Thoughts on a battery?

[Roden]

G'day all,

Time for a new battery me thinks. I've had the bike over a year and haven't yet changed it. Maybe its me being paranoid but I thinks its not cranking as well as it used to cold.

Anyway, this is what I'm looking at -

Products
Motorcycles and Scooters
Maintenance Free
YTX14AHL-BS
YTX14AHL-BS Battery

Profile

The YTX14AHL-BS is a High Performance VRLA maintenance-free design – freeing you from the hassle of topping up your battery. High Performance VRLA batteries have a specialist plate design and extra battery plates to give you up to 30 per cent more cranking amps.
Special Features

* 30 per cent more cranking amps
* spill-proof design
* exceptional vibration and impact resistance
* reduced discharge for longer storage life
* maximum performance.



View Battery Description
YTX14AHL-BS Battery
Features
Yuasa Range Guide


For more info, download the Yuasa range guide.

Do any of you guys have experience with this one? Good, bad or otherwise?

I have also ordered a new battery charger as mine got mangled when the bike fell on it. It still works but is held together with insulation tape.

Cheers, Roden

[Roden]

Eewww, my cut and paste didn't work too well, it was supposed to have a pretty picture!

Sorry about that....

[Derswede]

Yuasa makes good batteries....I've got bunches of them here. For motorcycle applications the AGM/VRLA acid starved batteries (i.e., no liquid to spill) batteries are excellent. Cold cranking amps are good as well, and they are lower in maintenance than a flooded cell battery (traditional wet cell lead/acid). But, more expensive. But, NO ACID TO SPILL!

Keep 'em on a trickle charge, use current limited constant voltage chargers (a cheap charger on "high" can toast a cell....the initial inrush can cause chemical changes in the cells) or use the lowest setting on such a charger at first if the battery is low.

On TrackSquirt (playtoy 250 Ninja) I use an old 17 aH gelcell battery (AGM) with some connectors I whipped up. The battery came from a battery backup system...the company changes the batteries every year, and I get the "old" ones. The one I have for my camping ham radio is 4-5 years old and still works great. AGM/VRLA batteries are VERY good.....but just a bit more $$.

Derswede

[KitNYC]

Yuasa YTX14-BS is what's spec'ed for my Sprint, & I upgraded the Trident to some no-name AGM battery when old one started to go. Hard to go wrong with AGM, harder still with Yuasa.

Cheers,
-Kit

[Roden]

Thanks lads, thats what I thought. I'll price one up today.

I ordered a new "Battery Fighter" charger. Its a four step charger which doesn't cook batteries!

Cheers,

Roden

[otagohighlander]

I owned a Guzzi for 20 years and it took a fair bit to fire it up on average a Yuasa would last about four years ,twice i replaced it with lesser and cheaper battery and i was lucky to get 12 months ,i would not use anything else .

[daytona 750]

so far as trickle chargers go, i happened upon a solar powered one the other day!
i have no power in my garage yet, and this solar powered one works well, even when it is the usual murky english weather, from dawn till dusk!
it cost a tenner, and it does the job, so cant really say alot more than that!

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358

[roadrunsl]

This battery may work too.

[Roden]

I ended up buying as Deka AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) Sports Power battery, 190CCA, 14 Amp/Hr. $198, ouch.

The bike fires almost instantly cold, now I realise how lazy it was turning over before.

Got a new 4 step Battery Fighter too, $60 delivered, good value.

Cheers,

Roden