battery options

[oldyam80sg]

Has anyone tried the Optima line of batteries for the bike? I had one in my Jeep but was curious what was out there for motorcycles.I tried Walmart but they only seem to last a year or so.

[Montreux_Blue]

I was going to get one but the price was a little steep, figured the flooded lead acid one for $40 compared to $89 - $168 for an AGM optima type battery would be good enough!

And I read this before I decided too - http://www.vonwentzel.net/Battery/01.Type/index.html

[Jerry]

Do a search on batteries and you will find several threads that examine the pros and cons of using sealed batteries. I run an AGM sealed, maintenance-free battery in my XJ. Main reason is that I like to run long trips a few times a year, 2K miles or more, and don't miss pulling the battery for fluid checks, let alone carrying de-ionized water. While sealed batteries don't guarantee a longer service life than conventional lead-acid batteries, anecdotal evidence suggests they do last longer. I am on year 6 with mine.

Other advantages include no acid to spill in an accident, and no acid fumes that can cause damage to your side covers. IMHO, if you have the budget for one, go with a seal, maintenance-free battery in your bike.

[soccer4m]

go sealed battery

Yes, Like Jerry said, the sealed batteries are the way to go. They hold the charge through the seasons, last longer, eliminate the dreaded hassle of removing, adding water, hooking back up. Bottom line on my five bikes, I would never go back to unsealed batteries. The sealed are about double the price, unless you buy on ebay and worth four times the price of the cheapies. Westco batteries are great batteries, and deliver quick. I have the sealed on bikes from 400cc to 1100 cc. and they are stronger and last years longer than the unsealed. Good luck,,,,Mike in Sun Diego

[fredintoon]

Hi oldyam,
what usually does bike batteries in is vibration when in use and neglect over winter. Costlier batteries are more vibrationproof but die of neglect as quickly as a cheap one. My bike batteries seemed to die over winter regardless of how I nurtured them so I tossed the old battery every fall as part of the winterizing process and bought a new one in the spring. Now I am running a 400cca car battery in my sidecar rig and it's going into it's 5th winter.

[oldyam80sg]

I contacted the manufacturer regarding the battery and the warranty.They told me that the battery should be charged once a month regardless of the charging system.The guy told me that if i charged it once per month and the battery did not start with the charger hooked up to it then he would pro rate the battery.I took it to an auto arts store and they said it was good.So i will see the next time i start it.

[oldyam80sg]

I went to the auto parts store the other day to get a part for my Jeep.I saw on the shelf several motorcycle batteries made by Deka that required no charging beforehand.They were absorbed glass mat batteries.Price wasn't too bad either-less than $85.00.

[webbcraft2150]

I don't know about Optima batteries for bikes but if they are anything like there car batteries, it should be a really good battery. I finally went with a AGM battery for my G and wished I had done it years ago. The AGM was $85 at Battery Specialists with a two year warranty. I do not miss the hassles required to pull and check the water on "old" style batteries. The bike can sit for a week or more (thats a sad thing) and I don't experience the slow cranking I would get with the old style battery. My on board volt meter also still shows a positive charge rate at idle even with turn signals and brake light on, something the old style battery would not do even when it was new.