Battery Decisions

So ...

In early April I bought and installed a MotoBatt MBTX9U. This last weekend, after sitting idle for only 4 days, I hopped on a bike that wouldn't turn over. Now, after about 20 minutes on a battery tender, it did start. But riding that day was a little unnerving. But all has been fine since (I've also kept the tender on it since then). I also carry an AntiGravity jump starter pack with me, so I'd be OK. But, it's a PIA to get to the battery on the ST1300 anyway to have to jump it roadside.

But, I ramble. Being a person with no tolerance and no patience, I am shopping for a new battery. I am torn between the original spec Yuasa and one of the new LiFePO4 batteries. Either the Battery Tender brand or AntiGravity is were I'm thinking. I just can't decide if the new types have matured enough to be trusted, and I really don't want to be in THIS beta test group.

Does anyone have enough experience with them to have a decent opinion yet??

I spent the money and have a bigger AntiGravity battery in my ST. So far no problems.

cybervet said:

So ...

In early April I bought and installed a MotoBatt MBTX9U. This last weekend, after sitting idle for only 4 days, I hopped on a bike that wouldn't turn over. Now, after about 20 minutes on a battery tender, it did start. But riding that day was a little unnerving. But all has been fine since (I've also kept the tender on it since then). I also carry an AntiGravity jump starter pack with me, so I'd be OK. But, it's a PIA to get to the battery on the ST1300 anyway to have to jump it roadside.

But, I ramble. Being a person with no tolerance and no patience, I am shopping for a new battery. I am torn between the original spec Yuasa and one of the new LiFePO4 batteries. Either the Battery Tender brand or AntiGravity is were I'm thinking. I just can't decide if the new types have matured enough to be trusted, and I really don't want to be in THIS beta test group.

Does anyone have enough experience with them to have a decent opinion yet??

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I have no experience with lithium vehicle batteries as I am of the opinion that due to their cold weather limitations, they are not suitable for my street motorcycles. I ride year round. There are many that have used these things successfully, but the circumstances vary. If you want to spend the money, great. Whenever the AGM battery in my Ducati goes south, I might replace it with a lithium as I rarely ride it below 50 degrees F. and I value the weight savings on that bike.

I do, however, have a lot of experience with AGMs on my 11 year old ST1300A. These bikes are "under batteried", the battery box is too small. The ST1100 has a larger battery box. I owned two of them for 13 years and never had a single failure or dead battery. Not so with the ST1300. The original Yuasa lasted about two years, replaced witha Power Sonic, that battery lasted four years, great battery! Replaced with a Scorpion, which failed in less than a year leaving me stranded, replaced with another Scorpion. It failed as well. Both proved to be hopelessfully inadequate for my ST1300. I now run another Power Sonic, 230 CCA, last a long time, etc. Best battery I have found for my ST1300. http://www.batteryweb.com/motorcycle-batteries-detail.cfm?model=PTZ14S

I have had a Shorai life battery for 2 years I use their charger and the battery is great. When its cold you have to let the battery warm up which will feel strange at first but it works and the battery seems to be holding up very well so far.

Just had to make the decision myself. My bike/battery is 3 1/2 years old. We are going to be a long way from home. I did a lot of reading and still decided to go with the original spec, Yuasa. It hasn't let me down yet. However, real or imagined I think it is turning over a little slower in the mornings. Never been on a battery tender, however it rarely goes over a day without being run. Ordered on line much cheaper than local. Old one going in buddy's ATV.

I've heard good things about EarthX batteries.

http://earthxmotorsports.com/shop/etx18c/

They seem a bit pricey I think I paid around $170 for my Shorai. Ok they have gone up a bit in the past 2 years but a very good battery mine has been trouble free and still cranks very fast.



http://shoraipower.com/products?action=vehicle&type=175&make=942&model=7667&year=7667

970mike said:

I spent the money and have a bigger AntiGravity battery in my ST. So far no problems.

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I am also probably going to get a larger capacity than is recommended. Which AntiGravity battery did you get?? And how does the fit work for you?

Throttlejockey said:

I've heard good things about EarthX batteries.

http://earthxmotorsports.com/shop/etx18c/

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EarthX makes a really good battery, with built-in cell balancing and charging control. I'm using one on my XR1200X. Unfortunately, they don't make one that will fit the ST1300 without modifications to the battery box and cover. There's a lot of stuff mounted on top of the 1300 battery, and I wasn't sure I could make the larger (taller) Earth-X work. I went with another Yuasa recently when the old one died.

We've had mixed luck with other LiFePo4 batteries. The Ballistic in my KLR seems to be holding up, as is the one in Brian's VTX. The Shorai in Mickey's MultiStrada died prematurely, as did the Ballistic in Steve's ST3.

I've bought about a half a dozen batteries since I purchased my ST1100 new in 2001. That's more than what would be considered 'normal', but the fault is mine... I live in Canada, but leave the bike in Europe over the winter. Occasionally, the storage facility I use forgets to put the battery on a trickle charge during the winter, and the following spring, the battery is dead with no hope of revival.

Based on my great experience buying batteries ( nothing to be proud of), I have formed the following opinions:

1) Although an automotive battery should last about 5 to 7 years, the primary cause of premature failure of our motorcycle batteries is that we don't consistently keep them charged during the winter layover. I think that the battery needs to be charged once a month during extended storage.

