- Moderator
- #31
I am using a Lithium battery now about the last 6 months. So far so good. Holds a full charge even when sitting for several weeks. Really has a lot of cranking power. Time will tell.
battery life
- Thread starter fogrider
- Start date
i'm glad i read this thread. went out and checked the trike today everythings fine. ridin mower was showin red, checked with meter dead, unplugged tender re-plugged back on green.
09 TG. Battery 3 1/2 years old. Been using battery tender for last 6 mos.
Died while I was 6 mi from home.
Called HD dealer 12 mi away. Svc mgr sent mechanic with new battery.
Took about an hour waiting, and 1/2 hr to install and test elect system.
So grateful, since dealer did not have to do this.
Would have had to call a friend, or get towed, if dealer had not offered to fix.
What a great guy. Said he had been stuck sometimes himself, called dealer, and they didn't help him. So he tries to help anyone he can.
What great svc.
Lesson learned. 3yr replacement cycle from now on....
09 TG
19000 mi
Pasadena, CA
Died while I was 6 mi from home.
Called HD dealer 12 mi away. Svc mgr sent mechanic with new battery.
Took about an hour waiting, and 1/2 hr to install and test elect system.
So grateful, since dealer did not have to do this.
Would have had to call a friend, or get towed, if dealer had not offered to fix.
What a great guy. Said he had been stuck sometimes himself, called dealer, and they didn't help him. So he tries to help anyone he can.
What great svc.
Lesson learned. 3yr replacement cycle from now on....
09 TG
19000 mi
Pasadena, CA
I keep mine on the tender. My old wide glide battery is 8 years old and I think I will buy a new one this spring.
I replace mine every 3 years if it needs it or not, I had one burst once a made a mess and never quit rusting and the damage was irreversable....Lesson learned:gah:
The one in my 01 RK lasted 9 years and it gave me about 10 days notice that it was going, but, I know that's unusual. As stated, most just die here and now. And, since HDs run everything off of the battery, there's no nursing a dead battery home. The bike won't run on just the alternator, so I'm told.
Funny story. I bought a new one at the HD dealer and the parts guy said most replacements don't last that long, because the factory has a "super charger" to make the originals last longer. I'm 55 and I must look stupid, I guess. What a salesman he was! And, new one was $180.
I also use a tender anytime it sits for more than a couple of days. Unheated, uninsulated, gravel floor, tin barn.
Funny story. I bought a new one at the HD dealer and the parts guy said most replacements don't last that long, because the factory has a "super charger" to make the originals last longer. I'm 55 and I must look stupid, I guess. What a salesman he was! And, new one was $180.
I also use a tender anytime it sits for more than a couple of days. Unheated, uninsulated, gravel floor, tin barn.
sportytrike
40+ Posts
I bought my trike used in 2005. I don't how old the battery was then but I always keep it on the tender unless I'm on a trip. Any way I got nervous last year and replaced it. It was still cranking away but I just didn't want to risk it any longer.
YEs I have and make sure your charging system has the correct charge rate or the battery will not last long.. Found this out on my 32 amp charging system..
Rule of thumb if its a three year battery three years one month,four year battery four years one month ,five year battery five years one month ,six year battery GOOD LUCK, and dont ride alone.
I know "squat" about charging rates. It's a regular GL1500 Wing and their reference chart recommends this battery. What do you think?
A battery tender is designed to "MINIMALLY" charge your battery, it will not charge your battery. the only way to assure a full charge is to charge the battery with a 2 amp trickle charger until fully charged (proper specific gravity) and then plug it up to your tender for it to keep it charged with sometimes less than 100 mili amps. If your battery develops a short "inside" two plates it will still start your bike, but if during a ride another plate is shorted then you will not have enough power to restart your bike. The problem is you will never "see" this happening without daily records of your battery's performance. Most never do this. The best advice is replace every three years.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/file...M-009_0611.pdf
To keep this battery optimal it will need at LEAST a 13.5 charge rate. That includes at idle.
This battery will not last as long as they say if not kept at the the charging rate. See attached PDF..
I had this same battery on my older Harley.
Last edited:
try this one from interstate battery
Part # .. CYTX24HL-BS
Part # .. CYTX24HL-BS
Just replaced the battery in my recently aquired (7-14-2013) 1994 Kawasaki Vulcan/tow-pac. Seemed to start the bike ok at first; then started cranking slower; so to be safe, I replaced it. I keep a tender hooked up whenever the bike is in the garage...just a habit i developed over the years. Battery life is kind of unpredictable...sometimes 2 yrs.; sometimes 5 yrs. Usually i'll replace at 3 just to be safe. Pushin ain't fun!
Is wally world still around??
Keep your charge rate between 13.5v & 15v. If you get over 15v there will be more damage than just your battery. Don't trust the gauge in the dash, use a Volt meter once in a while to check the charge rate at the battery.
That's what we in NH call, Walt Mart. Ever Start is the name of the battery they have in the store.
Regards,
Rosy & Janice
East Penn Mfg makes the OE harley battery for HD. It is an AGM glass mat battery. East Penn is the manufacturer of the Deka brand of batteries. So if you want the OE battery without the HD price, look for a Deka dealer and buy an ETX series for your trike and bikes. Most auto parts stores that carry Deka should have them. We do as an auto parts warehouse.
The last HD battery I bought ($186) sucked. Lasted less than 13 months, replaced it with one from Advanced Auto ($135) and the HD battery never started the bike like the AA one.
My experience with bike batteries is when they die they don't die like car batteries, they just DIE. No warning, nothing. That is the reason I change mine out in both my Harley and my Wing every three years, regardless of performance. No one wants to be caught in Mexican Hat Utah with a dead battery. I know one guy that wanted as long as he could, and when it died it was 11 o'clock at night and no one around to help. Not worth it.
Any experiences with 'jumping' a dead battery when away from home?
Many years ago I could push-start my old 750 honda if dead, can newer bikes still be pushed, pop cultch to start?
Many years ago I could push-start my old 750 honda if dead, can newer bikes still be pushed, pop cultch to start?
Jumping a battery is something you do as an absolute last resort and then when you do you have to be oh so careful you don't surge the electrical system and zap the ecm or other electronics.
You can't push start the FI bikes like the old carbureted bikes of the past.
Mine went 3 years almost to the day that we bought it. At house so no problem.
Dennis
Dennis
And there you went and said Harley Davidson -- price went up another $5.
OH, but it is worth it!
I understand about the EFI no push start. Didn't think about that. Ah, the good old days of push starting cars and bikes!!
I was thinking about possibly making a short jumper using the connectors like on the trickle charges to jump on bikes 'in' connector to another bikes 'in' connector for jump start! Seems workable to me?
I was asking because my wifes 07 Sportster with original battery has been working fine BUT she just had LEDs installed and I decided to get a new battery before it had a problem at a bike-night or something. :>)
BTW, this is the longest I've had a battery in a bike/lawnmower, etc. Old fat Boy battery went 5 years. Battery in '07 Victory Jackpot was dead when I bought it in '09 and they replaced. I'm positive the key to battery longevity is 24/7/365 trickle charger, especially during winter. I reconnect ours every time we return home after being out.
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