(...)Solution: wait a few seconds with ignition on before cranking, like maybe the batt needs to warm up?? (...)
yes
my experiances last 3 years are :
if the lithium battery gets under around 15-18 °C / 59-64 °F
you have to "remember" her for around 1 minute with ign & lowbeam light (around 6-7 A) on, that she has to work.
every 5°C lower the lith needs around 30 seconds more.
in my ´90 FJ 1200 i have extra front lights (110W) + bi-xenon (as lowbeam 35W) + taillight (2 x21W)
summ = 177 W / 12 V ~ 14 A
with that Amperes my lith needs at 12°C around 1.5 minutes to "wake up"
additional info:
the self-discharge of a lith is less than 1% per month
the self-discharge of an acid is at 3-5% per month
and
the loss of capacity of an acid is really strong - it looses 30% capacity after one year - irretrievably .
a lith don´t know the word "loss of capacity".
so read in a test in a bike´s newspaper some 2 or 3 years ago
(i tested mine : for 4 months in winter time on the bench in a non heated workshop without any charger and the lith´s indicator said she were ok / full)