2) The OEM spec Yausa is more than adequate for my ST1100, which is fitted with PIAA 910s, Widder electric vest & chaps, heated handgrips, etc. In other words, I don't think a larger capacity battery than OEM spec is needed, despite all the high-current farkles I have added.

3) I don't think there is any economic benefit to be gained from buying a 'premium' battery, this because a) the OEM spec one is sufficient for the purpose, and b) the OEM spec one is probably going to fail prematurely due to 'operator error' (failure to keep it charged during the winter layover), and that same operator error would also kill a premium spec battery.

My 2?.

Michael

I just replaced my original battery from 2005, and replaced it with one that Les Schwab ordered for me. I wanted a YUSA but I think it ended up being another brand but with the same specs. just at $110

CYYJ said:

I don't think there is any economic benefit to be gained from buying a 'premium' battery, this because a) the OEM spec one is sufficient for the purpose

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Don't know about there, but here the OEM spec one is the premium priced battery. Well unless you got one of the great deals for $65.

I've been running my Motobatts for 2 years so far and no problems - but then I'm using them in ST1100s and ride year round. If your battery went dead in 4 days, something is usually draining it - and it does not have to be much. I left my GPS on for a couple of days and drained one dry. I left a USB lighted adapter on for several days and that also drained one dry. Just like leaving a dome light on in a car - a few days and she won't start! ;-)

Uncle Phil said:

I've been running my Motobatts for 2 years so far and no problems - but then I'm using them in ST1100s and ride year round. If your battery went dead in 4 days, something is usually draining it - and it does not have to be much. I left my GPS on for a couple of days and drained one dry. I left a USB lighted adapter on for several days and that also drained one dry. Just like leaving a dome light on in a car - a few days and she won't start! ;-)

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I was thinking the same thing when I started reading this thread.

cybervet said:

I am also probably going to get a larger capacity than is recommended. Which AntiGravity battery did you get?? And how does the fit work for you?

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fnmag said:

I'm also interested to know which AntiGravity battery your purchased.

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This one here https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?134214-Antigravity-Batteries&highlight=

T_C said:

Don't know about there, but here the OEM spec one is the premium priced battery. Well unless you got one of the great deals for $65.

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Ha! In my dreams. I get the moto serviced in Switzerland - awesome quality of work (they maintain it like an aircraft, and I have never had a breakdown in over 100,000 miles), but the Swiss aren't cheap. Last battery I bought cost CHF 238, which is equal to USD $248. This particular dealer is not overpriced, the battery price is the same at any Swiss Honda dealer.

LiFePo batteries will die fast in the cold if they have a draw, and the STs have draws (Clock on the 1100 is enough to kill it) but if full strength in the cold they start oddly...using them creates heat that causes them to work better. I have a Ballistic on the Two Tone and in winter, if I miss a day of riding, I need to go start the bike of it will drop below the dreaded 10 volts. I like the lightness, and am going to get a larger one for my next battery (the black's lead acid Yusa is dead now) as well as a small 4 cell for my CB400 as it is a kick start.
Best thing for the Lithiums is to get the balance chargers or a Battery Tender for Lithiums, insert a plug for it and just keep it connected especially if the bike sits for extended periods.

CYYJ said:

Ha! In my dreams. I get the moto serviced in Switzerland - awesome quality of work (they maintain it like an aircraft, and I have never had a breakdown in over 100,000 miles), but the Swiss aren't cheap. Last battery I bought cost CHF 238, which is equal to USD $248. This particular dealer is not overpriced, the battery price is the same at any Swiss Honda dealer.

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Based on letters per dollar (or Swiss Franc) the vorgz. entsorgungsgebuehr is a better deal than the batterie. What is the vorgz.....?

SMSW said:

What is the vorgz.....?

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I think it is the recycling fee for the old battery. The old battery has to be taken to a special facility for disposal. "entsorgung" means disposal. Damned if I know what the rest of the letters on that line mean. Martin B. from Vienna would probably know, let's hope he reads this thread.

Apropos of other parts, I've been taking the bike to the same dealer for service for 12 years now. In that time I have figured out what a tire is (pneu), what fuel is (benzin), what brakes are (brems) and what a valve shim is (ventilplattechen). As for the rest of the stuff, I don't ask as long as it costs less than $100 for either the part or the labour.

This dealer and I have an agreement: I don't squawk about the bill as long as the bike never breaks down. So far, they have held up their end brilliantly. I base out of Zurich, but usually run several thousand miles away on each trip... last month was down to the bottom end of Greece, for example. Last thing I want is to be stuck in Albania or Ukraine or northern Norway with some kind of busted part or other breakdown. ST's are quite uncommon outside of the center of Western Europe and the UK.

Michael

Yep, as Michael M. already explained: "disposal fee, required by law".

A tad obscure as the industry is totally keen to get the raw materials (lead, etc...) back and pay good money for like a ton of old starter batteries, the recycling process/logistics operated/supervised is by the government (only certified/supervised companies must handle such), preventing pollution and environmental issues...
It also partly covers the extra efforts the dealer has in collecting, storing and processing the returned old ones...

Same on worn/defective tires, ESLs, fluorescent tubes, engine oils, oil filters, etc... basically all hazardous, harmful materials...

Sometimes its handled as "refundable deposit", so you'll receive a coupon/cashback once you return the old stuff at the store...

In a/c business we're required to reclaim all old refrigerants into tanks, and get them back into production/recycling/proper disposal through distribution dealer network...