Batteries - Seriously.

[fazerscotty]

So I'm changing the battery on the 1000. No great shakes, easy job to do.
The question is, I come from a Lead/Acid background, always have fitted them as I like to be able to maintain levels etc.
The last battery I fitted to the 1000 was an sealed AGM battery, which has only lasted 7 years. Its hooked to an Optimate when the bikes not in use.
So, Are these Motobatt's any good and do they need their own chargers?
Has anyone had a really negative experience with Motobatt?
Has anyone fitted anyother make which they would like to recommend?
Looking at the Tanya website, there are a lot of batteries which are a fraction of the price, some AGM and some traditional Lead/Acid.
Lithium is off the menu - I don't agree with the employment methods for extraction! (And Boeing's keep catching fire  ) TIA.

[Mark YPVS]

I use Motobatt on all my bikes, the R1 has had one for 5 years, the LC for a year ,RXS100 2 year (6V so i use a Motobatt charger from Yambits) however my 1st R1 was still going strong after 8 years (Motobatt). i use an optimate charger i got at the bike show in 2001    and its still going strong, i fit battery leads for charging convenience, i don't leave the bikes on charge i charge them monthly.
The Fazer 1000 came with a dead AGM battery (not Motobatt) but it charged ok and is fine while i work on the bike but when i start using it daily i will get a Motobatt as i have never had an issue with them.


I think Lithium need a certain type of charger but im not sure TBH
Mark 

[notsofast]

Wow - I have never got anything like 7 years out of any battery.  My FZ1 came with a cheap "Powerline" battery and to be honest it seems better than the Yuasa I normally buy.  My track bike has a Shido Lithium battery and it keeps its charge almost indefinitely without any recharging.  It is supposed to be charged with a Lithium specific charger but as long an old fashioned plain DC charger will work fine too.  Just not a modified waveform type charger that uses pulses or sawteeth and such like as these damage the battery.

[Grahamm]

sealed AGM battery, which has only lasted 7 years. Its hooked to an Optimate when the bikes not in use.

*Only* seven years?! Most batteries last 2-4 years maximum!

I've had 6 years out of a Yuasa with an Optimate before it gave up the ghost.

[PieEater]

Same here 7 years is pretty good going, Yuasa and Varta are good lead acid battery choices which should last that lifespan but are expensive to purchase. I have used Motobatt for my last 2 batteries, the first one gave up the ghost after about 3 years, I should probably have disconnected it over the winter layoffs (not a fan of maintenance charging) the second one is still going strong but is only a couple of years old, good to know from MarkYPVS that they can last 8 years if looked after.

[limax2]

I had a Motobatt battery on my FZS600 Fazer and it performed as expected for 6 years and 19,000 miles of pleasure riding. Not an exceptional length of time but about what I would expect for the price of £49.50 in 2013.
Replaced it with a Lucas battery from a local battery supplier in 2019 and as is to be expected still going strong. Even six years later that cost nearly the same as the Motobatt at £49.99.

[dueruote]

Yuasa, last me for 10 years.
I changed before a planned trip, but the battery was doing fine.

[teecee90]

Had a Motobatt which failed after 12 months although, to be fair, I think my Optimate was on its way out. Anyway, went back to Yuasa and the current one has been on 3 years and still going strong.

[fazerscotty]

It looks like it's 50/50 on Traditional/Motobatt - bugger! Was hoping for a positive lean one way or the other 

[robbo]

Yuasa . Time to decide

[PieEater]

It looks like it's 50/50 on Traditional/Motobatt - bugger! Was hoping for a positive lean one way or the other 

If money is no object Yuasa or Varta, last time I looked Motobatt were less than half the price of those which is why I went for one, having replaced my first Motobatt after just over 3 years I'd say buy cheap buy twice as a Yuasa should easily do more than 6 years if not abused. Others will definitely disagree though    so maybe toss a coin   

[midden]

 Optimates are bad for AGM batterries


Worth a read



https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/blog/a-detailed-guide-to-agm-batteries/

[fazerscotty]

Optimates are bad for AGM batterries


Worth a read



https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/blog/a-detailed-guide-to-agm-batteries/

Interesting read. I still haven't made my mind up completely.  [size=78%]At the moment I'm 65/35 in favour of Yuasa again. [/size]

[fazerscotty]

I've gone for the Motobatt. They had a 5% discount going on so ordered the battery and the charger to go with it.
I've looked at the battery that came off the Fazer - that was a AGM Yuasa, so probably not happy with getting hooked to an Optimate.
This got me thinking - I took a look at the wife's Honda VT750 Shadow. We bought the bike in August 2012. It has an oldschool lead acid battery fitted and is hooked to an Optimate. It's never been replaced - just taken off the bike occasionally and serviced.


AGM has it's place, there's no doubting that. Lithium has it's place (once the technology is there), but for longevity it appears that Lead/Acid outlasts all and if correctly maintained, more reliable. 

[unfazed]

Any good brad name will be fine Yuasa Motobat GS BS Exide Bosch list is endless. I have seen good brands including Yuasa fail after 15months. If you got 7 years out of a battery you are doing well. Most I ever got was 6 years. Agree with your lithium comment