New Battery

[CB]

Hey y'all, where is the best deal on a new battery? I'd prefer through Amazon since I'm on Prime, that would be awesome but doesn't have to be.  Maybe somewhere that has freeing shipping.

Thanks,
Carl

[Chrisj CMA]

Walmart

[Bronxboy]

Just replaced mine with a factory Yusa Battery from Honda Dealer, had no choice, was stuck down the road from them. It was right at $100 out the door.

[Jess from VA]

https://www.amazon.com/YUASA-YTX14-BS-Maintenance-Free-Battery/dp/B000WJX4BQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490131059&sr=8-1&keywords=valkyrie+yuasa

Don't even need Prime.

[Flrider]

I usually get the Yuasa YTX14H-BS. 

YTX14-BS  = 200 Cold Cranking Amps
YTX14H-BS= 240 Cold Cranking Amps

https://www.amazon.com/Yuasa-YUAM6RH4H-YTX14H-BS-Battery/dp/B000N5ST3C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490133187&sr=8-1&keywords=Yuasa+YTX14H-BS

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yuasa-Perf-MF-Battery-YTX14H-BS-fits-Suzuki-LT-A400F-KingQuad-400-ASi-YUAM6RH4H-/231442120260?hash=item35e3067e44:g:XvMAAOSw7ThUqKBC&vxp=mtr

[Jess from VA]

However, the higher CCAs generally don't last as long.

With mine on a tender for their whole lives when I'm not riding, mine last a long time.   

[Flrider]

However, the higher CCAs generally don't last as long.

With mine on a tender for their whole lives when I'm not riding, mine last a long time.   

OK, I need to get a battery also so shed some light on your experience.

You hook up to the battery tender whenever not riding?

How long is a long time?

Why is it that the CCA generally don't last long?

[Jess from VA]

OK, I need to get a battery also so shed some light on your experience.

You hook up to the battery tender whenever not riding?

How long is a long time?

Why is it that the CCA generally don't last long?


Hey Jack,

Well first of all, on general longevity, I was remembering some other (more technical) person on here's explanation that more CCAs in the same size battery tended to burn out the cells quicker (or something like that), all other things being equal.  Esp if the amps are not generally needed.  And they aren't needed in FL for sure, assuming you aren't running all manner of draws from bolt-on lights, heated gear, electronics, yada all the time.  It isn't like you have to go out and start it in North Dakota winters. I have not used the higher amp battery, I was only repeating what CA or some other guy wrote here a while ago on the higher CCA batteries.

I have kept multiple bikes on Battery Tender Jrs (and one Plus model/bigger unit) (not trickle chargers with no brain) for many years.  My first Valk battery went 11 years.  It did not die on me either, but when the bike started taking 2-3 seconds to turn over every time, when it usually turned over nearly instantly (during riding season, not after sitting in the winter), I replaced it.  I was wanting to see just how long I could get, but that can be hard on an alternator (learned that on here), and after 11, I figured I got my money's worth (and did not want it die hard all at once, somewhere out in nowhere).  My other bike, I changed after 7 years or so, also because it started to take a few seconds to fire.  It did not die either.

I get the Tenders, with long extensions, wire the pigtail to the battery and zip tie it down around a rear passenger peg on the frame.  As soon as I pull in, I shut the petcock off, key off, and reach over and plug my tender into the pigtail.  I don't unplug it until I ride again.  I don't take them on trips.  

A full charge (causing the Tender to go into float mode) produces a green led on the unit plugged into the wall socket.  I look for a green LED every time I go out to ride.  That tells me my battery is optimized.  Usually, after a ride, as soon as I plug in (charging all day) I get a green led, but once in a while I get a red led, which means it's charging.  I have several times sat and waited, and it goes green in 30 seconds-2 minutes, every time.  Heat and cold are hard on batteries, and I attribute the occasional short charging cycle after running all day to heat.

