, contributing to better acceleration, but not helping you pick up that downed bike). There are also some minor disadvantages - to get maximum life you should use a Lithium optimized battery charger, and discharge the battery to 60% if stored for several months (Shorai instructions). When cold, you might have to wait 30 seconds to a minute with the headlight on to warm up the battery enough to get those cold, lazy electrons to flow. Both AGM and Lithium batteries may be installed in any position - no advantage there. Lead Acid batteries are also more commonly available. In the end, it's a toss up and your decision.

Batteries are like light bulbs. You cannot predict the life of any one example but only an average lifetime for many batteries. Anecdotal evidence of a batt lasting 11 years will be offset by a number of them dying before the average accepted life.
 
I took a flyer and bought the anti-gravity ATZ-10 RS today off Amazon. It arrives next week and it may help with my lack of ability to remember to put the tender on when done riding. Guess I'll find out :)
 
So I find it interesting that the LiFePO4 batteries are drop-in replacements for the old faithful AGMs. Even though the charging systems on our dated machines are not spec'd for them, the internal BMS circuitry in the batteries manage this and life is good. All of the guidance for LiFePO4 ownership caution us to use only compatible chargers on these batteries yet that's not the environment they live in when installed in our machines. Now comes the question: Why can't you use the "Smarter" 12 volt battery chargers on LiFePO4 batts? I've got a newer Schauer battery charger that handles deep cycle, AGM and 6v batteries automatically so, why not? After all, that's essentially what's going on now with LiFePO4 batts installed in the bikes, correct? No burning machines or smoking holes where a nice vintage motorcycle used to be. No rips in the fabric of space-time. Got my popcorn ready! The reality is I probably won't need to charge up the new battery with the old charger very often, if at all. The NOCO units seem to be a good choice and Walmart has them. That may be the plan.
 
I have been told the not to use a charger that de Sulphates (forgive my spelling) after charging . The reverse spike tends to burn out the circuitry in a Lithum battery . Supposedly same for a AGM battery they don' t like it as well.
The other problem for lithum batterys is cheaper charges my go to high on the Voltage output. I have one the charges at 16.5 volts , needless to say I take the battery out of the Vehicle when using that Charger. Cheers
 
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