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Battery choices

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sharkey

sharkey

Joined
Aug 7, 2003
Messages
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Location
Ft Worth, TX
First Name
Chris
Last Name
Tamez
Time for a new battery for the TMax500. Anyone have preferences. I used a Bikemaster Gel on the RT and it was fine. I was thinking about their Lithium ION which is $25 more. I like the idea of less weight since the battery rides high and forward.

Open to suggestions. I got the 2 bikes, the car, and the Sprinter so it's hard running them in the rotation when work gives me a SUV to drive.
 
I've patented the following design, which enables the enterprising rider to increase or decrease the footprint of the device to meet his or her available battery space on the motorcycle.

batteries-M.jpg
 
tricepilot said:
I've patented the following design, which enables the enterprising rider to increase or decrease the footprint of the device to meet his or her available battery space on the motorcycle.

batteries-M.jpg
[/QUOTE

Brilliant but probably can't afford your creativity. Do you make clocks by chance? :doh:
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I'm a firm believer in Shorai Li-Ion batteries...
 
Jeff S said:
I'm a firm believer in Shorai Li-Ion batteries...
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I've had one on my V-strom for several years now. After having one on my dirtbike for a while. Cranks great. I have had to jump the V-strom off in the spring after sitting a few months in the winter, but no problems the rest of the summer. Its been nice.

I recently bought a cheaper "Battery Tender" branded LI battery for my 300. I was a good 75 bucks less than shoria. Works great above 30 degrees. Takes a minute for the battery to warm up before it crank things. I just kick the bike to light it off initially (easy to do) and then the rest of the day the starter does the job.

For cold morning Shoria recommends turning the lights on to let the battery warm up before starting. LI does not do the best with straight cold cranking.
 
I've read some on this when I needed a battery and for me an AGM was the answer.
 
Yeah put a Bosch AGM in the Sprinter and I was aware of the Shorai. I saw the Yuasa as well but it is the same price as the Lithium Ions. Decisions decisions.


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Jeff S said:
I'm a firm believer in Shorai Li-Ion batteries...
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+1 The last one on my B-King lasted five years and could have probably gone a little longer.

Ive got Shorais on three of my four bikes. And when the 610 is due it'll get one. The weight loss is good but I just got tired of getting burned on standard batteries. Yuasa isn't what they used to be. I cycle all of them on Battery Tender brand tender. I've got the Shorai tender but don't use it.

They just work for me.
 
Words of wisdom. If you go with an AGM make sure you get it DRY. The acid will come in the box with it. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!! Most shops add the acid, then immediately install it, WRONG!!!! It must be filled with the acid and allowed to sit for a minimum of one hour to allow the acid to properly absorb into the "glass matt". Then charge it with a smart charger on low until 100% or more. I've shown guys over and over that the battery is only 50% to 85% when not done correctly and it will NEVER be any better no matter how much you charge it after the fact. When I use my smart charger it takes a minimum of 8 hours, so I usually leave it over night.
 
Hey Big Spank Daddy, sigh, that just sounds wrong when I say it.

What smart charger are you using?
 
After I burned up a few batteries using my old basic charger, walking off and forgetting them, I got this Pro-Logix from a local battery shop about 5 years ago. Back then I paid $77 for it, its been the best $77 investment I've made. What's nice, it will tell you what percentage of charge it has. Just because the DVM says it has 12.6V to 13V doesn't necessarily mean it has a full charge. It measures the internal resistance of the battery to let you know what state the battery is.
 
I've had good luck with the sealed batteries from the big box stores and batteries plus on my bikes.
 
I have used several Shorai batteries with mixed results. I have a spare one off of my WR25R you can have free of charge. I went back to a Yuasa AGM Yamaha OEM. They last a long time, especially if you use a trickle charger. I really can't tell the difference regarding the weight difference when I made the switch.

The office manager at a local Batteries Plus told me they no longer carry Shorai due to the excessive failure rate. They now carry their own private label version. I have heard the Duracell Ultra AGM get top reviews according to some blogs.
 
+1 on Yuasa AGM, have never had one last less than 5 years. I'd put a tender tail on while you're in there and just keep the TMax on a tender- it really removes concern about battery maintenance.
 
FCBH said:
I have used several Shorai batteries with mixed results. I have a spare one off of my WR25R you can have free of charge. I went back to a Yuasa AGM Yamaha OEM. They last a long time, especially if you use a trickle charger. I really can't tell the difference regarding the weight difference when I made the switch.

The office manager at a local Batteries Plus told me they no longer carry Shorai due to the excessive failure rate. They now carry their own private label version. I have heard the Duracell Ultra AGM get top reviews according to some blogs.
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Not sure if they will fit but let me check.


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Somehow this cold took the grunt out of my Africa Twin battery and it’s only a 2016. Not happy, but I went ahead and ordered a Shorai should be here next week. I think my tender might be bad, it says it is charged but clearly it isn’t.


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kubotamiketx said:
Somehow this cold took the grunt out of my Africa Twin battery and it’s only a 2016. Not happy, but I went ahead and ordered a Shorai should be here next week. I think my tender might be bad, it says it is charged but clearly it isn’t.
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You can deep discharge a AGM battery and still be able to trickle charge it back to life fairly easily. However, if you deep discharge a lithium battery, your stuck with a bad battery with damaged cells. You can use a traditional trickle charger on a Lithium battery but it has to not use an automatic "desulfation mode", which cannot be turned off.

...Shorai does sell a Lithium charger for around $100 that has a special rejuvenation mode specifically designed for the Shorai battery.

RB
 
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I know that about the AGM batteries but these days with no kick starters or on 1000 mL that a kickstart it would be of no use anyway I just didn’t want to risk it


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Cc not ml lol


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FCBH said:
However, if you deep discharge a lithium battery, your stuck with a bad battery with damaged cells.
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Not exactly true - in my experience. I left some accessory powered up on the Versys and discharged by Shorai to low-single digits (~4 if I remember correctly). I called them, they said mail it in, I did, and a week later then mailed it back. That was probably 2 years ago. Only cost me one-way shipping (and the thing is so small/light, that this was only $10 or so) and didn't void any warranties.

Yes, that's harder than just plopping it on a trickle charger, but it did save the battery. I went through this process because I'd heard of others here with similar stories.

Bike manufacturers are starting to use Li-Ion as OEM. To me, these have come of ago.
 
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