I have never overcharged (or cooked/destroyed) a battery, or damaged it in any way from this practice.  Now I keep two bikes, but because it is hard to get the one tight against the wall so the other will fit in my shed next to it, my routine for about 10 years is to ride one for around 4-5 months, then switch.  And I used to have 4-5 bikes, and this is why I started doing things this way.  I did not want to be pulling and storing batteries in a warm house all the time.  I also keep a smaller tender on my battery started big generator.  I do not believe this will cause any appreciable increase in your electric bill either.

These tenders run under $30 apiece and I think they pay for themselves in battery longevity, and in a nice confident feeling that every time I go out to ride, my battery is in top condition.

And if you go out and find a red led, something is wrong.  And BTW, if you read the directions on your new Yuasa, you will find the BT Junior lacks sufficient amps to charge a newly filled battery.  So I use my big 2/10/50 charger for that (on 2 for x hours).  I think it would probably be OK to charge a newly filled battery with the Tender, but that is the most important charge a battery ever gets, so I try to do it by the book.  Also, if for some reason, your battery loses all it's charge, a BT Junior lacks enough push to bring it back up to snuff, and (from experience) it won't even try, and it will give you a false green led instantly. So never use a Tender to charge a dead battery, they are just to maintain a good, charged battery.   

It is also my understanding that as soon as a battery is turned off from it's machinery charge system, it starts to sulfize (decay of cells).  Routine use, like in big cars with big batteries, makes them last a long time anyway, without charging.  But bike batteries are small by comparison.  So I think even if you run the bike twice a week, year round, all the down time in-between allows the sulfizing to proceed to decay the cells, over time.  I think this is proved out by all the guys who seem to change batteries out every 3-5 years, that are never (or rarely) on a charger.  By being on a small amp charger 24 X 7, they just don't get any downtime to sulfize, or the process is slowed as much as possible (of course, they don't/can't last forever).

This is the newest model, and even cheaper than mine were.  https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S

[CB]

Just replaced mine with a factory Yusa Battery from Honda Dealer, had no choice, was stuck down the road from them. It was right at $100 out the door.

Yea I took mine up to the AutoZone to get a load check on it and came up bad. They wanted the same amount for theirs. Glad I have a choice.

[CB]

https://www.amazon.com/YUASA-YTX14-BS-Maintenance-Free-Battery/dp/B000WJX4BQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490131059&sr=8-1&keywords=valkyrie+yuasa

Don't even need Prime.

That's the one I had my eye on...

[CB]

OK, I need to get a battery also so shed some light on your experience.

You hook up to the battery tender whenever not riding?

How long is a long time?

Why is it that the CCA generally don't last long?


Hey Jack,

Well first of all, on general longevity, I was remembering some other (more technical) person on here's explanation that more CCAs in the same size battery tended to burn out the cells quicker (or something like that), all other things being equal.  Esp if the amps are not generally needed.  And they aren't needed in FL for sure, assuming you aren't running all manner of draws from bolt-on lights, heated gear, electronics, yada all the time.  It isn't like you have to go out and start it in North Dakota winters. I have not used the higher amp battery, I was only repeating what CA or some other guy wrote here a while ago on the higher CCA batteries.

I have kept multiple bikes on Battery Tender Jrs (and one Plus model/bigger unit) (not trickle chargers with no brain) for many years.  My first Valk battery went 11 years.  It did not die on me either, but when the bike started taking 2-3 seconds to turn over every time, when it usually turned over nearly instantly (during riding season, not after sitting in the winter), I replaced it.  I was wanting to see just how long I could get, but that can be hard on an alternator (learned that on here), and after 11, I figured I got my money's worth (and did not want it die hard all at once, somewhere out in nowhere).  My other bike, I changed after 7 years or so, also because it started to take a few seconds to fire.  It did not die either.

I get the Tenders, with long extensions, wire the pigtail to the battery and zip tie it down around a rear passenger peg on the frame.  As soon as I pull in, I shut the petcock off, key off, and reach over and plug my tender into the pigtail.  I don't unplug it until I ride again.  I don't take them on trips.  

