Manufacturer of a decent battery

RX1Jim

Registered
Hey folks,

I tell you, I have had it with bike batteries! I find the OEM battery lasts for several years, like 6-7 years, before they start to get weak and need replacing. I have had poor luck with aftermarket batteries. I can't get more than 2 years out of the replacement batteries. I just had the 2 year old battery on my ZX-11 die, it will not take a charge. I am using the OEM battery out of my 09 Busa in it for tomorrow's ride.

What battery manufacturer have you guys had good luck with?

I keep the batteries for all three of my bikes on battery tenders during the winter months.

Thanks,

Jim
 
Ballistic Lithium Battery is lights out :thumbsup: Super light weight and has a ton of cranking amps to get that big busa to turn over with ease. A little more pricier than the average battery but I for 1 have no problem paying more for a quality product that backs up its claims
 
Ballistic Lithium Battery is lights out :thumbsup: Super light weight and has a ton of cranking amps to get that big busa to turn over with ease. A little more pricier than the average battery but I for 1 have no problem paying more for a quality product that backs up its claims

+100 ^ Best battery I've ever owned/used! It's also about 1/3 smaller than the stock battery.
 
Hey folks,

I tell you, I have had it with bike batteries! I find the OEM battery lasts for several years, like 6-7 years, before they start to get weak and need replacing. I have had poor luck with aftermarket batteries. I can't get more than 2 years out of the replacement batteries. I just had the 2 year old battery on my ZX-11 die, it will not take a charge. I am using the OEM battery out of my 09 Busa in it for tomorrow's ride.

What battery manufacturer have you guys had good luck with?

I keep the batteries for all three of my bikes on battery tenders during the winter months.

Thanks,

Jim

That's the problem...:whistle:

Seriously, What the other posts say. Shorai is also a very good popular choice. I went w/ the Ballistic due to the fact that it was cheaper and I am able to use my BTjr. if I want to.
 
Hey folks,
I keep the batteries for all three of my bikes on battery tenders during the winter months.

Jim

That's your problem right there. Car/motorcycle batteries are not designed and are not meant to be kept on battery tenders. Battery tenders are for lazy people - like so many things being sold. If a battery tender is not working right, it is very likely to damage a battery. Just leave the battery alone, keep indoors, and charge after a prolonged period. Any modern gel battery would do fine, you don't need to buy anything fancy. The fact that you had a few batteries lasting only for a couple of years points to a different problem - either your charging system, your tender, or something else. You have to investigate and figure out the real issue - otherwise, it will persist no matter what battery.

Putting a battery on a battery tender is like feeding a person who is not hungry...

I may have a few suggestions, but reluctant to go into details unless you are really interested.
 
Yeah I cant speak for everybody but I had a battery go bad once after leaving it on a battery tender for an extended amount of time. After that I would only leave it on long enough till it was fully charged then I would unplug it. I would do this once a week and that battery lasted me for a very long time :whistle:
 
That's your problem right there. Car/motorcycle batteries are not designed and are not meant to be kept on battery tenders. Battery tenders are for lazy people - like so many things being sold. If a battery tender is not working right, it is very likely to damage a battery. Just leave the battery alone, keep indoors, and charge after a prolonged period. Any modern gel battery would do fine, you don't need to buy anything fancy. The fact that you had a few batteries lasting only for a couple of years points to a different problem - either your charging system, your tender, or something else. You have to investigate and figure out the real issue - otherwise, it will persist no matter what battery.

Putting a battery on a battery tender is like feeding a person who is not hungry...

I may have a few suggestions, but reluctant to go into details unless you are really interested.

Not to argue sir, but SLA batteries have been float charged forever. If the charging circuit is functioning properly the battery will remain at or near a 100% SOC.
 
Why not go with another factory battery? If the original lasted that long, why not stick with a good thing?
 
Not to argue sir, but SLA batteries have been float charged forever. If the charging circuit is functioning properly the battery will remain at or near a 100% SOC.

