| Author | Message | ||
     Imaposer |
My first long weekend outing on my new to me uly was cut short today due to the bike dieing and coasting to a stop.  Read through the archives and did all the roadside checks I could. Ended up doing the call to the wife for the trailer of shame rescue. Testing once I got home is pointing to nothing more than a dead battery. Odd to fail while riding along I think, but it is a wally world special with no date code on it, but certainly looks like it could be a few years old. I figure I should replace that POS no matter, so I am looking to replace it with whatever is the current favorite. Once again combing the archives, it looks like the ETX-14 from east penn, either sourced from a multitude of local chains, or online. Any other ones I should consider before ordering one? | ||
| Eaglerider |
On the air cool bikes, I generally replace the battery with a AGM battery every 2 years. The heat really takes it toll on the battery and I have had batteries failed while going at highway speed. Drag Specialties/Parts Unlimited carries a couple of models of pre-filled AGM for under $100. | ||
| Arry |
Wondering if your charging system is O.K. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
One failure mode that these newfangled AGM batteries have is odd. One X1 battery died like described above. Just like I flipped the kill switch. Putting a meter on it with no load = 12.5V Turn the key and it dies instantly. Try putting a charger on it and it register fully charged after one second. I had a second battery crap out in a similar way years later. Started bike up in the morning and headed to work. Bike cranked over nicely and stated just normally. Parked the bike, pulled a 9 hour day and went out and battery was dead as before. Measured fully charged with a meter but falls flat on its face when the headlight was turned on. Was so useless that it wouldn't start even after a jump. TL;DR = yes it could just be the battery | ||
| Kenm123t |
SHORAI batterys Look them up and Call Shawn Higbee for a selection for your bike. They weight so much less and last longer. Shorai sponsors Rob and Shawn on the 1190rs and the 1125 in DSB. Let Shorai know your a badwebber too Lets support our own. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I had the same failure with an AGM Xtreme battery. I like the Carquest 220 CCA replacement, although it's only a year old, so I don't know how long it'll last. | ||
| Murf2 |
Mike, Could you supply a model # on that Car Quest battery? Thanks, Murf2 | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I'll make a note to check it out when I get home this afternoon. | ||
| Teeps |
In June of '06, at 1600 miles, a yuasa/ytx14-bs was installed in my '06 Uly. Today, the same battery is still in use 27k miles. Though this battery was supposed to be a direct replacement. The positive post is in a different position, so the termination on the cable had to be modified to fit. For $43 I paid it was worth the mod... | ||
| Imaposer |
Putting a meter on it with no load = 12.5V Turn the key and it dies instantly. Try putting a charger on it and it register fully charged after one second. Exactly what I am seeing with this. Thanks for the shorai suggestion. I'll certainly be looking in to them. | ||
| Djohnk |
Here's the one I have had on since last September, seems to be a pretty good battery: http://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Crank-ETX14-Batte ry.html It says its vibration resistant and the price includes free shipping, and no taxes. (Message edited by djohnk on June 23, 2012) | ||
| Gamdh |
+1 on the Big Crank. Put one in my '06 back in Dec 08... 37K miles later... zero issues. | ||
| Buellmeister57 |
I ordered the Big Crank Djohnk mentions after my voltage regulator crapped out and killed my factory battery. Ordered online Sunday, sitting on my doorstep Tuesday. Seems to be working fine. | ||
| Tootal |
AGM batteries are a nice way to go. Whatever battery you chose I would test your voltage after you start the bike and make sure your Voltage Regulator didn't fry the previous battery. If the VR is bad then do the test on your stator. There are three test and it must pass every one or it's toast, and a bad stator will fry your new VR. DAMHIK! | ||
| Mikef5000 |
The carquest battery I use and recommend is the ETX14. | ||
| Towpro |
my (real early )07 had a "moto co" battery in it that was dated late 05. I wanted to replace it just because it was 5 years old  . It lasted 5 years and was a yuasa, so that is what I put back in it. Now after much reading, I don't think the SHORAI batteries are ready for prime time yet. Read of 1 Uly rider in mexico who had one blow up. Read on the SHORAI website about cold weather starting. They say when cold they don't have the cranking power. They tell you to crank it for a couple seconds, wait, crank again, wait and repeat as needed. This heats up the battery until it can produce enough cranking power. Now low cranking power that can't turn the motor over has a side affect, it can weld the contacts in your starter relay in the "start" position (This is a well know problem with BMW K75's and K100). Why chance it? Plus they are very expensive. If that couple extra lbs bothers me, I can loose it around my waist easier then buying an expensive battery  But that is just my thoughts, yours may very. | ||
