Need a new battery

[Duane Ausherman]

Sorry gspd, but I differ on this one.

I have no clue about OEM batteries today. I can tell you that as a dealer back in the last century, some 40 years ago, the OEM batteries were not good. No amount of fussing with the factory recommendations on how to charge and take care of it actually worked out well.

That is pollitically correct for saying that they were crap. The Japanese batteries were far better on average. Personally, I would not buy a BMW battery for my motorcycle.

We have better technology today.

[gspd]

I have no qualms about using aftermarket stuff, if it's as good, and cheaper, than OE BMW.

I would buy a Yuasa, or other brand lead acid battery if they made one with flush posts and if it could use unmodified stock wiring and didn't break my tool tray AND if it was significantly cheaper than a BMW battery..

I personally haven't had a BMW battery fail on me, ever.
I replace mine every 5 years or so as PREVENTIVE maintenance.
I check the acid level maybe twice a year and top it up with distilled water when necessary (rarely).

I would NOT use gel batteries in my bike even if I had a free supply of them.
I can't afford the inconvenience of being stranded miles from nowhere.
I often go riding alone in remote places where nobody would ever find me if I had a breakdown or crash.
I don't usually even tell anybody where I'm going before leaving or when I'll be back,
and no cell phone.
nobody would go looking for me even if I disappeared for months; they wouldn't even know where to start looking.
And I'm fine with that.

BTW Duane -
Maybe things have changed in the past 40 years,
when I worked for BMW (90's), we had very few defective battery issues,
the problems with them were almost always with guys that let their bikes sit all winter with the clock on and/or no trickle charger.

[CVA-42]

I won't recommend one type over another, but if you DO decide to get an AGM, Beemer Boneyard currently has about the best deal out there. Plus they're running a sale on the smaller size. It fits the /5 perfectly.

[Duane Ausherman]

We had batteries fail in warranty, which was only 6 mo. We even had a few fail brand new out of the box.

I am glad that they are better today. So now they are only way over priced? I am greatly relieved.

Sometimes it was quite embarrassing to be a BMW dealer.

[Robert C]

I just put in an Xtreme AGM Valve Regulated batterythat ('81 R100RT) I got from Batteries Plus. $134.99 w/o sales tax. Two year warranty. I am quite satisfied with the AGM in my Ducati. Dimensions are slightly different, but battery goes in easier than stock. I had to reverse the top hold down strap but that was it. So far so good.

Bob

[hank2]

I've had good luck with the often maligned BMW Exide gel battery in the SWB /5 size. It lives on a gel battery type Deltran charger year round, when I'm not riding. Current battery is over 5 years old. I have a Transpo 14.2 v voltage regulator on my '72 /5 which should be all wrong for this battery. Maybe I've just been lucky. I bought it when I was in a hurry for a battery for what turned out to be a misdiagnosed problem. Cost was about $92. at that time at a discounting dealer. Current BMW price is something like $175., which would cut me out of buying another one.
The battery I replaced with the gel was a Panasonic LC-X1220P AGM for the smaller swb size. This battery lives on my workbench and I only top it off about twice a year. This battery is about 6.5 years old and holds 12.65 v for months. I use it once in a while for powering timing lights and testing. Cost was about $50. when I bought it, now about $70 -$90. Batteryplex.com and Digikey carry this model.
While I haven't had premature failure with these two batteries, I have had the sudden failures others have spoke of with AGM car batteries. Including fairly pricey ones.
Good luck!, hank2

[Duane Ausherman]

I have no idea how long a battery lasts in my vehicles, as I change them out before they fail. If my car battery warranty is 60 months, I get rid of it around that time, or earlier if I find a sale on them.

A car battery is about $1 a month, so why try to squeak the last few months out of it? I don't like being stranded at midnight in the rain just because I was trying to save $5 of battery life. Duh!!

I also carry very heavy duty jumper cables that I make myself out of the welding cable used in cell sites. I use them often to assist others, but seldom for my car.

[Roy Gavin]

I had two Oddesys fail prematurly like GSPD says, one start fine, next start just dies under load. They still read good volts with no load. Another off brand jel the PO put in the G/S did the same thing. So 3 out of 3 for me.

It is hard to get anything in Adelaide other than cheap Tiawan off brand - even the Yuasa distributer sticks his labels on them, or he did last time I was in. They come dry charged , with a little six pack of acid bottles that you trickle in. They are semi sealed. no vent pipe and never need topping up. From the lawn tractor shop half the price of the bike dealer.

The one in my lightly used R75 has been in 4 years and still works fine even after a couple of months idle.

[gspd]

I had two Oddesys fail prematurly like GSPD says, one start fine, next start just dies under load.

Did I really say that? hmmm

The term prematurely is subjective.
What exactly constitutes a premature failure?
after 1 yr? 3yrs? 5? 7?

For me, it's not so much about how soon they might fail,
they will all fail sooner or later
it's more about how suddenly and totally they fail when they do.

You can kick or bump start a bike with a weakening lead acid battery.
When a gel battery dies, it's dead as a doornail, amp wise, it won't even power the ignition enough to bump start the bike.



I don't know technically why this is, I am just relating my personal observations.

[Zombie Master]

I bought a Yuasa for $70. not a maintenance free, but it required no change in wiring or anything else for that matter. The only thing that is a problem for me is that I can't easily see the fluid level.

With the cheap availability of smart chargers we should be able to get years more service from our batteries....if we plug them in.

Add one of these....better than a happy finish!
.....and you can plug you vest into it!
http://www.motosupply.com/product_info. ... 84497a18ef