Robert, but how do you know that the charging circuit is functioning properly? You are hoping it is, and quite often it does function properly. However, when it doesn't, there is no indication... except having a damaged battery, and at the exact time when you need it most. My issue is that for most circumstances there is no real need for a battery tender. However, I am a big fan of having a V-meter installed on the bike - which I have - a simple analog unit which costs a few bucks out of China or RadioShack. It draws less than 1 mA of current - less than any battery loses all by itself. It is permanently connected to the battery, and allows to observe the voltage on the bike's battery at any time, including when riding. Occasionally glancing at V-meter makes it easy to learn the pattern, and makes it easy to identify any issue - weeks and months before any real problem resulting from it. Modern batteries lose around 1% of charge daily. Even after sitting for a month, an initially fully charged battery would start a bike because maximum CCA is more important than the battery capacity at that moment. Besides, what rider can stay away from his/her bike for long? Start her up, let her idle for 30 min - this will charge the battery pretty good. Or, use whatever charger to charge the battery for a few hours or overnight depending on the charging rate. That will do the trick.
 
I have a Deltran Battery Tender Jr. I've never used it. I ride basically every day. My '08 is still running on what the factory gave me. Too many people use them during winter months for them to be bad/poor quality. I've never heard anyone complain. It would be wrong to think that one has never failed. Eventually all things do.
 
I remember some people complained. Someone was serving overseas, and left the battery on a tender for about a year. When he got back, the battery was toast. Also, some people don't complain when it happens, and some simply don't realize what caused a battery to go bad. I think ultimately it is a personal choice, and my choice is to stay away from battery tenders.
 
I guess I have had good luck with tenders. I dont buy cheap ones thou,I buy ones that shut themelves off when nessecary and dont boil the battery dry.(also 900mh max).

I've had one or two bikes over the years...:whistle: and finally had to actually buy a battery last month. The bike I bought it for was a Busa that was new to me.

I'm trying one of those 1lb 10oz lithium Ballistic ones this time which I plan to NOT plug in even thou the manufacturer states that tenders may be used.

We shall see. Time will tell.

RSD.
 
...and to RX1jim...you sort of answered your own question. Buy a cheap battery get a couple years. Buy a Yuasa or similar,get many years.

These new lithium battery's....nobody will have that answer for 4 or 5 years. Check back with us then...:laugh:

RSD.
 
I remember some people complained. Someone was serving overseas, and left the battery on a tender for about a year. When he got back, the battery was toast. Also, some people don't complain when it happens, and some simply don't realize what caused a battery to go bad. I think ultimately it is a personal choice, and my choice is to stay away from battery tenders.
For all we know they pulled the battery and sat it on the concrete garage floor, that would do it. Also don't forget the affects of extreme temps on SLA batteries.
 
...and to RX1jim...you sort of answered your own question. Buy a cheap battery get a couple years. Buy a Yuasa or similar,get many years.

These new lithium battery's....nobody will have that answer for 4 or 5 years. Check back with us then...:laugh:

RSD.
Read up Rubbtha, those LI batteries can be shelved for a year and they are suppose to last 8+ years, but you'll never know because you swap Busa's every 8 weeks :poke:
 
I'm trying one of those 1lb 10oz lithium Ballistic ones this time which I plan to NOT plug in even thou the manufacturer states that tenders may be used.

If you bought the Ballistic one that only weighs 1.10lbs then you bought the wrong battery for your Busa lol
 
For all we know they pulled the battery and sat it on the concrete garage floor, that would do it. Also don't forget the affects of extreme temps on SLA batteries.

I'm not sure how and why a concrete floor would affect a battery, especially one connected to a battery tender. Also, don't know what SLA battery is and how/why it is affected by heat. I'd think that placement of bike batteries under bike's seat in general implies they will be subjected to a lot of heat, especially during summer months.

BTW, the original poster seems to be MIA - so, we are kinda revving the engines so-to-speak, and not going anywhere, LOL
 
I'm not sure how and why a concrete floor would affect a battery, especially one connected to a battery tender. Also, don't know what SLA battery is and how/why it is affected by heat. I'd think that placement of bike batteries under bike's seat in general implies they will be subjected to a lot of heat, especially during summer months.

BTW, the original poster seems to be MIA - so, we are kinda revving the engines so-to-speak, and not going anywhere, LOL
All you have to do is go to any decent battery manufacturers website and start reading their technical data. Example : Power Sonic Technical Section
 
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