| Imaposer |
Yes, it took me this long to decide what route to go. I'm going to play it safe and ordered up an etx-14 online. Cheaper than carquest by $25, and most likely the exact same battery. I may end up buying a Shorai for my ducati which doesn't see the same amount of use as I intend for the Uly, but I don't think they are proven well enough yet for full time dependability. Now lets just hope that this is really all that was wrong....  | ||
| Froggy |
There is a similar thread going on in the Quickboard, don't bother with the Shoari unless you like pissing away money. | ||
| Uly_man |
My step father was a car mechanic all his life but me, at 16, knew better. I now know he was always right about cars, bikes and more to the point "always buy a well known brand" battery IE Varta, Exide, etc. The HD OEM battery is a good product and lasts very well. I still have my 06 bikes OEM battery. It holds a charge for many months and I have even managed to crank a 3000cc BMW M30 engine with it. "Read on the SHORAI website about cold weather starting. They say when cold they don't have the cranking power. They tell you to crank it for a couple seconds, wait, crank again, wait and repeat as needed. This heats up the battery until it can produce enough cranking power." I have no answer to this sort of rubbish. | ||
| Imaposer |
Battery showed up today. Stuck it in, bike fired right up. Since I had the meter out already, I did a basic check of the charging system. Bike off, battery read 12.8v. At idle, 13.6v. Increasing revs, it went up to 14.15v by 2500 rpms, then bounced between 14.15 and 14.16 at all rpms above there. Seems fine to me. Now to see when I can find the time for an extended test ride. | ||
| Eaglerider |
OEM AGM battery is as good as any aftermarket AGM battery. Most AGM batteries last about 2-3 years in a aircooled HD application. | ||
| Busykat |
My stock battery finally called it quits Monday as I was about to do a demonstration for an ERC class. It just slowly started withering away in performance though, and I had just shy of 25K on it, (2009 XB12XP). If timing were better I would've tried a AGM battery, but alas... The H-D dealer was open and after all, the stocker held up for 3 years and it's a harsh life to be a Buell's battery. I hope the new one last as long as the old one did. | ||
| Towpro |
Busykat, the OEM battery is AGM. you will notice no vent hoses. You could never put a standard lead acid battery on it's side like the way they mount your Buell battery. | ||
| Busykat |
Towpro, Thanks, that answered a question; I was wondering about the design of the original. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Hard to beat the Harley AGM battery's in my experience. | ||
| Rwven |
The Big Crank is Harley's OEM AGM battery. Made by the same company (East Penn I think). If you hold them side by side you can see that they are from identical molds. The badging is the only difference. | ||
| Pons |
These Odessy batteries are quality. http://www.odysseybattery.com/ | ||
| Buellerxt |
Thanks, Rwven. Much appreciated. | ||
| Eaglerider |
Buy a generic AGM instead of HD and save your $$$.. I use Parts Unlimited AGM available from most bikes shops for 2/3 price of HD AGM | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I've got the Shorai in mine as of a couple of weeks ago. The local Ducati dealer gave me a 30 dollar discount on the 315 CCA LFX21A6-BS12. Still cost me 199 bucks plus tax. No problems so far. Very light. Really holds it's charge nice and steady at 13.32 or so volts. | ||
| Swampy |
Make sure you are getting a true AGM battery and not a "AGM Technology" battery. The AGM battery will not have liquid in them, they will not have a vent and will not have any type of cap that allows access to the cell. If it is not an AGM battery it will have liquid in it and when you tip it on its side when in the normal mounting location a portion of the cells will be dry due to the liquid seeking level. Also the liquid will allow vibration of the plates possibly resulting in the plates to break away from the attaching lugs and causing the battery to loose a cell. Be careful because some AGM Technology batteries come filled and sealed from the factory but are still a liquid battery. Don't become tempted by price, a true AGM battery will cost around $120, but it should give 8 years of service. The other option is a L-ion but you will have to come up with $250+ for one. | ||
| Eaglerider |
I think you are mistaken Gel battery with AGM (Acid Glass Mat) battery technology. Gel batteries usually do not function well in SLA applications. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I checked the voltage on the new Shorai battery and it was 13.35 volts. Call Ducati in Omaha and maybe they will give you the same deal I got and have it shipped to your place. The lithium iron battery is so light it seems impossible. | ||
| Towpro |
Note: AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat The acid is absorbed in a glass mat. Yes they have liquid in them. When you buy one (at least the ones I bought) they have a group of 6 bottles attached to each other, you use to fill the battery. Then the directions talk about waiting X minutes for the air bubbles to escape before sealing it then charging it. |
