Starting my bike in a cold morning resets my digital clock to zero. People in the bmw forum say it is either time to replace the battery or change to a lower weight motor oil. In the past, I have waited until the battery wouldn't take a charge before I replace them. Do you replace your battery with life left in it?
Where to replace battery?
- Thread starter Hank Wong
- Start date
busapassion
Well-known member
Replace the battery. It's dropping below 9.6 volts under a load.
JO EBRMC
Is idjut
If it is dropping that much voltage, it is definitely going to die soon and before it does it will leave you stranded somewhere.
Feanor
Unmasked
I read the thread title the same way :laughing
But actually, I replaced my OEM battery with a Speedcell type lightweight battery that is much smaller so the new battery is much more to the left of original
ST Guy
Well-known member
Look at the clock resetting as a warning that your battery is on it's way out. Or that your charging system is beginning to fail, or has. After the new battery is in, check charging voltages.
How old is the battery you replaced?
Oh, and if you're using the recommended oil weight and it's a full synthetic, don't bother switching to a lighter weight oil. It wouldn't make any noticeable difference. And it doesn't get that cold around here anyway.
How old is the battery you replaced?
Oh, and if you're using the recommended oil weight and it's a full synthetic, don't bother switching to a lighter weight oil. It wouldn't make any noticeable difference. And it doesn't get that cold around here anyway.
louemc
Well-known member
You call that Life?
ScottRNelson
Mr. Dual Sport Rider
The battery in my KTM was fine if I kept it topped off with a charger. But a week of riding two miles, letting it sit half a day in the cold, riding it two miles, repeat twice a day for a week, had it unable to start a high compression V-twin. It's much better with a new battery. I still consider the old battery to be "good", but should probably just recycle it.
hayabusafiend
boxing twins
Replace the battery and install a Battery Tender harness while you have the fairings off.
Buy a Battery Tender Jr 12VDC:
http://batterytender.com/motorcycle/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html
$40
Buy a Battery Tender Jr 12VDC:
http://batterytender.com/motorcycle/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html
$40
ST Guy
Well-known member
Beware of any battery that's been filled and charged by anyone with you. If it's been sitting on the shelf for any period of time, it may be severely discharged and partially sulfated. I'd bring a meter with me and measure the voltage. If below 12.6, walk away.
My preference is to buy them dry so I can add the acid myself and know that it's really fresh and properly prepped and fully charged. 'Does wonders for battery life and performance.
ST Guy
Well-known member
Poor battery. Two miles is no where near enough to replenish the battery after it's expended the energy required to start your bike. No wonder you had to keep it topped of with a charger.
ScottRNelson
Mr. Dual Sport Rider
When the weather is good it gets ridden further, but that's the "commute" distance. I regularly hook my batteries up to the charger if I don't get out for any longer rides on the bikes. They all have Battery Tender plugs, so it just takes a few seconds to hook one up or to switch from one bike to another.
As soon as we get a bit more daylight at both ends of the day I'll switch to a bicycle and stop dealing with batteries.
Feanor
Unmasked
... and kicks it with his forehead! :laughing
Feanor
Unmasked
I'm no battery guru, but with the knowledge I have of lead acid batteries and the special charge mode that is required for them on the lithiumPoly, NickleMetalHydride, Nicad, alkaline whiz bang charger I use for my RC applications, there was a long discussion in the instruction manual for the Lead Acid and/or lead acid sealed batteries where they said it was crucial after the battery was fully charged to apply a float charge to it, to not overcharge it and to never let it discharge below 75% (i.e. deep cycle it)
It also said something about if the battery was maintained on a float charger while it was in storage that it would essentially last forever.
I'm not sure what the exact chemistry involved there is, but after every ride without fail, I used to plug my OEM battery into the battery tender in the garage like it was an electric bike (easy access pigtail)
If someone was religious about doing this would you expect to see insane lifespans on lead acid batteries? Or is there some inexorable degradation of the chemicals and materials that would warrant you replacing them at interval no matter how well you took care of it? Kind of like how some say to replace a helmet every 5 or so years even if you rarely used it...
ScottRNelson
Mr. Dual Sport Rider
Does the same apply to AGM batteries? That's what was and is in my KTM.
I've found the life of most batteries to be 5-6 years in cars or motorcycles. I've had a few bike batteries die sooner, but I've never had any battery go much past six years. I thought I was going to do what with the 1997 Ducati Monster that I used to ride, but crashed it and killed the battery just past the six year point.
I highly doubt that a battery will last significantly longer if kept on a proper float charger. But I would love to see evidence that proves otherwise.