A full charge (causing the Tender to go into float mode) produces a green led on the unit plugged into the wall socket.  I look for a green LED every time I go out to ride.  That tells me my battery is optimized.  Usually, after a ride, as soon as I plug in (charging all day) I get a green led, but once in a while I get a red led, which means it's charging.  I have several times sat and waited, and it goes green in 30 seconds-2 minutes, every time.  Heat and cold are hard on batteries, and I attribute the occasional short charging cycle after running all day to heat.

I have never overcharged (or cooked/destroyed) a battery, or damaged it in any way from this practice.  Now I keep two bikes, but because it is hard to get the one tight against the wall so the other will fit in my shed next to it, my routine for about 10 years is to ride one for around 4-5 months, then switch.  And I used to have 4-5 bikes, and this is why I started doing things this way.  I did not want to be pulling and storing batteries in a warm house all the time.  I also keep a smaller tender on my battery started big generator.  I do not believe this will cause any appreciable increase in your electric bill either.

These tenders run under $30 apiece and I think they pay for themselves in battery longevity, and in a nice confident feeling that every time I go out to ride, my battery is in top condition.

And if you go out and find a red led, something is wrong.  And BTW, if you read the directions on your new Yuasa, you will find the BT Junior lacks sufficient amps to charge a newly filled battery.  So I use my big 2/10/50 charger for that (on 2 for x hours).  I think it would probably be OK to charge a newly filled battery with the Tender, but that is the most important charge a battery ever gets, so I try to do it by the book.  Also, if for some reason, your battery loses all it's charge, a BT Junior lacks enough push to bring it back up to snuff, and (from experience) it won't even try, and it will give you a false green led instantly. So never use a Tender to charge a dead battery, they are just to maintain a good, charged battery.   

It is also my understanding that as soon as a battery is turned off from it's machinery charge system, it starts to sulfize (decay of cells).  Routine use, like in big cars with big batteries, makes them last a long time anyway, without charging.  But bike batteries are small by comparison.  So I think even if you run the bike twice a week, year round, all the down time in-between allows the sulfizing to proceed to decay the cells, over time.  I think this is proved out by all the guys who seem to change batteries out every 3-5 years, that are never (or rarely) on a charger.  By being on a small amp charger 24 X 7, they just don't get any downtime to sulfize, or the process is slowed as much as possible (of course, they don't/can't last forever).

This is the newest model, and even cheaper than mine were.  https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S

Wow!! Great info, thanks! I think I'll add one of these to do the same....

[Flrider]

OK, I need to get a battery also so shed some light on your experience.

You hook up to the battery tender whenever not riding?

How long is a long time?

Why is it that the CCA generally don't last long?


Hey Jack,

Well first of all, on general longevity, I was remembering some other (more technical) person on here's explanation that more CCAs in the same size battery tended to burn out the cells quicker (or something like that), all other things being equal.  Esp if the amps are not generally needed.  And they aren't needed in FL for sure, assuming you aren't running all manner of draws from bolt-on lights, heated gear, electronics, yada all the time.  It isn't like you have to go out and start it in North Dakota winters. I have not used the higher amp battery, I was only repeating what CA or some other guy wrote here a while ago on the higher CCA batteries.

I have kept multiple bikes on Battery Tender Jrs (and one Plus model/bigger unit) (not trickle chargers with no brain) for many years.  My first Valk battery went 11 years.  It did not die on me either, but when the bike started taking 2-3 seconds to turn over every time, when it usually turned over nearly instantly (during riding season, not after sitting in the winter), I replaced it.  I was wanting to see just how long I could get, but that can be hard on an alternator (learned that on here), and after 11, I figured I got my money's worth (and did not want it die hard all at once, somewhere out in nowhere).  My other bike, I changed after 7 years or so, also because it started to take a few seconds to fire.  It did not die either.

