Date: 28-03-24  Time: 18:30 pm

Author Topic: Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?  (Read 971 times)

tnfazer

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Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?
« on: 09 June 2020, 12:28:25 pm »
Hi all,

Slowly winding up for the new season, and noticed that the battery on my 2003 Gen1 is on its last legs. I fully loaded it a couple of days before, but then on the D-day it cranked the engine over just a few times before giving up. A reload later it started fine, then OK at the gas station (D+10 minutes) and then just barely at another after an air pressure check (D+15m).

Time for a new battery apparently (this one lasted 4 years).

My alternatives are:
  • Original Yuasa YT14B-BS gel battery. 110-130€, depending on the source.
  • There are now also Lithium-Ion (LiFePO4) batteries for the Gen 1. These are physically smaller so they need some padding around them, 2-3 kilos lighter, are claimed to have a longer lifespan, and also have significantly lower capacity (4 Ah - 12.6 Ah for Yuasa). Require some care with the charging equipment, higher voltages can apparently damage both the battery and what is around it... Price range for example from Louis.de is about the same.
  • Other suggestions are welcome.
What kind of experiences have you had with various batteries? Those Yuasas have been good, but seem to be going up in price all the time.

I am an irregular-but-intensive-rides-type, so at least this time I am going to also put a semi-permanent battery charger on the bike when it's standing. There I am considering either charger with a maintenance function, or using normal "smart" charger with a timer I have so that it would give, say, a 1-hour 1A boost to the battery maybe 3 days a week. Nothing is as frustrating as suiting up fully and then getting 3 revolutions out of the battery on a hot summer day. The battery spends winters safely indoors.

Cheers,
TN

agricola

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WayneUK

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Re: Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?
« Reply #2 on: 09 June 2020, 02:01:05 pm »
£37 Tanya Batteries
https://www.tayna.co.uk/motorcycle-batteries/numax/yt14b-4/

No problems with it at all
« Last Edit: 09 June 2020, 02:02:38 pm by WayneUK »

Dudeofrude

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Re: Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?
« Reply #3 on: 09 June 2020, 03:00:50 pm »
£37 Tanya Batteries
https://www.tayna.co.uk/motorcycle-batteries/numax/yt14b-4/

No problems with it at all

+1

Had that battery in my bike for 3 years. I only initially bought it to get me through a winter but it's still going strong 👍

PieEater

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Re: Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?
« Reply #4 on: 09 June 2020, 08:11:44 pm »
I've been pleased with MotoBatt - https://www.motorcyclepartswarehouse.co.uk/mbt14b4-motobatt-agm-motorcycle-battery-12v-13ah.html - just replaced my last one after ~6 years as I forgot to disconnect it over winter and it drained flat. I'm not a fan of trickle charging as I'm not convinced it's good for battery life just like not disconnectiung it over winter isn't  :rolleyes  Had Varta and Yuasa previously but not convinced they are any better than Motobatt for considerably more money.
« Last Edit: 09 June 2020, 08:12:44 pm by PieEater »

tnfazer

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Re: Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?
« Reply #5 on: 10 June 2020, 08:27:34 am »
£37 Tanya Batteries
https://www.tayna.co.uk/motorcycle-batteries/numax/yt14b-4/

No problems with it at all

Thanks! One on order now.

Damn, I'm gonna miss the UK motorcycle shops after the Brexit. Every UK motorcycle shop is prepared to ship abroad, no fuss, no fight, whereas maybe 1/3 of Germans are willing to ship outside DE, AT, SUI, NL at any price. And I'm not in any of those countries.

Anyone tried those lithium batteries? I have a vague recollection that they would not be very well suited for starter batteries because of their innate chemical properties.

b1k3rdude

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Re: Battery thoughts (Lithium, Yuasa, other)?
« Reply #6 on: 27 June 2020, 10:47:20 pm »
I've been pleased with MotoBatt
+1, I had a motobatt in my FZS for a few years, had great standby and would always start the bike.