Battery advice

[challey]

It looks like my 3 year old Exide Gel battery has [mostly] given up the ghost. My R spends her life outside and though under a Cycle Shelter, is still pretty exposed to the elements. I usually ride fairly often - at least until the snow starts - but it's been raining and in in the low 40's for some time in my part of the northeast US and I hadn't tried to start my bike in over a week. This Weds though was bright and sunny and realatively warm, maybe 45 or so and I decided to go for a ride. When I tried to start the bike, she turned over very slowly for about 2 seconds and then left me with a just a clicking relay. After an hour or so on the Battery Tender, I did get her started and went on a vigorous 25 minute highway dash. I expect though that a new battery is needed, especially since I don't relish the thought of being stranded miles from home with a dead battery.

The question is, what replacement battery? I think an AGM makes the most sense with better performance and a relatively small cost differential to gel. But which one? I know some used the the Hawker Odessey PC680 (680 CCA). At about $135 to $150 that's the most costly option but seems to have the highest performance and has generally postitive feedback. The Westco 12V20 (275 CCA) is about $100 and I found 2 even lower-cost alternatives: The Universal UB22-12n (450 CCA) http://www.ebatteriestogo.com/landing_p ... 22-12N.htm at $75 and the Scorpion (230 CCA) http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/ which goes for about $83.

Appreciate any feedback on this topic.

Charlie

[towerworker]

Hi Charlie

MikeCam has done alot of battery research. If he doesn't pop in here you might send him a pm.

Wayne

[Hottech]

My BMW Gel Battery was the original and lasted 4 years until I left my lights on one day and killed it. I replaced it with an Odessey PC680 in June of this year. Yesterday it was in the teens and I left my lights on at work for about 2 hours. I thought what an idiot I probably killed my new battery. I got on the bike and it started right up, drove for an hour and put it on a trickle charger over night. No problems, I highly recommend Odessey, it is worth the extra expense.

[jm1515]

....
The question is, what replacement battery? I think an AGM makes the most sense with better performance and a relatively small cost differential to gel. But which one? I know some used the the Hawker Odessey PC680 (680 CCA). At about $135 to $150 that's the most costly option but seems to have the highest performance and has generally postitive feedback. The Westco 12V20 (275 CCA) is about $100 and I found 2 even lower-cost alternatives: The Universal UB22-12n (450 CCA) http://www.ebatteriestogo.com/landing_p ... 22-12N.htm at $75 and the Scorpion (230 CCA) http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/ which goes for about $83.

Appreciate any feedback on this topic.

Charlie

The PC680 is NOT 680 CCA...it is only 220 CCA.
http://www.odysseyfactory.com/battspecs.html

The '680' designates Odyssey's 'PHCA" spec, something a little different from what I can discern....
http://www.odysseyfactory.com/faq.html

Also, note that the PC680 is only a 16A-h capacity vs 19A-h for the OE Gel and some other types.

I did a ~$150 test and bought the PC680 to replace my 4yr old Gel. The Odyssey was the only battery I could find locally and I wanted a new battery now
I'm sure it will last 8+ yrs as advertised and I can drain it down to death and it will resuscitate etc etc, but it does not start my bike any better than the 4yr old gel it replaced.....

[challey]

jm1515 wrote:

The PC680 is NOT 680 CCA...it is only 220 CCA.

Looks like the real story is not that simple, kind of like like dialog between Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Evelyn Mulray (Faye Dunaway) in Chinatown
Evelyn: "She's my daughter [Jake slaps her]. . . she's my sister. . ."
Jake: "I want the truth!"
Evelyn: "She's my sister" [another slap] . . . she's my daughter. . ."
Jake: "I said I want the truth!"
Evelyn: "She's my sister AND my daughter."

From the Odyssey website re: the PC680

Cold Cranking Amps: For all the power, durability, and life of our technology, the cca ratings can seem disapointing. That's because the cca ratings are misunderstood. Odyssey batteries are SLI (starting, lighting and ignition), so if you are looking for a starting or reserve battery the cold cranking numbers can be irrelevant.

The "standard" cca test measures the output of a battery for 30 seconds of crank at 0 degrees with the ending voltage of the battery being 7.2v. Some companies use 15 or 20 seconds and some companies use 32 degrees which can make for better results.

A vehicles starter isn't designed to withstand 30 seconds of cranking so we feel the batteries starting power is more important. The Odyssey part numbers represent the 5 second cranking power of the battery.

The PC680 is rated at 680 amps for 5 seconds, 595 amps for 10 seconds, and 525 amps for 20 seconds. Cranking power is even higher for the first four seconds. Similar sized lead acid batteries are only rated at 180 - 220 amps.

