Batteries

[Evie]

Anyone bought a battery lately?   I,m due for a new one and I see that there are sealed, gel and lithium Ion available...LI's are very expensive.    I've always had a sealed battery & never had a problem with starting, but it's 6 yrs old and due for a replacement.  Any suggestions?

[Tfrank59]

You'll probably get a lot of different opinions on this forum but mine is buy a yuasa and you won't be sorry. I think the last one I bought for my Valkyrie was a sealed one and that was a few years ago. I don't even put the trickle charger on it cuz I ride all year round and I haven't had one single hiccup trying to start even in cold cold weather

[Edvalk]

I'll second the suggestion for a yuasa battery. I've had one for 6 years and it was in the valk when I bought it so I'm not sure how old it is.

[1NorthRyder]

I just ordered the Yuasa YTX14H-BS Battery this morning. I should have it on Thursday. I had a Yuasa on my other bike and was very happy with it.

[Hyde]

I got one locally from batteries plus last fall and its actually been great. Think its a Duracell, I was in a bit of a pinch and couldnt wait for one to get shipped but it has been excellent! Sat without starting for at least two months and cranked right up.

[Jess from VA]

This is all you need.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJX4BQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Make sure you do the initial charge, with fluid and electrical juice, exactly as they instruct.  Do not plug the holes until after the initial charge, and use the low volts to charge, and charge duration, they call for.  It's the most important charge any battery ever gets, for longevity and health

[Gideon]

I got one locally from batteries plus last fall and its actually been great. Think its a Duracell, I was in a bit of a pinch and couldnt wait for one to get shipped but it has been excellent! Sat without starting for at least two months and cranked right up.

Batteries Plus  
I am on my second one. I was very pleased with the first one. After six years I thought it best to replace it. Plus I was going on a trip to the Pocono Mountains in PA. The salesman said it should last another two or more years, but I still purchased a new one.
NOTE - I keep my bike on a Battery Tender whenever I am not riding.  

[Hook#3287]

Yeah, what Jess said

I did that the last battery I needed and it was quick, easy and cheap.

[cookiedough]

Yuasa on Amazon under 65 bucks

[Fazer]

Make sure you do the initial charge, with fluid and electrical juice, exactly as they instruct.  Do not plug the holes until after the initial charge, and use the low volts to charge, and charge duration, they call for.  It's the most important charge any battery ever gets, for longevity and health

I put one of these in the old girl on Saturday, and I sure don't remember reading in the manual that comes with it to charge before plugging the holes.  It does say to let it sit for an hour or so before charging and to charge at a suggested rate of 1.4 amps, no more than 2 amps for six to 12 hours.  I will take a look tonight and see if my dyslexia (it's a disease terrible) has got me again.

[Jess from VA]

Make sure you do the initial charge, with fluid and electrical juice, exactly as they instruct.  Do not plug the holes until after the initial charge, and use the low volts to charge, and charge duration, they call for.  It's the most important charge any battery ever gets, for longevity and health

I put one of these in the old girl on Saturday, and I sure don't remember reading in the manual that comes with it to charge before plugging the holes.  It does say to let it sit for an hour or so before charging and to charge at a suggested rate of 1.4 amps, no more than 2 amps for six to 12 hours.  I will take a look tonight and see if my dyslexia (it's a disease terrible) has got me again.

Fazer, here is the Yuassa instruction manual (PDF)  http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/TechManual_2014.pdf

And I looked for it too, and it seems to not say that (around page 15).  But it does say to let it sit for an hour after adding electrolyte before charging, and the battery sure does a lot of blowing fumes during that hour, and maybe that hour (before charging) is when the caps should be left off.  There is a vent on one side that you unplug (that you put a vent line on when in the bike).  I'm sorry if I gave incorrect advice, it was based on memory.

I sure seem to recall it saying to leave the caps off during part of the initial activation. (in the written instructions that came with my batteries)

But check this Yuassa video out.  Here, they say to only loosely cover the holes with the caps during the initial hour wait after charging. (at 3 minutes) And they also leave those caps loose during the entire first charge.  I don't see a lot of difference between loosely covering and not covering (other than maybe a drop or two on the bench).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpg10yp4duo

[Fazer]

Jess--I forgot to look at the manual, but your explanation sure makes sense.  I filled the cells, installed the plugs and waited an hour before charging.  My charger turns off at 2 hours, so I restarted it and it turned off in about an hour with a FULL message.  I installed the battery in the bike and she fired right up.  I left it on a tender for a day, and since then the two times I have ridden started right up.

 

[Fazer]

Jess--I just looked at the link to the manual you included.  My instruction sheet was not nearly long as the manual you posted.   It started on about page 17 of the one you linked.  It clearly states to fill the battery with the bottles, then insert the plugs.  Let stand for 20-60 minutes and charge.  I think the important thing is to not use too high of a current when charging.  I fly model airplanes as a hobby and to maintain batteries as long as possible we use a charge rate of 1C which is the capacity in milliamps (I think.)  For example the YUSA is a 14 amp battery so 1C charging is 1.4 amps which is printed on the battery itself.  I used one of my RC plane chargers because I could regulate the charge rate.

I am sure charging the way you described in your original post would not harm the battery.  I'm certainly not an expert on batteries.

[spongebob]

I have a 04 BMW R1200C... it came with the BMW gel battery.
This battery is the only one that BMW says to use...
I got tired of buying a battery EVERY stinking year.
I had the BMW gel battery charger for it...
I took the gel battery out and measured it 10 times...
Ordered a Yuasa battery that I thought would fit....
Been in there now 3 years..... cranks that higher compression motor with no problem..
In Valkyrie... Only Yuasa batteries....

[Danny McMillin]

Evie...As a Buddy and I discussed your post today, I just can't help but ask....You have a battery that has lasted six years, with no problems, and is still giving you service....and your question is "what battery should I buy"??

I would buy the exact brand, and size as you have been running for six years. You have answered your question, before you asked it!! And so it goes!!!

[john]

 YTX14H-BS is an up grade from stock ... good choice
 

[kodiakfisher]

Here is a great 16ah battery I purchased. Been great thus far. I figure 30% more AH over stock is a good thing for these Valks that are sensitive to start voltage.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AC6XAEA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[h13man]

Yuasa on Amazon under 65 bucks

$67 2 wks. ago.