I need Battery recommendations.

[Graham_A_M]

Hey guys, in this 14 degree weather, I wanted nothing else then to hop on my bike and go for a good rip. Last year I replaced the battery with a Yuasa, and this year (despite being in my heated underground parkade, which never drops below 15C, so the battery certainly never froze), the battery is stone dead, and wont even take a charge.

So Im 100% done with Yuasa batteries at this point. Paying $80-90/year just to go through this every spring is horseshit.

While dorking around on ebay, I ran across these guys.


Zipp AGM batteries.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YT7B-BS-Seal...5a0181&vxp=mtr

Any reviews? I can only find a couple vague very short term reviews on various riding forums. $31 seems almost too good to be true, especially for an AGM battery, but if their decent Id much rather go that route.
Here is what I searched for to find them.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=daytona+675+battery

^anybody have any other experience with the other ones that came up?

Ive heard mixed reviews of Shorai batteries, and for the price their certainly up there more so then the others.
Kind of unsure as to what to do at this point.

[revelations]

Depends on the bike model, some will go through batteries every winter if they are not stored properly.

This means disconnecting the negative terminal or having a trickle charger over the winter. I've never had an issue with batteries this way (6 bikes in 15 years).

[ExtraSlow]

Did you do any maintenance on that battery over the winter?

[firebane]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
Hey guys, in this 14 degree weather, I wanted nothing else then to hop on my bike and go for a good rip. Last year I replaced the battery with a Yuasa, and this year (despite being in my heated underground parkade, which never drops below 15C, so the battery certainly never froze), the battery is stone dead, and wont even take a charge.

So Im 100% done with Yuasa batteries at this point. Paying $80-90/year just to go through this every spring is horseshit.

While dorking around on ebay, I ran across these guys.


Zipp AGM batteries.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YT7B-BS-Seal...81&vxp=mtr

Any reviews? I can only find a couple vague very short term reviews on various riding forums. $31 seems almost too good to be true, especially for an AGM battery, but if their decent Id much rather go that route.
Here is what I searched for to find them.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=daytona+675+battery

^anybody have any other experience with the other ones that came up?

Ive heard mixed reviews of Shorai batteries, and for the price their certainly up there more so then the others.
Kind of unsure as to what to do at this point.

Battery stored indoors with a trickle charger or if the bike is in a garage unhook it from the bike and put a trickle charger on it that way.

Either way trickle charger prevents death of batteries over the winter.

[e31]

After having bad luck with a couple of Lithium batteries in my bikes, I switched back to AGM. All I do for winter storage is to put them in my basement and put a charger on them once a month.

Since I didn't want to give any money to a dirty dealership, I looked around for local battery sources. I found a place called Battery Direct on 42nd st (near the south Princess Auto) and was happy with the price.

[Graham_A_M]

^ Yeah I figure I'll give the local places a shot. There is Affordable Battery too that I was planning on trying as well.


No, I didn't put the charger on it, as there is no place to plug it into. Id have to pull the battery and put it on a trickle charger, which I mistakenly left at the farm this fall.


When I first got the bike, I never did any of that, and the same battery lasted me for the first 5 years, then two batteries in the last year. All while trickle charging the last one periodically the previous year, I dont get it. The last one shouldn't of tanked since I never let it freeze or anything... then half way throughout last year, it just shit the bed on me. So I replaced it with the exact same Yuasa from Blackfoot, now this.

[revelations]

You dont HAVE to have a trickle charger, batteries lose something 1-2% a month just sitting around - so in THEORY just disconnecting the negative for 6 months wouldve cost you 12% drainage which would have been fine. Chances are your bike is developing an increase in a parasitic drain somewhere.

When you get your new battery, dont let them charge it for you. The initial charge MUST be done slowly (0ver night?) as it is the most crucial charge and will easily determine the life of the battery - if its looked after properly.

[16hypen3sp]

Oh man... that sucks. Battery issues are annoying but fairly preventable.
Like everyone else is saying, a trickle charger is a good investment. There are models out there that come with both loops and clamps. Loops are nice as you can keep them attached to the posts year round. (And run a heated vest from the connection as well. Works pretty slick)

I wish I could help you choose a good battery but mine is some no name brand my local shop gave me when I bought my bike years ago. Previous owner had the Yuasa battery in it and it was toast so I had to get a new one.

This no name battery is the best battery I have ever had in anything. Wish I had a name for you.

But yah, next winter, trickle charger. 1.5Amp seems to be the norm.

[ExtraSlow]

Also, just in case anyone out there is really old-school. Modern battery maintainers ARE NOT the same as the old trickle chargers.
you mention a farm, so it's possible you actually have one of the very old constant voltage, constant current trickle chargers, which are not what you want.

Anything bought in the last decade will probably be the kind you want.

