Time for a new battery?

[peterbulgar]

I still have the original Gel battery in my 2004 R1150RA, which I purchased new in December of 2003. That's almost 4 1/2 years and the bike has 55k miles on it. The bike starts fine, no indications of problems (ABS checks, etc.). Should I replace the battery as preventive maintenance? I'm taking a long trip this summer. I think I know the answer, but I thought I'd check just in case there are a lot of people out there who have gone 5 years or more on their original batteries.
Thanks,
Peter '73 R75/5, '04 R1150RA

[KHaynes]

Gel batteries can die very quickly. Your battery may last another year or so but its failure sure could spoil a great summer trip.
If you've had 4 1/2 good service years from your battery, it owes you nothing.

[Kazushi]

I replaced the original 2003 battery a month ago. It had started to become a bit hesitant while starting
in the morning...
As the R needs a healthy battery for so many things including the ABS, I replaced it before I experienced
the side affects of a dead battery...
Better safe than sorry...

Ride Safe.
Demetre

[towerworker]

Buy a new one. When a battery fails, it's often times at the most inopportune moments. Murphy's Law applies.


Wayne

[challey]

I still have the original Gel battery in my 2004 R1150RA, which I purchased new in December of 2003. That's almost 4 1/2 years and the bike has 55k miles on it. . . I'm taking a long trip this summer.

In my experience, batteries fail more often in the summer than at other times of the year. It would really suck to be stranded with dead battery many miles from home. If it were me, I'd get a new battery now, at the start of the season.

Your present battery has served you well but now needs a decent burial.

Charlie

[MikeCam]

Take the trip with the working battery. If it fails enroute, it is a simple matter to replace on the fly.

[R4R&R]

Take the trip with the working battery. If it fails enroute, it is a simple matter to replace on the fly.

+1! If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I still have my 'replaced' battery in my bike, which was replaced in November 2003 (apprently there was a bad 'batch' of the gel batteries around when my bike was sold). I turned 59k miles Friday and since it still starts the bike without any hesitation, it's staying.

My previous Suzuki had 50,000 miles and was seven years old when I traded the bike in - it still started the bike fine. Maybe it's due to the year 'round use of my bikes and never going on a monthly 'trickle charge' program over the winter. Maybe I'm lucky.

[peterbulgar]

Thanks for your thoughts to everyone who responded.

I'll take the prudent and timid (coward's?) course and replace what may be a perfectly good battery before the trip, even though it is possible it would last for another year. From what I've learned on this and other forums the gel batteries go with little or no warning when they go, and that at 4 1/2 years it is nearing the end of its projected life. Better to do it now and not realize that last month or two of life than be looking for a battery in the middle of Montana on a Sunday afternoon.

Peter '73 R75/5 (a battery for a Sears garden tractor works just fine, and Sears is open on Sunday), '04 R1150RA

[Byrdguy]

I'd change it before the trip, you don't want to be faced with trying to find one in some out of the way place, and pulling the tank to change it is better done in your garage than in a parking lot or the side of the road.