Battery

[Hottech]

My odyssey battery just gave out after 3 1/2 years and being on a charger when not riding. Any suggestions of where to buy a new one from? I would have expected a better life expendence from a $125 battery. Any recomendations on other brand batteries?

[ron prior]

My odyssey battery just gave out after 3 1/2 years and being on a charger when not riding. Any suggestions of where to buy a new one from? I would have expected a better life expendence from a $125 battery. Any recomendations on other brand batteries?

We have a Batteries-Plus locally. Got mine there for $117....and I agree it should have lasted longer.

That said though, was it a suffcient charger? The Odyssey folks say a Battery-Tender is not strong enough to keep it charged. They recommend one called Z-tech or the lower amp setting on a car charger..somwwhere around 2amp.

G-Man industries has them & ships free,..or they did anyway. I bought my first one from them,.for a Kawasaki.
That was before the Battery store opened here.

Ron

[grwrockster]

The OE battery in my Rockster was made by Exide - a sealed lead-acid, 19 Amp-Hour unit. Lasted 7 years and died all of a sudden this summer.

I replaced it with another Exide. If it's the same sort of supplier situation as it is here in the UK, then it's worth trying an aftermarket car motor factors or aftermarket car battery supplier outlet. If an outlet has access to the myriad car and truck battery applications, then they can usually access batteries for motorcycles, ATV's lawnmowers etc. as well. The good bit is that they are unlikely to mark-up the thing as much as a specialist bike shop or bike parts supplier.

My battery was a LOT cheaper bought this way.

[brico]

The OE battery in my Rockster was made by Exide - a sealed lead-acid, 19 Amp-Hour unit. Lasted 7 years and died all of a sudden this summer.

I replaced it with another Exide. If it's the same sort of supplier situation as it is here in the UK, then it's worth trying an aftermarket car motor factors or aftermarket car battery supplier outlet. If an outlet has access to the myriad car and truck battery applications, then they can usually access batteries for motorcycles, ATV's lawnmowers etc. as well. The good bit is that they are unlikely to mark-up the thing as much as a specialist bike shop or bike parts supplier.

My battery was a LOT cheaper bought this way.

7 years even on a sealed battery is exceptionally good time frame. Consider yourself lucky. I'd say battery should be replaced every 3 years if you keep riding the bike all year round or if you keep it charged during long periods of no use otherwise battery would need renewing even more often. no worse thing than being in the middle of nowhere and no power to start the bike although they do not die suddenly, they do give us some sort of indication of deterioration which we should take note off and replace on time...

[Hottech]

Ordered a new Odyssey battery from SEPBatteries for $104 with free shipping. It was a beautiful warm day and the bike started right up but I would not trust it on another cold morning, so I will be switching out batteries as soon as it arrives.

[Rog(UK) - Yorkshire Dales]

The OE battery in my Rockster is also seven years old. I very occasionally put it on a battery tender during the Winter months, but it is certainly not cossetted.
When if finally dies, I will have no hesitation in buying another premium quality lead-acid battery.

Rog

[gregor]

I've also been told that a battery should not be left on a tender for too long. Mine failed prematurely after I left it coupled up in a strange garage to my original Optimate. (Now gone to charge my BILs 850 Commando battery.)
I now expect my new battery to fail as I do not leave it to charge often enough.I have bought the latest mark of Optimate- but all those flashing lights!

[omg1010]

Guys,

have you ever looked into a LiFePo4 starter battery? Damn expensive but durable .... And weight is only 1 (one) kilo! I haven't checked any sources in the US. But in Germany this baby is available http://shop.strato.de/epages/61333079.s ... 3-Block-V2).

I am thinking about buying one.

Brgds
Oliver

[ron prior]

Guys,

have you ever looked into a LiFePo4 starter battery? Damn expensive but durable .... And weight is only 1 (one) kilo! I haven't checked any sources in the US. But in Germany this baby is available http://shop.strato.de/epages/61333079.s ... 3-Block-V2).

I am thinking about buying one.

Brgds
Oliver

Man, I'd like to find out more about that battery. The site is in German, but it sounds 'stout' yet small...250.00 Euros?

Ron

[jm1515]

Search the net for 'shorai'....they're all the rage now!

http://www.shoraipower.com/default.aspx

[omg1010]

Better than the Shorai (which apparently have weak and wobbly contacts) are these http://www.ballisticparts.com/products/ ... 12cell.php

Cheaper though are these http://www.ebay.com/itm/4s3p-A123-motor ... 2eb1575623

Brgds
Oliver

[Hottech]

Up date on battery. I raised the tank and put a 6 amp instead of the 2 amp trickle charge on the dead Odyssey for about 3 hrs and the bike cranked right up. Ordered a new one but am at least able to keep riding as long as the temperatures remain warm.

[riceburner]

The OE battery in my Rockster was made by Exide - a sealed lead-acid, 19 Amp-Hour unit. Lasted 7 years and died all of a sudden this summer.

I replaced it with another Exide. If it's the same sort of supplier situation as it is here in the UK, then it's worth trying an aftermarket car motor factors or aftermarket car battery supplier outlet. If an outlet has access to the myriad car and truck battery applications, then they can usually access batteries for motorcycles, ATV's lawnmowers etc. as well. The good bit is that they are unlikely to mark-up the thing as much as a specialist bike shop or bike parts supplier.

My battery was a LOT cheaper bought this way.

7 years even on a sealed battery is exceptionally good time frame. Consider yourself lucky. I'd say battery should be replaced every 3 years if you keep riding the bike all year round or if you keep it charged during long periods of no use otherwise battery would need renewing even more often. no worse thing than being in the middle of nowhere and no power to start the bike although they do not die suddenly, they do give us some sort of indication of deterioration which we should take note off and replace on time...

Mine is still on the original (afaik). 2004 bike, did 1,200 miles in the first 2 years of it's life, and another 85,000 since. I think it is getting "weak" though - it didn't start for the first time ever a few weeks ago at the end of 2 night parked outside at a campsite. I had to get a jump from a car (oh the shame!!)