Charlie

[R4R&R]

A couple of months ago my BMW gel battery quickly decided to go into retirement. I was in a hurry to get a replacement and the closest place to me was BatteriesPlus, which carries the Odyssey line. I put the PC-680 in and while physically it was a slightly smaller size, it does seem to crank the bike faster than I ever remember the previous battery doing. Now I hope it lasts a long time.

[DK]

I bought the Odyssey back in May of this year to replace the 5 year old OE unit. I'm very pleased with it. It seems to hold a charge really well. I got mine from these guys and since they are local to me, I picked it up there. The pricing was better than most other places I found.

http://www.lmrbatteries.com/odyssey_PC680.html


Hope this helps

Dwayne

[Hawkman]

After my OM battery litterally exploded, I got the PC680 and it cranks faster for sure. Maybe a bit expensive but worth every penny.

[lake_harley]

After talking with my BMW dealer today and being quoted $178 for a BMW battery, I'm considering ordering a Odyssey PC680 for my 2004 R1150R. Summit Racing in Ohio had them priced at $121.xx. Are the connections on the battery the correct type and in the correct position for the cables? Odyssey does list the R1150R in the application guide but thought I'd check with someone who has one. I think it was mentioned in this thread that it might be a bit smaller than the original battery. Does it still get held in place well enough with the stock hold down? I've only had this bike a few months and haven't had the tank off to know how things are arranged, so please excuse my elementary questions. Thanks, in advance.

Lynn

[Beemeridian]

11

[lake_harley]

Whoa, potential ABS problems? Now you have my attention! $50 difference in the battery price wouldn't be enough to even roll my bike into the BMW shop to diagnose a ABS problem. BMW gel it is. Thanks

Lynn

[Yep]

My dealer gladly put in my PC-680 while fixing my spline failure. I even shipped the battery directly to them. Must have felt bad for me. The good news is that my extended warranty paid for the spline failure, I paid for the battery and got it installed for nothing.

I have no problems with my new battery.

[R4R&R]

The PC680 is a fine fit for our bikes, it is just that the terminals are fore/aft rather than side/side. No problem; Odyssey sells a adapter kit-I think it is about $10, some folks drill a piece of angle iron, some folks just bend the existing terminals.
Personally, I would just buy the BMW gel battery only because gel is the best with heat and vibration, but if you go with the Odyssey you won't have any problem. Also, I have noticed more reports here of ABS faults from owners who stray from the gel, though I do not know why this is so; I don't have ABS.

My PC-680 was physically smaller (shorter) so the rubber hold down strap doesn't really do too much. I wedged some block in to make it snug, but was never really comfortable about it. This reminds me that I need to check how my block are doing. Maybe this weekend. If I do, I'll get some pictures.

[Kobe22]

Has anything come of this connection between ABS failure and non-gel batteries? I ask because like religion its either of great importance or no value whatsoever to anyone.... I'm at the junction of deciding what my next battery is and I'd hate to select one which will cost me down the line... Some of the people I have the greatest respect for in this forum swear by Odyssey though.... ah well... let him with a grievance speak forth or forever hold their peace! -sorry, always wanted to say that....lol!

[tuglaw]

I prophylactically replaced the stock gel battery on my '04 R1150R because I had heard that when they fail you get no prior warning, and I didn't want to be out on the road when this happened. I researched this, asked a friend who's a BMW enthusiast locally here in Pittsburgh, and the consensus and my friend's emphatic advice were to go with the Odyssey. I ordered it over this past winter from Amazon or Battery Mart, it came right away, and I installed it. I had to remove the tank and a bunch of stuff to get to it, had to gerry-rig the terminals a tad (they stood too tall stock and hit the tank when putting things back together--yes, had to re-do it all, fun!), and I agree with the comment above re the rubber strap now being too loose and needing some help (which I did, but forgot what I did) but it's in there firmly now and it's worked well this season. So, I don't have a lot of experience with the battery, but thus far nothing has occurred to call into question my own online research and my friend's strong recommendation. It seems very well made, heavy, good materials, etc. Good luck. And for the $25 to $50 in controversy, remember what my dead friend Chris always said: "Buy cheap, buy twice."

[Kobe22]

Thanks for the feedback... I pulled the trigger yesterday..... caught the Odyssey on sale for approx 120$ including shipping..... guess what I'll be doing this weekend!

Also got the Jiffy-Tite QC's which are replacing the flame-starters Bavaria put on 'Bridgette' originally...