Shorai battery install

[FJRBluesman]

Just ordered one of these for the Bonneville from Motomummy, $139 with free shipping. The Yamaha 18 amp version lists at $169 shipped.

I just checked online at Motomummy, in the cart the 18AH also has a $5 "rewards" or discount, but not the 14AH. Still $139 shiiped is pretty good.

 

[Conrad]

Last winter after a few years of abuse my AGM no longer had the CCA's to start the bike. I put the recommended shorai battery in and checked voltage. It appeared to have the correct voltage so I tried to start the bike in 30 degree temps. Bear in mind I got the batt. because the bike hadn't been started in a while and doesn't do well if it sits for months. Long story short it didn't crank well in cold temps. In 30-40 degree, it would crank slowly, often too slowly. Rather than flood the motor, I let it sit for a minute or two while putting on my gear and hit it again and the battery would spin the motor and start it. At some point, I discovered that my slowly cranking cold FJR started much better if I cracked the throttle. I always thought the computerized injection would do it better with no input from me. Like a lot of injected motors, it gets a big shot of fuel in cranking mode and when it's cranking slowly a little extra air via the throttle helps tremendously to start and prevent an annoying flooded condition. Presently, the shorai is loving the warm weather and cranks the FJR's motor like it has no compression. That is a far cry from the anemic performance provided by either the OEM or subsequent AGM batteries. In cold weather, my bike is stored in unheated space, I give it a 2-3 second push on the starter and occasionally crack the throttle. If it didn't fire up, that serves as a warm up for the lithium ion battery and after a short time hit it again and it fires right up. It does not really do well initially in very cold weather but since most of miles are logged in warm weather, the shorai is worth the money.

 

[supertankerm60a3]

I put mine in about a month ago. Silver had gotten so bad that the clock would reset if I killed it with the kill switch and left the ignition on long enough to get my ID out and show it to the gate guard. In that much time it didn't want to crank and reset the clock. The Shorai will sit with the lights on for 15 min and fire it right up. Compared to the SLA it replaced it seems almost weightless. Scarey light, like it was for a toy. Granted, they are costly but not that bad compared to high end SLA batteries. IMHO the reserve capacity and weight savings pushed it over the top.

Alex, of Mishacycles, got me mine for less than these quoted prices. I bought my bags from him last year after he totaled his FJR in the rain. good place to go for these if you are interested in the latest thing.

https://mishacycles.com/store/

 

[Nuno]

Reviving the old Shorai Post!

I have a question in general for all owners of FJR GEN II and in particular for the ones o change from OEM battery to Lithium (less height battery).

Yours FJR lean left it no hands on bars? And lean even more with the change to Lithium Battery?

Thanks in Advanced

 

[supertankerm60a3]

Not enough to notice over the 'road crown' issue.

 

[Nuno]

Do not think it 'road crown' issue. The roads around here lean to the right and we drive on the right track.

I'm having these issues and are more perceptible with lithium battery (less weight.)
With lithium battery the right side of the bike has less 3.8kg

 

[ionbeam]

I know that it seems compelling that with less weight the bike would be unbalanced to one side, but that's not the way it works. Had you every checked to see if the bike pulled before you replaced the battery? Did you do any other maintenance at the same time as the battery change?

There are a number of FJR owners that have Shorai batteries and their bikes do not pull to one side as a result. Put a brick in your right side saddle bag to make up for the lighter battery and go for a ride. Did the bike stop pulling to one side on the same road in the same place? Something else is causing the pulling, it might be still be a road crown issue, or it could be tires or forks.

 

[mr.paul]

I have been running the Shorai for 2 1/2 years now with no "balance" issues. I think

You need to look elsewhere.

As far as battery performance goes, it has been great. You do need to warm the battery up when it is cold, but all that means is crank the starter. If it doesn't start right away, wait a few seconds and try again. It hasn't failed me yet, down to temps in the 20's. In fact, I deliberately tried starting it just above 20 degrees after it had been sitting untouched for 3 months in the cold garage. After I cranked, slowly, and then waited about 20-30 seconds, it fired right up.

Mr.paul

 

[Fred W]

Having a lighter battery would only make your bike more evenly balanced, if anything. There is no large counterbalancing weight present on the left side of the bike to compensate for the stock heavy battery.

In all likelihood, the reason that your bike is steering to one side is related to the alignment of your front forks. Even a small amount of twist in your forks will result in a pretty substantial pull to one side or another.

My '05's front forks were ever so slightly tweaked (bent) backwards when I struck a deer several years ago. I did not realize that it even happened at the time, but a while later when I had them off for service I put them back on the bike in a different orientation and had the steering pull. It wasn't until I indexed the fork legs and got them reoriented in the same direction that the steering became straight again.

 

[Nuno]

I know that it seems compelling that with less weight the bike would be unbalanced to one side, but that's not the way it works. Had you every checked to see if the bike pulled before you replaced the battery? Did you do any other maintenance at the same time as the battery change?
There are a number of FJR owners that have Shorai batteries and their bikes do not pull to one side as a result. Put a brick in your right side saddle bag to make up for the lighter battery and go for a ride. Did the bike stop pulling to one side on the same road in the same place? Something else is causing the pulling, it might be still be a road crown issue, or it could be tires or forks.

