Motorcycle Batteries

[SouthPaw]

I have two of these maintainers and they have worked great for over three years now on multiple bikes. Harbor Freight sells a maintainer as well.

Foval Automatic Trickle Battery Charger 12V 1000mA Smart Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Z2NFWW...ing=UTF8&psc=1

[colorider]

I’ve been running Shorai batteries for several years in my bikes. Carbed Ktm and now a carb 2021 Beta 300. They are super light and have massive cranking power. Have had zero issues.

[Duman]

Lead-Acid batteries: OK, reliable, long life IF and ONLY IF kept on battery tender when not riding. Otherwise expect to replace every 12-18 months if bike stored in cold weather during winter.
Li-Ion batteries: Neighbor has one, weighs ~2-lbs. vs. the Pb-Acid battery (several pounds). Requires special Li-ION battery charger when in storage. He's had his for several years. Tons of power.

When my battery goes, I'll probably get a Shorai Li-ION replacement.

[Grant H.]

Well, sounds like somebody could use a better tune. If I had a fuel injected bike that didn?t fire right up on the first time it would ruffle my OCD.

Fair. It has needed to go back on the dyno again for a while.

[CHA-LEE]

Each Battery Type (Lead Acid vs Li-Ion/Poly) has decent advantages for specific use cases.

Lead Acid Batteries
These are best for general use cases for daily drivers in varied weather conditions. Their significant performance advantage is that they provide consistent cold cranking amperage in cold weather conditions. These batteries are also priced decently and there are a boat load of existing Lead Acid compatible chargers and battery tenders on the market that support them. The primary negatives are their liquid Acid construction which can lead to leaks or spills if the battery is exposed to extreme tipping angles. They are also heavier than a Li-Ion/Poly battery because the lead acid Anode/Cathode is LEAD and lead is heavy.

Li-Ion/Poly Batteries
These batteries are best used for high performance recreational or racing use cases which can expose the battery to extreme tipping angles and every pound of extra weight matters. The primary advantage is that the Li-Ion/Poly battery construction is based on solid or paste style components which are not affected by the physical position of the battery. Basically put, when you wreck or lay down a bike with a Li-Ion/Poly battery you don't have to worry about Acid leaking out of the battery. In high performance racing scenarios using lighter weight components does matter. Using a light weight Li-Ion/Poly battery is a great way to cut extra weight. The primary disadvantage to using a Li-Ion/Poly battery is that its cold cranking amperage is significantly reduced in cold weather conditions. If you daily drive a vehicle in the winter months then using this type of battery isn't the best because there is the potential of it not having enough cold cranking amperage to start the vehicle on the really cold days. Another significant disadvantage is that the potential combustion of the battery if its over charged or pierced is high. These batteries will catch on fire if they are over charged excessively or get pierced during a wreck. The over charging situation isn't an issue when using Li-Ion/Poly style trickle chargers or battery tenders. But if you try to use a Lead Acid style charger on a Li-Ion/Poly battery it can create an over charging scenario that could cause the battery to combust. Basically put, these batteries are not idiot proof when it comes to charging them. The last negative is their cost which is usually 2 - 3 times of a Lead Acid battery.

The basic Motorcycle Use cases are this.....

Daily Drivers, Cruisers, Street Bikes, Varied Temp Riding, etc = Lead Acid

Recreational Offroad, Racing, Track/Trail riding, Regular tip overs, etc = Li-Ion/Poly

Regardless of battery type you prefer to use, if your bike is sitting for weeks or longer between rides, its best use a trickle charger/battery tender to keep the battery topped off while its sitting. This proactive trickle charger/battery tender advice applies to pretty much any vehicle that is sitting unused for long periods of time. That is if you don't wont to ruin batteries and replace them frequently because they become too discharged while sitting unused.

[TFOGGER]

The LiPO4 batteries I sell have integrated battery management systems, which reduce or eliminate any over charging issues, as well as eliminating the need for a special "balance" charger. For most applications, they have the same form factor as the original battery as far as physical dimensions and terminal locations, making installation much easier than some of the lightweight racing batteries. Unless there is a parasitic draw (like a clock or alarm system), maintenance chargers are only needed if storing for more than 60-90 days.

[arbol]

Very good information, thank you everyone!

Grant, I'd love to explore a Super Capacitor solution long term, but short term, I guess I just need a battery.

Cha-Lee, thank you very informative post, and I think I fall firmly in the lead-acid camp. I only drop my bike when it's an oopsie.

SouthPaw, thanks for the trickle charger link.

Thanks all.

[00tec]

I have had absolute shit luck with every battery type that I have ever installed in a vehicle (except the odyssey in an ATV)
Up to almost $300 batteries in the cars are toast within 2 years. I'll just buy cheapest whatever from now on.

[arbol]

Batteries will do that to you. They are evil.

[brutal]

Yuasa AGM.

Have to keep any of these on a tender when not in use for extended periods.

I like this one for AGM batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1