Best replacement battery. 2005 ABS

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Candyman

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Well the 2nd battery is now dead. Got about 3.5 years out of it. Been a good one. Anyhow I see alot of information on newer technology batteries, and discussion on preper CCA for the FJR. Now I am really confused. So waht is everyone using and what are the correct CCa rating for an FJr. Thanks in advance.

 
I read, Ended up more confused.. I have a westco 12v14b-4 now, but I see a discussion about it not having the correct CCA for the FJR

 
My '07 with 92,000 miles is still on the OEM Yuasa. I don't see any reason I should consider anything else when it eventually dies. I would be pissed if I only got 3.5 years out of a motorcycle battery. Never use a battery tender and just top off the charge a couple of times in the "off season".

 
My '07 with 92,000 miles is still on the OEM Yuasa. I don't see any reason I should consider anything else when it eventually dies. I would be pissed if I only got 3.5 years out of a motorcycle battery. Never use a battery tender and just top off the charge a couple of times in the "off season".
My '07 after 5.5 yrs and 66+K miles still has the original OEM battery in it too. Generally sits 2-3 months in the [relatively mild Carolina] winter while maintenance occurs, never once been on a tender, and never once let me down. Fires right up every spring and all yr. long.

 
So here's my story.

Headed to dealer for inspection prior to a overnight ride, Friday Night of course. Get to stop sign, battery dies, well been giving it some charge for a couple weeks.. So call wife, only battery in town was at the Interstate batteries dealer not far away. No one had the size I needed for the Feejer, in stock at least.

So she shows up with this Shorai battery LFX 14A1; she passes it to me and it almost floated in my hands. OK, this can't be right. So we call the dealer and he said, yes it's the right battery. Now this is a lithium ion and it hosed us for over $240.00. No choice, got to go with it.

Well, put it in with all the padding and stuff, because it's really small. They give you the padding that works fine.

Bike fires right up. Good to go....well not so fast.

I get back to ride every other week. Each time the battery is not so confident in cranking. I mean it's just a slight hesitant when it fires up the bike.

I am thinking well, something is wrong with it. I read all the instructions again and it says it needs to have a minimum of 13.9 - 14.7 volts to function properly.

A ride on this past weekend to the ROT in Austin and we stop for a bit. The temp is 95 and the fan blowing as I turn the bike off. We decide to move on and it won't crank..unk unk unk unk...oh WTH!!! I knew it. Well, I wait a bit and let the bike cool for 10min and fan is not on. Well now it cranks up.

Well, this past Monday I take it to the place we bought it. The guy puts the voltmeter on it and it reads 90% charge and 13.47volts. He says it's fine. I show him on the box that the battery needs to be at 13.9; this battery isn't for this bike right? He says yea, it's supposed to work.

He ask if I can boost up the regulator on the bike; I said no.

Well, I am going to take it back and request a normal battery, hell everything they got is cheaper than the lithium. I sure the battery is awesome, I was happy to have it. but unless any bikes charging system is perfect to keep it up to 13.9V, then it won't work.

Anyone have a similar experience with this battery. I don't want to squawk bad on it just yet. Just a testimony if you were considering it.

 
The Shorai batteries and their competitors have reported issues with cold weather operation. The bike's electrical system is designed (so to speak) for AGM battery technology.

Again, having been through issues with several (3) Motobatt aftermarket batteries I dumped the Motobatt and bought the OEM brand, which is Yuasa. It is working just fine, thanks.

 
The Shorai batteries and their competitors have reported issues with cold weather operation. The bike's electrical system is designed (so to speak) for AGM battery technology.
Again, having been through issues with several (3) Motobatt aftermarket batteries I dumped the Motobatt and bought the OEM brand, which is Yuasa. It is working just fine, thanks.
I can say from my recent experience with a MotoBat and I am not impressed. I put the oem back in and it is fine and showing 14.1 on the Datel. The MotoBat never showed 14.1, ever, even new. I kept the OEM in the basement and charged it every few months. At rest it was 13.21 after three years of sitting but tended. I just think the OEM is the best bet for us until the others catch up. Just my experience and I will never own another MotoBat.

 
I installed a Shorai this spring, small and much lighter and a few good reviews around, I popped down the cash and installed it. On my recent 8 day tour from Vancouver Island down to California and back (must say I am in Love with Hwy 36 west to east in Cali)

If the bike was hot and the fan running for any length of time before shut down, it was awful at starting while hot, so bad that it must be registering as not connected, because my tripmeters would reset to zero on more than one occasion. The cranking actually improves if you just keep trying it unlike the stock battery, when it was low, it would just get less and less able to crank the motor.

I monitor the charging on the bike with a meter and there is nothing wrong with the alternator or regulator, it is this damn lithium battery. I am going to try and take it back to the shop as it was recommended by them and doesn't do the job.

 
... "never once been on a tender" ...

Are you mentioning this with pride? It's prudent to check the voltage periodically and charge when necessary.

It's recommended that the battery be kept fully charged -- 12.8 volts or higher.

 
Ok, just another 2 cents.

I installed the Shorai lithium IRON battery last spring. I got the larger of the 2 batteries listed for my 2006 FJR. I have run it in all kinds of weather and I am so far, calling it a success.

The only oddity I can even pull out, is that in weather near freezing, it will initially crank slowly. . If you couldn't start on the initial attempt, they tell you to wait 30 seconds and try again. It has rarely been necessary to do this, but it works. I confirmed this late this past winter, when after not riding for 4 months, I tried starting the bike at about 22 degrees fairenhiet. The first attempt cranked too slow. After waiting 30 seconds, it spun like summertime and fired right up. Works for me.

My original battery lasted 6 trouble free years and I only replaced it because I figured I was was on borrowed time. It had never left the bike (not counting recall work) and had been on a battery tender Jr. on and off during the winters. So far, I have faith the Shorai will do the same or better. In incidentally, the Shorai wasn't kept on the tender all winter.

Mr. Paul

 
... "never once been on a tender" ...
Are you mentioning this with pride? It's prudent to check the voltage periodically and charge when necessary.

It's recommended that the battery be kept fully charged -- 12.8 volts or higher.
Gimme a break. Riddle me this Batman: if your car or truck sits for a week at a time b/c you're riding in the fine weather, do you hook the battery to a battery tender b/c "it's prudent"? Maybe go out in the winter b/c it snowed and remove the battery and bring it indoors to keep it warm and charged up b/c "it's recommended"? I'd bet not. See my sig below......

 
I have the original battery in my 2008 and it's never given me any issues. It's never been on a charger or tender since I took delivery of the bike new in Oct. 2008. I've got a long trip coming up and I was wondering if I should replace it as a preventive measure. After reading this thread I think I'll just stick with it. Probably as likely to have trouble with a replacement battery as the one that's in the bike now.

 
I just tape together a bunch of D batteries - is that wrong...?
Just use Boeing's Dreamliner technology and put them in an explosion and fire proof box and you are good to go. The shrapnel and fireball should be contained when you push the starter button :lol:

 
I just tape together a bunch of D batteries - is that wrong...?
Just use Boeing's Dreamliner technology and put them in an explosion and fire proof box and you are good to go. The shrapnel and fireball should be contained when you push the starter button
laugh.png

Oooo, can I watch?
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