| Author | Message | ||
     Starter |
Not being a tight arse or anything, since I bought a new genuine battery for the XB9R today. But fairly interested in the life others are getting from their batteries. Seeing they are a Absorbed Glass Mat I would have thought I'd see a little more than the 4 years I got out of the original considering it has been on a battery tender 99% of its non runnning life. Mines not completey stuffed but only measuring 12.0 - 12.2 volts maximum charge and struggles a little on morning starts. Be interested to see how long they are lasting in the areas where the bikes are stored for 4-6 months of the year. | ||
| Csg_inc |
Mine died last weekend. so that was six years. 03xb9r bought in 02 | ||
| Old_man |
I replaced mine on my 03 XB9S a few months ago. It would still work but now works better with the new battery. They're not that expensive. Do yourself a favor--- You'll be glad you did. | ||
| Irideabuell |
I just replaced the original battery in my '04 Lightning. The original still worked, but was beginning to labor. The bike starts with authority thanks to the new battery. I might have gotten another year out of it, but why risk it for the minimal cost of a new one. | ||
| Punkid8888 |
4 years on a motorcycle battery is actually very good in my opinion. I use to work at a speed shop and guys were buying new batteries every year. I am not sure what they were doing to kill them. | ||
| Mesafirebolt |
A year ago mine started having very sluggish starts, now, sometimes my clock will blank out when I try to start it...I checked ALL the connections and the battery had plenty of voltage and amps ( I placed it on a load meter) Maybe I'll try a new one anyway... | ||
| Davegess |
I once got 8 years out of the battery on my Honda. Of course I was religious in ignoring it, checking the water level once every year or two and always filling it with tap water when it needed it. It would be on the tender when I remembered to plug it in. Most amazing battery I have ever had. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I don't really know. My stator and voltage regulator cooked mine. It was replaced at 15,000 miles and less than 2 years. | ||
| Spike |
My '04 XB12R (purchased Oct. '03) still had the original battery when I traded it in 2 months ago, so that's a little over 4 years. It was definitely getting tired though, it didn't like to sit for more than a week in the winter months. It didn't see a charger or a battery tender for the first 3 years, but it started needing one to make it through the winter months. | ||
| Xl1200r |
The battery in my 2004 Sportster lasted from May 2004 (new) until October 2006. Not every long at all. It was stored in an attached garage during the winters (never really dropped below freezing) and was on a tender during storage. | ||
| Irideabuell |
Mesa....mine did the same thing before I got the new battery. That should fix you right up. | ||
| Typeone |
bought the XB in Dec '04 ... battery died in the Fall of '07. i use a tender jr. frequently. | ||
| Mesafirebolt |
Sweet! I was hoping to hear something like that. | ||
| Akbuell |
Battery life is always something of a crap shoot. FWIW, the original battery on my X-1 lasted 4+ years. Would throw the charger on it once a month or so in the winter. Always made sure it was fully charged before the first start of the season. When you consider the world our batts live in (heat, vibration) they really don't do too bad. As an aside, a friend worked as the maintenance guy at a golf course, and tending to the golf carts was one of his duties. He said it was not terribly unusual for 10% of a shipment of new batteries to fail out of the box. | ||
| Kmfw160 |
I just ordered a new one from my local HD. The old one is 4 yrs old and tough to start on the first start of the day even with the tender on all night.  | ||
| Starter |
Yeah put my new battery in last night and sure as shit the bike jumps to life with only a touch of the starter. Previously it would take a couple of weaker cranks. 4 years seems to be about right. One thing that was interesting was the new battery whilst made in August '07 was reading 12.85 volts out of the box. | ||
| Irideabuell |
I believe James at Seminole Buell told me the HD batteries come partially charged in the box (I don't remember what percentage he told me). He said after install and the first ride they will be fully charged. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"Mine died last weekend. so that was six years. 03xb9r bought in 02" +1. Mine died last November. Born March of 03. | ||
| Darthane |
Mine was starting to give me fits on very cold mornings late last year...so I'm rather expecting it to be replaced when I begin riding regularly again this spring. I brought the bike home in June of 2002, so I'll have gotten nearly six years out of it. My Blast, which has the same battery, is still on the original (purchased in June of 2001). I'm perfectly happy with the life I'm getting out of the stock batteries. =D | ||
| Glitch |
What's up Bryan! | ||
| Darthane |
=D Hey, Dave - how've you been? Still killing belts?  ...still livin'. I'm really regretting the lack of non-day-to-day riding I've been able to do the last couple years. I got so busy with work and home and everything else. If I didn't think I'd freeze my arse off getting there I'd try to get into the March ride, but that's probably not going to happen. I need to reconnect with Spidey and the rest of the SE MI guys and force myself to make time to just scoot around. That XT version of the Ulysses has really caught my eye...I might not be able to resist finally buckling under and getting the bigger bike I've wanted for a couple years. My garage is getting WAY too crowded. I bought a little Mazda3 to use as my new daily driver and put the truck in the garage for when I need to haul things or go camping and the like...a fourth bike in there and I might not have room to get the lawnmower out!  | ||
| Glitch |
Still killing belts? Believe it or not I'm still on that forth one. I don't even know how many miles are on it. Collecting everything I need to do the 04 thing. You could hook up with Spidey for MB-V, he's coming down, you know you want to! Good to see you posting again! OK back on topic, since 03, I've had to buy one battery, because when my stator went out (*cough*Mobil1*cough*) it killed the original deadernell. So the one I have now is about 3 and a half years old. | ||
| Darthane |
Heh...I lucked out when my stator went, I guess - the battery survived that just fine. I think the only wrong with it is it's just plain getting old. I spent an entire evening trying to help my dad diagnose an electical issue in his Saturn and at the end of the day scratched my head and asked him how old the battery was. Six years - told him to get a new one, trouble-free since then. Usually the simplest solutions are the right ones. I've been using the Mobil 1 20W50 V-Twin in the primary since my stator went, supposedly it doesn't have the additives that ate into the stator's copper. Did you find a new synth for the primary or go back to dino oil? (OT, I know, I know - but I did at least mention the battery again!) | ||
| Glitch |
I'm using a YUSA battery. I use Formula+ in the primary. | ||
| Teeps |
The oem battery in my '06 Ulysses lasted about 9 months. However, according to the local H-D dealer; it went bad because it was not maintained. | ||
| Jkhawaii |
mine lasted a little longer than a year. I do a lot of short trip riding to and from work. only 5 miles each way the engine was cranking slower for some time than the clock would reset every time I started the engine because the voltage would drop down to far. I just picked up a factory battery since it fits perfectly and does not cost much more at all | ||
| 61bsaa10 |
My battery just quit after 5 years in my xb9s. Yuasa has a very informative site for anyone who wants to learn. Any recommendations as to which battery to get and where? Also looking for Buell bags for same. Ray | ||
| Etennuly |
The original battery in our '01 Blast is still doing great. The one in my '06 Uly has never tested above 12.4 volts since new. It has always cranked over started, but never in an excited way. HD said it was within specs and wouldn't replace it. So being the cheap bastard that I am, nearly two years later it is still the same. I thought it was funny when I took it in and the service tech said "It was OK, it charged up to and holds 12.4 volts!" Then I showed him the Buell tech manual that states "the battery must be at or above 12.6 volts before performing any tests on the electrical system". D'OH! But it is within HD specs. |