Thanks for the clarification.

I never had tested before!

Hands off the handlebar and the bike should not lean to the right or to the left; with the OEM battery or lithium battery, should just go straight.

If not going straight. Something in the suspension or tires can cause the bike to lean. OK!

I put the old OEM battery back in place and tested on the same road and others, the lean effect was perceptible but less pronounced.

When I changed to lithium battery did not do any more maintenance.

The last maintenance was performed at 6900Km ago; the suspension was checked and changed to Ohlin’s oil, new set of tires: Pirelli & Angel GT GT "A" to the rear wheel.

Obs:

The tires usually last 10 to 11.000km, the rear tire usually spend up faster, but this tire model I think the front has more wear at the moment

Already re-checked, and the setting of the suspension are on both fork legs standard 12 clicks hard to soft (rebound & Compression) and the spring preload standard 4 lines.

Tomorrow is going for the workshop.

 

[Nuno]

Having a lighter battery would only make your bike more evenly balanced, if anything. There is no large counterbalancing weight present on the left side of the bike to compensate for the stock heavy battery.
In all likelihood, the reason that your bike is steering to one side is related to the alignment of your front forks. Even a small amount of twist in your forks will result in a pretty substantial pull to one side or another.

My '05's front forks were ever so slightly tweaked (bent) backwards when I struck a deer several years ago. I did not realize that it even happened at the time, but a while later when I had them off for service I put them back on the bike in a different orientation and had the steering pull. It wasn't until I indexed the fork legs and got them reoriented in the same direction that the steering became straight again.

Tomorrow is going for the workshop, and the first thing to check is that you have said: “alignment of your front forks.”

The last maintenance can originated the left lean, but also I never tested before.

I want to put the lithium battery back in place!

 

[c10]

My Shori is almost two years old . Twice I left radar detector on , and drained it completely dead to 1 volt . It came back both times . Mine lives under the rides seat with PCV / autotune module . Easy to access in all conditions . Made new ground cable / positive cable .

 

[audiowize]

Mine lives under the rides seat with PCV / autotune module .

Can you put up a photo of your battery? I'm contemplating doing something similar.

 

[Nuno]

Battery relocation on a GEN2

 

[Spud]

From HaulinAshe in the other post.....

"And the last thing you want is that battery arc welding under your ass and right above the fuel tank vent as it drops a puddle in a crash."

That's a vivid image.....

 

[audiowize]

Battery relocation on a GEN2

Hmm, I have had nothing but trouble using that particular fuse holder on several car audio installations in the past. The cables just slip out. The same goes for that ground cable ring terminal. A tiny allen head set screw isn't enough to trust. A crimped and soldered terminal is much more reliable (look at all the factory electrical), at least putting adhesive lined heatshrink over the terminal could make it more trustworthy.

It's nice to see that the space is there, that should go on my projects list!

 

[karnal]

I had one of those style fuses on my older car for a car audio (sub + all speakers amp etc) - when I built my sub system for my newer vehicle, I used this (but higher amps):

https://www.amazon.com/CIRCUIT-BREAKER-REPLACE-12VDC-AUDIO/dp/B00FNA29GU

An awesome addition especially if you want to cut power to the system easily - just push the button. Should mount up in the same area. The barrel type fuse assemblies can get brittle and break over time given weather/heat-cold cycles.

 

[Nuno]

I know that it seems compelling that with less weight the bike would be unbalanced to one side, but that's not the way it works. Had you every checked to see if the bike pulled before you replaced the battery? Did you do any other maintenance at the same time as the battery change?
There are a number of FJR owners that have Shorai batteries and their bikes do not pull to one side as a result. Put a brick in your right side saddle bag to make up for the lighter battery and go for a ride. Did the bike stop pulling to one side on the same road in the same place? Something else is causing the pulling, it might be still be a road crown issue, or it could be tires or forks.

Thanks for the clarification.

I never had tested before!

Hands off the handlebar and the bike should not lean to the right or to the left; with the OEM battery or lithium battery, should just go straight.

If not going straight. Something in the suspension or tires can cause the bike to lean. OK!

I put the old OEM battery back in place and tested on the same road and others, the lean effect was perceptible but less pronounced.

When I changed to lithium battery did not do any more maintenance.

The last maintenance was performed at 6900Km ago; the suspension was checked and changed to Ohlin’s oil, new set of tires: Pirelli & Angel GT GT "A" to the rear wheel.

Obs:

The tires usually last 10 to 11.000km, the rear tire usually spend up faster, but this tire model I think the front has more wear at the moment

Already re-checked, and the setting of the suspension are on both fork legs standard 12 clicks hard to soft (rebound & Compression) and the spring preload standard 4 lines.

Tomorrow is going for the workshop.

After many tests on the front suspension and verify of the rear bearings, noting have been found to justify the bike to lean left.

7.500 Km and pair of Pirelli Angel GT thrown way for a new set of Bridgestone T30GT, now all seems to be ok!

 

[RossKean]

Another data point for problems with the Angel GT? You aren't the only one; no lean but a definite wobble before 5,000 miles.

 

[Nuno]

No! Only the leaning left...and the durability

I used two sets of Angel ST without any problems, have lasted ~ 11.000 km each set. The rear was the first to spend.
In this set of Angel GT the front spent first.