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Lithium IRON not ION battery for 2001 Bonneville

5K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  SR.MailMan 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,
I know this has been addressed (but a few threads are years old already).
I want to try a Lithium Iron battery in my 2001 Triumph Bonneville.
The main reason is to have a battery that can hold it's charge in cooler weather and start the motorcycle in the cooler weather (below 50 F).
My Bonneville has horns, high / low beams, signals (winkers). That's it.

If I purchase a Lithium battery, is there any risk to my existing electrical system?

What brands do people recommend?

I know, in colder weather, I may have to leave the headlights on for a minute or 2 , to warm the battery....That beats the heck out of a battery that won't start the bike or a battery going on and off tender every day it gets below 49 F.

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
Lithium iron batteries definitely don't like the cold. I replaced the agm in my buel a few years ago with one and under around 45 degrees it was not happy. That said, cranking it for a bit to warm the battery seemed to work.

They work just like a normal battery as far as wiring. Just remember that a standard battery tender can fry it. You have to get a battery tender made for the battery, like the battery tender lithium jr.
 
#4 ·
Well, standard lead acid cells seem to perform fine at low temps, as evidence I can attest to decades of winter startups of my cars even when kept outside well below freezing temps.
The AirCooled Bonneville efi bikes have a design "feature" that prevents starter operation if the ECU determines voltage is just a little below optimum. My understanding is this is to prevent excess wear to starter solenoid if it clicks for sustained periods. These forums offer a work around whereby the starter relay is modified to allow easy emergency starting at lower volts. Basically a small hole is made in the plastic relay cover directly over the relay arm...and a suitable prod, like a plastic spray can straw, tooth pic, golf tee etc can be gentle pushed in to close the starter circuit. Works a treat.

For any lithium battery, which recommends special chargers, I always wonder how the standard charging circuitry on the bike manages to properly handle lithium cells.
 
#5 ·
The special chargers monitor the indervidual cells in the battery and balance them.

That said my Shorai is 6 years old and the charging system on my bike (mosfet) charges at 14.6 volts which is the maximum Shorai recomends. Never had a problem although I live in a warm climate (aka Bloody hot) so low temp starting isn't often a problem. Has on infrequent occasions started the bike at -3c.

Works so well I got a Li iorn battery (not a Shorai Too spendy at current exchange rate) a year ago for my other bike. Hope it lasts as well.
 
#15 ·
The special chargers monitor the indervidual cells in the battery and balance them.
Now I have always found this claim odd and when asking an auto electrician I know pretty well who uses big lithium deep cycle batteries he was of similar opinion. He stated it is the role of the BMS (battery management system) circuitry that is, or should be, inside the lithium battery to do the balancing and management. My thought has always been how can a battery charger with a single clamping devise that clamps to a single battery bank terminal (pos or neg) possibly know what is going on between the individual cells let alone then deal with cells individually.
 
#6 ·
I've been running the same setup as plodalong for the past 4 to 5 years as well and couldn't be happier. When I got the bike it was very hard to start and nearly killed the battery from cranking on several occasions. I burned through 2 factory R/Rs before I got the MOSFET. No issues since. I've ridden the bike at near freezing temps and never had an issue with cranking either. I would highly recommend both mods and would agree that you need to use the specific charger for the battery, I have the Shorai charger for mine. Only used it twice when I've been gone for more than a month.

Other benefits to the Shorai are that its significantly light than the factory unit and it can be mounted on its side; like if you were installing a lay flat battery tray.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
#7 ·
Hi there..i'm on a 2001--it's not EFI.

I have the return to Bonneville 2001--it's got carbuerators so the EFI mod won't work unfortunately and I'm not on an EFI machine.

I'm looking at 3 brands for the replacement LiFe--Shorai, Antigravity and one called EarthXmotorsports.

In the end it's not the cost that's impacting my choice, it's the convenience of not having to rely on trickle charge and the much slower rate to battery decay / discharge. As I mentioned, I don't have clocks and digital and such. A light, a horn, blinkers.....very sweet ride...me and engine.

Thanks.
 
#9 ·
I have been thinking of going Lithium-Ion also as the battery in my 2015 TEX is the original and still doing well, but probably will need replacing soon. Anti-Gravity brand now has a "re-start" feature where a certain percentage of power is saved in case something is left on. Also they have the 4 terminal configuration for easier hookup on left or right positive terminals. These batteries are smaller and may need shoring up with styrofoam to fit snugly. No--I don't work for them, but here is a link:
https://shop.antigravitybatteries.com/restart-technology/
 
#11 ·
Thought my brain cells were confused about Ion/Iron--but maybe not. Clicked on my anti-gravity link and enlarged one of the batteries (says Lithium Ion). Regardless, I think they will eventually replace the Lead/Acid. My dealer tells me that "Battery Tender" is coming out with a line of Lithium batteries that are physically the correct size for each application so no shimming up the smaller cases.
Wonder what Harley uses in their new overpriced electric motorcycle?
 
#13 ·
Interesting. When I bought them they made a point of calling them lithium iron. Even putting LiFe on the case but I see now they say lithium ion. Maybe they changed the construction or maybe the labeling was too confusing. In any case the tiny size, light weight and the fact that they don’t lose voltage as long as there’s no draw, were all selling points for me. The Ural required removing the sidecar to get the huge battery out. With an Antigravity I could take it out with no tools.
 
#14 ·
LifePo batteries may not like the cold but switching on the headlight for 15-30 seconds starts current draw and "wakes them up" you then get the full current available.

Have had one on a Honda VFR800 Vtec and now got one on my 2007 carb Speedmaster at the same price as a Brand wet cell don't think I will go back to wet cells ever again.
 
#17 ·
No!
The special battery chargers don't have a De-sulfation phase/step that would kill a LifePo battery, as it can pump in a higher voltage than they can take.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Yep that LiFePo4 battery Mike pictured above is the one I have in my Bonnie and FZ-09. The FZ battery is 3 years old now and I stopped riding it at the end of Nov 2018 so I could get time on the other 2 bikes. Finally pulled it out today after 3 months, not on a charger, and it fired up no problem - 1st crank, 2nd compression. Worth having.

If I had a lead acid battery in that bike, it would be dead by now.

Battery tender is making a newer version now with a hook up to your cell phone (really???) and some other neat features, but the CCA's may look odd. Not sure how important that number is anymore.
I have a Kinetik in my old suzuki bandit - works fine

If the OP wants to see what I did, here's the link. If you have seen it before - just skip
 
#21 ·
Shorai inc lfx18a1-bs12 lithium batt 18ah 12v eq,"a"1

Mine died after 8 years. The dedicated charger died first and I waited too long to put a charge into the "storage mode".
The battery fell below the minimum voltage (My fault). New charger failed to bring it back.

Just got another from ebay for $151.24.
I have never been able to get more than 5 years out of a 18ah standard lead/acid battery (in My Kawasaki 1500).
 
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