I get the Tenders, with long extensions, wire the pigtail to the battery and zip tie it down around a rear passenger peg on the frame.  As soon as I pull in, I shut the petcock off, key off, and reach over and plug my tender into the pigtail.  I don't unplug it until I ride again.  I don't take them on trips.  

A full charge (causing the Tender to go into float mode) produces a green led on the unit plugged into the wall socket.  I look for a green LED every time I go out to ride.  That tells me my battery is optimized.  Usually, after a ride, as soon as I plug in (charging all day) I get a green led, but once in a while I get a red led, which means it's charging.  I have several times sat and waited, and it goes green in 30 seconds-2 minutes, every time.  Heat and cold are hard on batteries, and I attribute the occasional short charging cycle after running all day to heat.

I have never overcharged (or cooked/destroyed) a battery, or damaged it in any way from this practice.  Now I keep two bikes, but because it is hard to get the one tight against the wall so the other will fit in my shed next to it, my routine for about 10 years is to ride one for around 4-5 months, then switch.  And I used to have 4-5 bikes, and this is why I started doing things this way.  I did not want to be pulling and storing batteries in a warm house all the time.  I also keep a smaller tender on my battery started big generator.  I do not believe this will cause any appreciable increase in your electric bill either.

These tenders run under $30 apiece and I think they pay for themselves in battery longevity, and in a nice confident feeling that every time I go out to ride, my battery is in top condition.

And if you go out and find a red led, something is wrong.  And BTW, if you read the directions on your new Yuasa, you will find the BT Junior lacks sufficient amps to charge a newly filled battery.  So I use my big 2/10/50 charger for that (on 2 for x hours).  I think it would probably be OK to charge a newly filled battery with the Tender, but that is the most important charge a battery ever gets, so I try to do it by the book.  Also, if for some reason, your battery loses all it's charge, a BT Junior lacks enough push to bring it back up to snuff, and (from experience) it won't even try, and it will give you a false green led instantly. So never use a Tender to charge a dead battery, they are just to maintain a good, charged battery.   

It is also my understanding that as soon as a battery is turned off from it's machinery charge system, it starts to sulfize (decay of cells).  Routine use, like in big cars with big batteries, makes them last a long time anyway, without charging.  But bike batteries are small by comparison.  So I think even if you run the bike twice a week, year round, all the down time in-between allows the sulfizing to proceed to decay the cells, over time.  I think this is proved out by all the guys who seem to change batteries out every 3-5 years, that are never (or rarely) on a charger.  By being on a small amp charger 24 X 7, they just don't get any downtime to sulfize, or the process is slowed as much as possible (of course, they don't/can't last forever).

This is the newest model, and even cheaper than mine were.  https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S

Jess

Thanks for your response  :cooldude:and I have to say that 11 and 7 years is definitely getting your money's worth out of those batteries.
Mine don't last as long, I think they last me about 4 years or so.
I have heard from others that sometimes if one is to leave the batteries hooked up to battery maintainers you don't really know if your battery is going bad.
The battery I am going to replace is currently not holding the charge, I can hook up the trickle charger and when it gets to a full charge it switches to a float/maintainer charge and the light switches to green, the only way I found out that the battery is going bad is that it does not hold the charge if not hooked up, leaving it hook up all the time means I would never know until it finally takes a crap after I get on my way.

Would be interesting to know how many years are the rest of the Floridians getting out of their batteries.

[Bronxboy]

One minute mine was working strong, Very next try, she crap the bed. I guess when there done there done 

[CB]

One minute mine was working strong, Very next try, she crap the bed. I guess when there done there done 

Exactly what happened to me...took a ride with friends most of the day and didn't have a problem starting it. Made one last stop before getting home and it wouldn't even turn it over, no head light, no nothing. Luckily got a jump and made it home. New battery is in now along with the battery tender...I'm hoping for more the 2 1/2 years on this one. 

[Bronxboy]