alton starter - upgrade battery (installation) - need pics, ideas

Christmas came early this year. I got my alton starter kit yesterday. don't want to get into the good, the bad, or the cNw vs alton stuff - I had my reasons, and that's really a topic for another thread. what's done, is done. this question pretty much for the folks who has already installed the alton kit. i'm just in the planning installation stages, and looking at installing the battery upgrade. not cast in concrete, but looking at a motobatt MB16U, 20 Ah unit (slightly smaller than the recommended YUASA YTX20L-BS (18Ah unit)) -- besides adding the starter relay, I have to deal with a podtronics rectifier-bridge that's part of my tri-spark ignition mod. now I'm dealing with the five-pounds of crap in the four-pound bag senerio, so looking for idea pics of the battery compartment, or any other suggestions on another battery type or other installation ideas or comments. TIA....

Motobatt = Chinese made

concours said:

Motobatt = Chinese made

http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0278.pdf

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thanks for the battery link - i'll look into the brand. granted the motobatt is made in china, but anymore, what isn't? as I sain, my battery choice is NOT cast in concrete. the battery will be some name brand unit with the smallest footprint vs. 18 Ah or greater rating. BTW, no issues with my current MB9U motobatt. the bike can sit for weeks w/o the battery on any kind of trickle charger, and it will do it's job for a first or second kick start. in reality, I can't complain.

don't want to turn this into so much a BATTERY discussion thread - it's more about packaging a larger battery plus the relay and my podtronics unit into the compartment cavity. I DON'T THINK i'll get much in the way of pictures, since my needs are somewhat unique and model specific. having slept on the problem, I think I have the KISS solution that will solve all the problems and issues. might take a little sheetmetal fab, but looks very doable.

I've used a Shorai 18AH since before I installed my Alton in '12. It has worked perfectly with the Alton and I wouldn't consider any other battery.

Joe, here's what I did, using the recommended size battery on my MkIIa


As you'll read it was about the hardest part. (I'd already bought the battery).

Cheers,

cliffa.

I'm using the Motobatt MBTX16U on my MK11A fits the standard battery box and spins the Alton effortlessly

I bought Motobatt five years ago for my Mk3. Sits in an unheated garage, has never seen a charger and has never let me down..... Just saying

I use a Shorai LFX21. It leaves enough room to bolt down the Alton Solenoid to the battery tray and space leftover for a Scottoiler.

cliffa said:

Joe, here's what I did, using the recommended size battery on my MkIIa

Journey into the unknown..

Brilliant job Cliff, it looks spot on.

www.accessnorton.com

As you'll read it was about the hardest part. (I'd already bought the battery).

Cheers,

cliffa.

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EXCELLENT LINK for ideas - exactly what I was looking for. I have the perfect location for the starter relay, so it's my podtronics module that needs mounting. trying to install the alton kit without too many changes to my existing configuration. don't want to go into this helter-skelter, so I need to look into everything that might cause future issues

I've used the same Yuasa GYZ20L AGM battery since I installed my Alton four years ago and it has worked very well. It is a common battery used in many modern bikes and four stroke snowmobiles and should be on the shelf in most medium to large bike shops.

My 850, with Alton, has a Yuasa YTZ14S (i think i have that correct, not with the bike at the moment), it is the same as my 961 so i figured it would do for the 850 and i could swap one ot the other if needed. Battery smaller than Alton suggest, but CCA ok.
And physically it is not overly large - room for electronic igntion black box cable tied to frame spine above the battery, reg/rect on bracket to rear of battery, starter solenoid and other electronics on a custom bracket between the side cover and the battery.

I have a yuasa lead acid and agree the space is very .tight, couldn’t use the Alton solenoid/ relay support and didnt like the idea of it being on the battery anyway. Fixed mine to the frame behind the battery.

peter12 said:

I have a yuasa lead acid and agree the space is very .tight, couldn’t use the Alton solenoid/ relay support and didnt like the idea of it being on the battery anyway. Fixed mine to the frame behind the battery.

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same here on the relay mount - looks like i'm mounting the relay in about the same place, fastened somewhat to the rear bulkhead. not sure a replay/bracket battery mount is even possible with a slightly larger battery. ordered up another motobatt since it has a 20Ah rating and a slightly smaller foot print. had good luck with my original motobatt, so if it doesn't work out -- shame on me. trying to mod up the electrics with minimal impact on my existing configuration.