Batteries

Britfan60

Britfan60

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Jan 5, 2014
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I've been shopping around on line for a good replacement battery. One of our gurus recommends the Shorai LFX, but I'm hesitating because many of the reviews of these batteries on the bike supply joints like RevZilla and Motorcycle Superstore state that they are failing in the Northeast and where temps go to the 40's F. Anybody out there experiencing this phenomena with the Shorai batteries? Don't want to plop down over 200 bucks for a battery that doesn't work in the cold.
 
Hello Britfan60 , I purchased and am still using the Shorai , But I don't ride in the winter time so I can't give feedback on that. But it sure is light ! You can go to a place like Battery Mart on line and look at the AGM batteries that replace the Yuasa your 961 came with. There is a AGM battery with even more CCA's then Yuasa that fits the 961.
 
I have had some troubles to start the engine at temperatures under 0 degree Celsius (less than 30 degrees Fahrenheit) with the Shorai LFX recently.
Starter was turning okay, but probably there wasn't enough voltage left for the spark plugs...
The trick is to fully charge the battery (storage mode isn't enough) just before you start the engine. The battery gets better when it warms up so before cranking you leave the lights on for a while.
I managed to start the engine at low temperature with this procedure. Never had problems at temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (no special procedure needed) and am very happy with the battery.
Raphi, Switzerland
 
Raphi said:
I have had some troubles to start the engine at temperatures under 0 degree Celsius (less than 30 degrees Fahrenheit) with the Shorai LFX recently.
Starter was turning okay, but probably there wasn't enough voltage left for the spark plugs...
The trick is to fully charge the battery (storage mode isn't enough) just before you start the engine. The battery gets better when it warms up so before cranking you leave the lights on for a while.
I managed to start the engine at low temperature with this procedure. Never had problems at temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (no special procedure needed) and am very happy with the battery.
Raphi, Switzerland
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Very good information - thanks, Ralphi. I have yet to install my Shorai and fortunately I don't ride in temperatures below 50° F very much. But if I do I will remember this trick. :)
 
I figured I would add some info to an old but useful thread. After shopping and doing the usual web searching I purchased a Deka etx9. These batteries are known to under rate their advertised specs. They did not have direct replacement for our bikes so I asked the battery dealer about the deka. They deal with yuasa and others and said the Deka is superior and half the price. They pulled the etx9 off the shelf to bench test it.The advertised CCA is 120 and they bench tested the Deka at near 400(I have the actual reading in an email) as apposed to the Yuasa 230cca they said would more than likely be closer to 180. I took a chance and bought it. The bike turns over faster and seems to run better at start up than it ever has. It still has a cold engine feel mind you but it doesn't spit and sputter. The battery is identical in size except 5mm shorter. Many have had great success using this battery in the same way I am, meaning the closest match to Their bikes factory battery. It's an agm, American manufactured, and are known to take pride and quality control seriously with their products. This is my third battery. The second was only a few months old that the dealer installed after the bike sat for 10 months waiting on parts from Norton. Best I figure is the battery was 5-6 months old and failed in the warmer momths. If I have any issues I'll post in the future be it , good, bad or typical.
 
I went from battery / starting problems with my ,normally first choice, expensive Yuasa to a cheap CTek Gel battery ("just for the time being") battery purchased for 50USD .

Never been better.
Bike never on charge with 2 week breaks between rides. Starts on the button at 2 second revolution.

Sometimes you never know. Cheap(er) can work.

Thanks to Richard for mentioning Gel batteries hold charge better between charges.
 
I think its crunch time. Took a 65 mile ride on the other day, forgot to put on the tender. Next day it labored during starting, did start, but low idle and stalled. Retry...click click click....dead. Put on the tender, rode the old Bonny for a few hours, got home and it started. I think its time. I'm to old to get stuck. I hear those pocket sized battery packs work well. Just hook it up to the SAE pigtail and it'll start right up. They claim it will start anything up to a 4 liter 6 cyl. car or truck.
 
