Battery life?

[atomicalex]

Is five years decent for an MC battery? I'm getting more and more frequent hard starts (harder than normal for an F650 ) and occasional funky running (more funky that usual for an F650 ). This leads me to think that with a five year old battery, maybe I should invest in a new one? The one in the bike right now is dated 7/07, and I have to top off the cells every 1000kms or so. Two cells in particular lose water at a noticeable rate.

Signs of impending doom? Or just a stupid BMW?

[pknopp]

IMO 5 years is great for a motorcycle battery. I don't seem to get them to last that long.

[Paul@VWvortex]

IMO 5 years is great for a motorcycle battery. I don't seem to get them to last that long.

I tend to think that if you can get 3-4 years of usage out of a motorcycle battery that you are doing very well. I keep my bike on a battery tender if it is sitting for more than a few days and also make sure that it is filled with the appropriate distilled water.

[atomicalex]

Ok, so I will plan to replace it then. Apparently they are sold dry here, and you have to let them sit after filling for overnight. That is new to me. I don't even remember having to fill a car battery.

[pknopp]

Ok, so I will plan to replace it then. Apparently they are sold dry here, and you have to let them sit after filling for overnight. That is new to me. I don't even remember having to fill a car battery.

All of them I have ever bought have been this way.

[Paul@VWvortex]

All of them I have ever bought have been this way.

Ayup. These days they give you the acid in a multi-celled container that you pour directly in and then add distilled water onto the top.

In the old days companies like Yuasa and Bikemaster who distributed through Tucker Rocky sent you the batteries dry and then sent you these bulk acid boxes that distributed the acid like one of those old tubed milk boxes. It was a messy and semi-dangerous process and I recall plenty of low-level burns on my hands as a result of that.

The upside was that you could take those acid-filled boxes when you first cut the tube and vent all of the acid gasses into huge trashbags... then tie them off when they filled, gather a bunch of those bags together and put them in an empty closed dumpster. Then follow up with a remote slow-burning fuse tied to one of them and then wait about a half hour. The combined explosion of about six trash bags in a full size dumpster would blow the unit over far enough to make it jump off of the ground and relocate itself about six feet.

Not that I helped do that or anything.

[atomicalex]

Multi-celled what? I get a litre bottle of it and a funnel, apparently. I have to call around tomorrow and see who has what in stock. But, I have part numbers now. FSM love the internet.

Four more starts!! Four more lousy starts!! I feel like I am yelling at the starter in my stupid Rabbit.





and um, our garbage bags top out at about 30l. And I can only imagine the trouble I would get in. Need to save that trick for work.... :angel:

[atomicalex]

and.....

It started this morning, finally. Good. But then I thought, why completely trash it, why not just take the Golf and not worry about it?

hahahahahahahahahahahshahahahahahah!!!

Not only was the battery in my stupid BB dead, so was the battery in the stupid Golf!

Just enough starts to get me home, please... I will even walk to the shop to get the battery at this point.

[pknopp]

I would never own a bike I couldn't kick start.

[atomicalex]

Next one... see my drooling in the R65 threads.....

Only place to get a battery is down town. Ok, I'm ready.....

[turbinepowered]

I didn't have to mess with filling my battery, I bought an AGM battery. Sealed, service free, four year warranty.

[Snowhere]

Filling motorcycle batteries is still the norm. I can't say I have ever burned myself, but I am pretty darn dexterous. You should only need to let it sit a about an hour, but if you have a slow charger, why not hook it up over night to ensure a good charge?

5 years for a motorcycle battery is pretty good. I keep my bike on a 2amp charger for a hour a day over the winter and I get about the same life. In my climate, 6 years is about max life. The days of kick start are long gone, say 30+ years sailed away. But you should be able to push start most bikes, BMW excepted!

[thescirocco.com]

The upside was that you could take those acid-filled boxes when you first cut the tube and vent all of the acid gasses into huge trashbags... then tie them off when they filled, gather a bunch of those bags together and put them in an empty closed dumpster. Then follow up with a remote slow-burning fuse tied to one of them and then wait about a half hour. The combined explosion of about six trash bags in a full size dumpster would blow the unit over far enough to make it jump off of the ground and relocate itself about six feet.

Not that I helped do that or anything.

Nice, now I know what to do with the extra container of battery acid.

I went with a lifetime warranty battery from Cycle Gear... It's more expensive, but so worth it, since I only get about 2 years out of them, and it's a totally hassle free exchange.
http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product...6?registry_id=

[atomicalex]

Thank you all for the infos.

I filled it up last night, had to siphon a bit out this morning, and put it in. OMG, so that is how the bike is supposed to start! Who knew the headlamp was that bright? lol @ me. I'll check it again tonight to make sure the cells are still filled up properly - ie bubbles have worked their way out - and check the running voltage to make sure the regulator is good.

I was so excited to get a battery last night that I forgot to grab a charger. My fancy computerized Schlumberger is back home, charging batteries for the MIVErs. eh, I needed a 220V one anyway. Will a bike charger do a car battery?

[pknopp]

Nice, now I know what to do with the extra container of battery acid.

I went with a lifetime warranty battery from Cycle Gear... It's more expensive, but so worth it, since I only get about 2 years out of them, and it's a totally hassle free exchange.
http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product...6?registry_id=

Cool, thanks for the link. I'll likely do the same the next time.

[pknopp]

Will a bike charger do a car battery?

12 volt is volt. Generally a bike charger has small clips though.

[spockcat]

The days of kick start are long gone, say 30+ years sailed away. But you should be able to push start most bikes, BMW excepted!

Can you push start a fuel injected bike with a dead battery? Especially if they need a fuel pump to pressurize the fuel system?

[matt007]

battery tender plus will charge from empty to full and keep a maintenance charge, well worth the $

[PlatinumGLS]

battery tender plus will charge from empty to full and keep a maintenance charge, well worth the $

They are $30 - mine is always on the tender when I am not riding.

[turbinepowered]

Can you push start a fuel injected bike with a dead battery? Especially if they need a fuel pump to pressurize the fuel system?

Totally dead probably not, but "dead" as in "not enough to turn the starter" probably.