[Graham_A_M]

^ No its a (900maH) Battery Tender I bought from Blackfoot a couple years ago, nothing old school. Its great since it does an amazing job at revitalizing batteries that are on their way out. I had plans to use it for my batt, but I didn't figure any of this would happen.

I have three smart chargers, but (I could have SWORN I brought one home with me, but I guess not) I dont have any here.

[16hypen3sp]

I have this one. Works great!!!

http://www.batterychargers.com/Produ...tName=94026717

[revelations]

OP check your water level as well - if you have that type.

[Graham_A_M]

^ I cant, its a totally sealed (black) battery
No mention of water levels or anything, it doesn't even have an air/water discharge on it. It just has a black cover on it that says "Do not open", of which you couldn't open anyways without cutting the plastic lid off.

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ I cant, its a totally sealed (black) battery
No mention of water levels or anything, it doesn't even have an air/water discharge on it. It just has a black cover on it that says "Do not open", of which you couldn't open anyways without cutting the plastic lid off.

The battery must have a constant drain on it... You might be able to charge it back to life tho. Or you can take it to Parts Source or Princess Auto and they can see if its toast.

OR

Buy a decent multimeter and test it yourself. See if there is any juice at all...

I can't believe I went this long in life without a multimeter... So many practical uses.

EDIT: Sorry, your OP said you tried to charge it and it won't take... So I guess I'm an idiot for writing all this. haha... However multimeters are better than those testers with the needle. Some chargers require a certain amount of volts in order for them to actually work correctly. If the battery is totally flatlined, the charger won't work. It should be noted tho that I just recently charged to flatlined battery's back to life and the starting voltage was less than what the charger required to actually start charging it. Batteries are f*cking weird.

[Graham_A_M]

^ Turns out it a factory sealed AGM battery the bike just came with. I do have a multi meter, just at work and at my parents' place, I dont have one here at my house unfortunately, I forgot to bring it from my parents' when I visited them to get the booster cables.

I work with a lot of complex charging systems, batteries and controllers, so since my boss rides bikes as well, he recommended I should take it in, and he can check it for me. So I'll do that, and see what happens. I talked to Blackfoot, and they said they'll test it themselves to see if it can potentially be covered under warranty, since I bought it less then a year ago.

I called Affordable battery, right across Blackfoot from Shaw GMC & Blackfoot cycle, and they have a replacement AGM by Power Sonik. These guys.
http://www.power-sonic.com/#idTab4

For only $68, when Blackfoot wanted $110 for their craptastic Yuasa, thats one helluva deal. I just wish they didn't work the same hours as me, and their closed Saturdays, so Ill have to take time off work to go pick it up.

Im really quite happy with Affordable battery, I scored that 1500cca Odyssey AGM battery for one of our farm trucks from them this summer for a wicked deal, now this.

[16hypen3sp]

Hopefully you get riding soon. Before the weather changes its mind.

[firebane]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ Turns out it a factory sealed AGM battery the bike just came with. I do have a multi meter, just at work and at my parents' place, I dont have one here at my house unfortunately, I forgot to bring it from my parents' when I visited them to get the booster cables.

I work with a lot of complex charging systems, batteries and controllers, so since my boss rides bikes as well, he recommended I should take it in, and he can check it for me. So I'll do that, and see what happens. I talked to Blackfoot, and they said they'll test it themselves to see if it can potentially be covered under warranty, since I bought it less then a year ago.

I called Affordable battery, right across Blackfoot from Shaw GMC & Blackfoot cycle, and they have a replacement AGM by Power Sonik. These guys.
http://www.power-sonic.com/#idTab4

For only $68, when Blackfoot wanted $110 for their craptastic Yuasa, thats one helluva deal. I just wish they didn't work the same hours as me, and their closed Saturdays, so Ill have to take time off work to go pick it up.

Im really quite happy with Affordable battery, I scored that 1500cca Odyssey AGM battery for one of our farm trucks from them this summer for a wicked deal, now this.

Take into consideration places like B&E Electronics also has 12v AGM batteries that are fine for bikes as well.

I picked up my 12v 5aH battery from Princess Auto for $30 because my bike is kick only and has minimal electronics.

Sometimes the big "stores" have higher prices.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by 16hypen3sp
Hopefully you get riding soon. Before the weather changes its mind.

LOL, thats why I was SO choked I couldnt go riding yesterday, nothing but snow & sleet for the next week at least.... I had ONE day to go riding then this happened.

[Masked Bandit]

As strange as it sounds I've always had good luck with generic Canadian Tire batteries. I take them out of the bike in the fall, leave them in the basement and give them an 8 hour charge a couple of times over the winter, no problems.

[Supa Dexta]

I don't even do that much. I charge them when I put them away (closet) and usually just throw them back in the bike in the spring. Should give them a quick charge before I reinstall them, but when the time hits - it's go time.

I'd never leave a battery hooked up for an extended period of time, esp if it wasn't heated.