Ref Battery

[taximan]

Not sure if this battery is big enough for the bike.

Theres no volts amps or any marking on it, Im just going by measurements across the top ie 145mm x 90mm. There is room for a bigger one in its holder ??

[Andre]

Dimensions of a couple replacement batteries that are listed for the 14.
L x W x H (mm) 151x87x145 or 152x87x146

Theres no volts amps or any marking on it

That would be a very good reason not to use it.

[Speedy1959]

My bike is a 2005 and I am pretty sure my bike has its original battery (Yuasa).
When weekend comes (If its not peeing down...And I remember) I shall record the sound of the start up on my bike which will be its first start up for 25 days.
Remember my bike has NO battery charging of any sort and lives outside under a cover...
Its starts in seconds and so I doubt very much that the ECU is complaining about low voltages!

We shall see.... Just watch it not start now I have pre boasted about how good she is !!!

[grog]

Speedy, youre very lucky. what youre doing is the perfect way to kill a battery. discharged in cold conditions. buy yourself a smart charger, battery will appreciate it.

[Speedy1959]

Then it appears I have been "lucky" for the past 9 bikes I have owned.
In fact when I originally had bikes I didnt even use a cover and they lived outside..
Yet I never had battery problems..

Best hope my "luck" continues.

As I said in another post, power to my bike is not an option without resorting to an extension cable.
Rain isnt good where extension cables are concerned.

[Andre]

Thinking positive goes a long way

Would your battery last longer being taken into the warm and put on a smart charger? Probably.

Will the ECU complain if your battery is only charged say 50%? Nope. Doesn't mean things run optimally. Will you notice? Probably not.

Without taking any care battery will usually last 5 years. If you are lucky a few years more. For the cost of an average battery: who cares? Most people don't and do just fine. If it dies a call to the road service and you are on your way again.

I care but don't have a charger and the battery is sitting together with the bike for 6 weeks in the cold. Will it start when I push the button? Positive thinking says yes. Positive thinking also says that I will have plenty left in the budget to buy a smart charger this year. That makes me happy. If the battery dies before then, I am going to be more happy because I can buy a new battery with more amps. Hell, I may buy a new battery even if the old one is still alive 

[grog]

Sorry, dont understand at all. A good charger is less than $150. I have 3 vehicles, use it all the time. Leaving it to luck,your choice i guess. Hitting yourself in the head with a hammer is another choice. More luck i also guess.

[ARH]

My perspective... for what its worth.... its a no brainer.   My bike also sits outside under a cover and does not get used for the winter... Battery is always connected to a trickle charger.   Don't want the hassle of looking forward to a first run after winter layup and then find I cant go because the battery is gubbed!  I also use an extension... designed for external use with relevant protection from the elements.  Done it this way for 4 years now with no issues at all.

hey...each to their own tho 

[seth]

I'm sure there is no need for anything to get personal with all this battery chat .

I have an optimate so i use it .

before i had one the bikes sat all winter (november-march with 2 weekend  runs in February most years) with no problems thats just how it was .
Now the batteries are getting on i suspect do they benefit from the optimate use.

I've used a motobatt batteries in the past (on the bking) with no problems but also heard lots of stories about them not lasting very long.

As for lithium batteries i don't know much other than they are very light and very powerful for starting and if they ever run flat they are ruined .

My only other experience with betteries is with wheelchair batteries as I've been a wheelchair engineer the last 21 years so have passed on my experience and training knowledge earlier in the thread.


As already said each to thier own and hopefully all is good when folk start using thier bikes again.