New Battery in 2003 Standard

[carolinarider09]

Have not had a chance to ride my bikes very often over the past 8 weeks or so.  But I try and start and let them run at least once a week.  

The battery in my 2003 Valkyrie Standard was last replaced in November of 2018.   It would don't start with I tried this past weekend.   It would turn over, maybe once and then nothing.   The fact that it actually turned over once had me confused .

All the bikes and other "things" are connected to battery maintainers.  I take them off for a while each month when they are not being ridden, otherwise they stay connected, as does my 1996 Massey Ferguson Tractor which gets little use these days, but I digress.

I checked the voltage at the battery with a volt meter.  Normal voltage but, when the start button was pushed, it would drop to 1 or 3 volts..   So bad battery confirmed.  

Called the gentlemen I had done business with in the past.  He had/has a local motorcycle shop about 20 miles away.  He is the owner.  Was going out of business he said last year but, when I rode by (on the ST1300) on Labor Day, he still had bikes in the showroom (small showroom).  

So I called him on Tuesday, and he had a battery in stock.  The only difference is the battery in the Valkyrie was a Yuasa YTX14-BS.  The battery he had was a BTX14-BS which is made by BS Batteries which appears to be a French firm.  Oh well, it looks the same and I have one in another bike. Will have to check and update the post.

After installation, bike started right up. No issues.  Now for a short ride tomorrow.  

Will review this post later.  Have to do something now.  Don't think there are any errors but....

[da prez]

I went with a lithium and bought the charger at the same time. Bike sits more than ever due to caring for my wife. It has never been on the charger since the initial feeding.
 Bike spins fast and starts fine.

                   da prez

[RonW]

if you don't mind me asking how did you pick the lithium battery that you bought? There's many.

[DragonRdr]

I went with a lithium and bought the charger at the same time. Bike sits more than ever due to caring for my wife. It has never been on the charger since the initial feeding.
 Bike spins fast and starts fine.

                   da prez

I'm in the same boat, my wife was diagnosed with Dementia last year and I'm now her full time care taker. On her good days I can get out on the bike's for a little while, but not as much as I'd like. I had planned on going to Laconia for their 100th this year but it was a no-go. I've spent most of my summer just working on the bike's. I know she misses riding too. I sold her Honda Rebel last year because she can't ride or drive a car anymore.

Thoughts and prayers to you and your wife.

 

[f-Stop]

if you don't mind me asking how did you pick the lithium battery that you bought? There's many.

I chose the lithium currently in the Valk because Batteries Plus had an internet sale which made the battery only $10 more than the replacement AGM battery...


Been 14 months now and the bike cranks strong and starts easy even after long stretches of non-riding due to the extended heat wave we've been enjoying here in Central Texas.

 

[da prez]

Going byemory???? I believe it was $140.00.  Charger is different so I got a matched set.

                 da prez

[Chrisj CMA]

I went with a lithium as well. And got a new charger too. A couple hundred bucks but I’m hoping the lithium battery lasts longer. We shall see. It’s been great for eight months or so now and it’s he charger is way better than my old one.

[carolinarider09]

Just an update, no issues with the battery.  So I think it will be good.

Regarding Lithium Batteries, I am sort of wary of them but I have not used the "big" batteries.  All my issues have been with the small rechargeable lithium batteries used in power tools and the smaller batteries used in electronic devices (security cameras). 

I have a battery powered drill (forgot the brand name but it's well known) that has lithium batteries.  I don't use it as often as I have used similar devices in the past so the batteries don't get swapped out as often.  Battery was going down on the drill so I put the standby battery in the charger.  No joy.   Battery would not charge. 

Looked on line and found it was not that uncommon.  The fix was to take a small nine volt battery and connect it to the rechargeable lithium battery and wait a few minutes.  Then pop it in the charger.  It worked and charged to indicated full charge on the charger. 

Left it off again and it, again, dropped down to zero.

Had/have the same issue with rechargeable lithium batteries used in my security cameras.  If they (ones not being used in a camera) sit too long they will lose all power and not recharge until you give them a boost. 

Gives me grave concern on using lithium batteries.  But...