I bought my 1100 in April 2011 and it was fitted with a new battery, Now 7 years later I'm thinking to myself will this be the year that this battery gives up
Since I bought the bike I have had it connected up to a trickle/maintenance charger that comes on for 7 hours a night to look after it. In the winter months when the bike is in it's VacBag the battery is removed and on the workbench.
Now that we are getting to the end of March I'll be dragging the bike out of its bag for a Oil & filter change and a few other pre-ride checks and wondering if this will be the year that the battery has given up
I remember from the old forum posts that members had made where the battery had died but were still unable to get the bike started even on a bump start as their needs to a certain amount of charge for the ICU to function.
Obviously I don't want to get stuck anywhere but then I want to see how long the thing will last.
Decision's decisions....
At 7 years old it isn't a question of whether it'll fail soon, just how soon. And what's a years worth of battery worth that you might be throwing away? 1/8th of a new battery price, which around my neck of the woods is about $150 for a high quality Yuasa. That's about $18 worth for the extra year you might get.
Now for that $18 what could happen .... Last time my battery completely failed on a ride. I was about 200 kilometers out in the never-never behind Sydney. Yes I was able to clutch start it, BUT it only ran correctly for about 10 kilometers. Then it started to miss. In a few more kilometers it was struggling to even get up a steep hill in first gear. I was able to struggle on to a service station still 150 kilometers from home where I left the bike. Got a lift home with another rider, thought I was going to die on the back of this idiot. Nice of him to give me lift, but he was still a maniac.
Hook up the trailer and drive back to the gas station, its about 10pm by this time and have to load the bike into the trailer on my own. Get home about midnight, unload the bike and go to bed about 1.00am.
All trying to save $18. Totally false economy.
P.S. I actually made a few inquiries trying to figure why the bike only ran for a short time. The most plausible explanation is that initially the collapsed batter has some charge in it, but that quickly drains and the charging system is maxed out trying to recharge the internally shorting battery, and run the head-light (head lights are permanently wired on in Australia). The ignition system just struggles for power and as the last of whatever is in the battery fades away, so does the ignition system.
From now on I plan to replace my battery every 5 years max.
Yes, 5 to 6 year is pretty well the life span on a motorcycle battery. I had an instance where my overhinght trip was ruined due to a failed battery. Luckily we were still in the city getting gas when it happened. I now have a voltage meter. I plug the meter in the cigarette lighter adapter every 2 weeks to check all my 3 bikes, before and after trickle charged. It should read a minimum of 12.4V after charging.
Last month I saw a fellow bought a Lithium Ion motorcycle battery. I was curious, so I asked him. He said it was about 25% more money compared to regular battery, it supposed to last longer, power delivery is steady till the last volt. I picked up the battery and it was very light, may even be half of the weight of a regular battery. If it is like the Lithium Ion battery on my drill, and doesn't start a fire like some cellphones, then I have no problem springing the extra money for it.
Anyone has experience with Lithium Ion motorcycle batteries?
At 7 years old it isn't a question of whether it'll fail soon, just how soon. And what's a years worth of battery worth that you might be throwing away? 1/8th of a new battery price, which around my neck of the woods is about $150 for a high quality Yuasa. That's about $18 worth for the extra year you might get.
Now for that $18 what could happen .... Last time my battery completely failed on a ride. I was about 200 kilometers out in the never-never behind Sydney. Yes I was able to clutch start it, BUT it only ran correctly for about 10 kilometers. Then it started to miss. In a few more kilometers it was struggling to even get up a steep hill in first gear. I was able to struggle on to a service station still 150 kilometers from home where I left the bike. Got a lift home with another rider, thought I was going to die on the back of this idiot. Nice of him to give me lift, but he was still a maniac.
Hook up the trailer and drive back to the gas station, its about 10pm by this time and have to load the bike into the trailer on my own. Get home about midnight, unload the bike and go to bed about 1.00am.
All trying to save $18. Totally false economy.
P.S. I actually made a few inquiries trying to figure why the bike only ran for a short time. The most plausible explanation is that initially the collapsed batter has some charge in it, but that quickly drains and the charging system is maxed out trying to recharge the internally shorting battery, and run the head-light (head lights are permanently wired on in Australia). The ignition system just struggles for power and as the last of whatever is in the battery fades away, so does the ignition system.
From now on I plan to replace my battery every 5 years max.
Freddy I must admit I agree with you, I really cant be bothered with being broken down somewhere with a duff bike.
It was the curiosity factor that kept me going, will it won't it last another year.... But to be out of power, and knowing my luck in the middle of nowhere is not on my list of biking experiences that I want nor need.
Many Thanks for your input
ZR468 wrote:Yes, 5 to 6 year is pretty well the life span on a motorcycle battery. I had an instance where my overhinght trip was ruined due to a failed battery. Luckily we were still in the city getting gas when it happened. I now have a voltage meter. I plug the meter in the cigarette lighter adapter every 2 weeks to check all my 3 bikes, before and after trickle charged. It should read a minimum of 12.4V after charging.
Last month I saw a fellow bought a Lithium Ion motorcycle battery. I was curious, so I asked him. He said it was about 25% more money compared to regular battery, it supposed to last longer, power delivery is steady till the last volt. I picked up the battery and it was very light, may even be half of the weight of a regular battery. If it is like the Lithium Ion battery on my drill, and doesn't start a fire like some cellphones, then I have no problem springing the extra money for it.
Anyone has experience with Lithium Ion motorcycle batteries?
This got me thinking about costs, I went onto Corby Kawasaki web site for a price of a new battery, around £127.00 it quoted, im not sure if that included Vat but deff not P&P.
I went onto Wemoto parts page and they have 2 to choose from £67 or £110, quite a big difference, not that I mind paying the extra for twice as much life out of a battery.
Thing is now you have got me thinking, shall I go for one of these modem gel or lithium types or just stick with the norm.... Anybody here had any experience with the newer types.
My experience with failed batteries (car or bike) has always been the same as Murphy obviously experienced prior to draft his famous Law. They never fail at a time and place that is convenient. Always either in the middle of nowhere, or when you're in a rush to get someone critical such as taking someone to the airport.
NEVER do they fail at home when you don't really care.
Freddy wrote:My experience with failed batteries (car or bike) has always been the same as Murphy obviously experienced prior to draft his famous Law. They never fail at a time and place that is convenient. Always either in the middle of nowhere, or when you're in a rush to get someone critical such as taking someone to the airport.
NEVER do they fail at home when you don't really care.
I guess i have been lucky, all of my batteries so far that needed replacment have dropped power slowly...
I'll use it to start the bike up in a few weeks when hopfully the weather cheers up a bit, then i think i'll just order one, just to be safe
The battery before the current one I'm using, just failed. Not a single warning sign. It was always on a tender, and I regularly checked the fully charged voltage. All indicated good condition.
In the middle of a ride, with the bike starting perfectly in the morning and a number of time that day, press the starter and the oil and neutral lights just instantly go out. Plates have collapsed internally shorting out the battery. So even with regular testing an aging battery that was fine on second may not be worth a cracker in an instant without warning.
