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A comment in another thread about battery life being reduced due to vibration affecting the plating made me think about comments in this thread about AGM batteries and their lifespan not being any better than traditional wet cell batteries. One of the benefits advertised for AGM batteries is their resistance to vibration. Coupled with deeper cycles and being maintenance free, I think the benefits really are there for AGM. They do survive the post office fully charged and ready to go 
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The first YUASA wet cell battery I put in my XJ11 only lasted me 1 year. Maybe I didn't maintain it well enough or it was an isolated incident. The next Bikemaster wet cell also only lasted 1 year while I religiously used a battery tender, and occasionally checked water level. I have never filled a brand new wet cell battery and these were purchased from retail stores.
I then switched to AGM and I have purchased 4 AGM batteries and they are all still in service as of 10/7/2015:
?/?/2010 - XJ650 - Bikemaster TruGel AGM
- Sold bike to a friend; still running same battery and he doesn't use a battery tender
10/11/2011 - XJ11 - O'Reilly Auto Parts
- Still in service, still working well
8/14/2014 - Honda CB550SC - http://www.batterystuff.com/powerspo...s/sYT12CL.html
- Still in service, still working well
8/30/2014 - Roketa Tahiti 150 Scooter - http://www.batterystuff.com/powerspo...sYTX7A-BS.html
- Friend's scooter I fixed up, still in service and working well
This is all very subjective like oil and tires, but AGM batteries have worked well for me so far. They don't leak and aside from a battery tender every now and then, they don't require any maintenance.
.The first YUASA wet cell battery I put in my XJ11 only lasted me 1 year. Maybe I didn't maintain it well enough or it was an isolated incident. The next Bikemaster wet cell also only lasted 1 year while I religiously used a battery tender, and occasionally checked water level. I have never filled a brand new wet cell battery and these were purchased from retail stores.
I then switched to AGM and I have purchased 4 AGM batteries and they are all still in service as of 10/7/2015:
?/?/2010 - XJ650 - Bikemaster TruGel AGM
- Sold bike to a friend; still running same battery and he doesn't use a battery tender
10/11/2011 - XJ11 - O'Reilly Auto Parts
- Still in service, still working well
8/14/2014 - Honda CB550SC - http://www.batterystuff.com/powerspo...s/sYT12CL.html
- Still in service, still working well
8/30/2014 - Roketa Tahiti 150 Scooter - http://www.batterystuff.com/powerspo...sYTX7A-BS.html
- Friend's scooter I fixed up, still in service and working well
This is all very subjective like oil and tires, but AGM batteries have worked well for me so far. They don't leak and aside from a battery tender every now and then, they don't require any maintenance.
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