Britfan60 said:
I hear those pocket sized battery packs work well. Just hook it up to the SAE pigtail and it'll start right up. They claim it will start anything up to a 4 liter 6 cyl. car or truck.
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What are you referring to? I haven't heard about these. Sounds like a good back up to have on hand for long rides. :roll: Will it work with the 961?
 
Britfan60 said:
Contours. Unfortunately our battery is under the tank so we will either have to run some leads from it or find an adapter for the trickle charge lead.

https://www.revzilla.com/search?query=b ... mit=Search
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I love this idea! Thanks for the link. Since I am changing the lead over to SAE soon anyway this would be a perfect time to find/create an adapter for this device. There is definitely a phantom drain on the battery with this bike. I am switching to the LiFe battery to counter it, but with the cold temperature issue I might just need a jumper like this. On second thought, I might need to create a bypass as well - not sure the LiFe battery would be compatible with a jumper designed for normal SLA batteries. :?
 
Britfan60 said:
I've been shopping around on line for a good replacement battery. One of our gurus recommends the Shorai LFX, but I'm hesitating because many of the reviews of these batteries on the bike supply joints like RevZilla and Motorcycle Superstore state that they are failing in the Northeast and where temps go to the 40's F. Anybody out there experiencing this phenomena with the Shorai batteries? Don't want to plop down over 200 bucks for a battery that doesn't work in the cold.
Click to expand...


Hello Britfan60 , I can now tell you my experience with the Shorai battery in 35 deg F weather. It did not start. This mimics exactly what Raphi stated that his battery did. The starter cranked the engine fast enough seemingly but it did not start. I tried multiple times with the same result no start. I then went out in 50 deg F temps and it started right up. I had the battery on the charger before these attempts. At exactly what temperature is works or does not work I do not know. But mine did NOT work at 35 deg F and did work at 50 deg F ...
 
Britfan60 said:
I've been shopping around on line for a good replacement battery. One of our gurus recommends the Shorai LFX, but I'm hesitating because many of the reviews of these batteries on the bike supply joints like RevZilla and Motorcycle Superstore state that they are failing in the Northeast and where temps go to the 40's F. Anybody out there experiencing this phenomena with the Shorai batteries? Don't want to plop down over 200 bucks for a battery that doesn't work in the cold.
Click to expand...


Hello Britfan60 , I can now tell you my experience with the Shorai battery in 35 deg F weather. It did not start. This mimics exactly what Raphi stated that his battery did. The starter cranked the engine fast enough seemingly but it did not start. I tried multiple times with the same result no start. I then went out in 50 deg F temps and it started right up. I had the battery on the charger before these attempts. At exactly what temperature it works or does not work I do not know. But mine did NOT work at 35 deg F and did work at 50 deg F ...
 
I'm reading 40 and below is the magic number. Even the manufacturer recommends turning on the headlight or accessories for 5 minutes to warm it up. I'm impatient. 40 and sunny is about my limit but its below that overnight. My Yuasa sat for two whole winters at the dealership untended. I think it will last longer. I keep it plugged in religiously.
 
Britfan60 said:
I'm reading 40 and below is the magic number. Even the manufacturer recommends turning on the headlight or accessories for 5 minutes to warm it up. I'm impatient.
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After giving this more thought I doubt the jump starter needs to be used to jump the LiFe battery in temperatures <= 40° - it only needs to warm it up, right? I'm sure it would take a lot less time to warm it up using the jump starter than it would using your headlight. Given it doesn't need a jump I don't see how the LiFe battery could be harmed by the jump starter if used this way. :idea:

I posted the question on Revzilla, but I doubt I'll get a reply. I think I'm just going to purchase both an XP-5 and the battery lead. If it doesn't work Revzilla does not charge restocking fees so there's nothing to lose if I need to return it. What do you guys think?
 
Contours. That wasn't to jump a lithium battery. I meant it to just have in an emergency situation far from home.
 
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