BATTERY UPDATE....

[GREEKWARLORD]

HI TO ALL,
Today after 6years and 2 days exact!! finally i changed my oem battery with another oem battery(very hard to find though!! )
i would keep it for even longer but there are signs that were too hard to ignore!!!first some lcd screen messages(self diagnosis) like IMMOBILIZER ERROR (CODE 37) refer to STEERING LOCK UNIT.Probably not enough voltage (although with 3 voltmeters measured 12,8volt!!) to activate sensors.The AMPERAGE must be in very low levels!!
Secondly some hard starts the last 3 days although again under the battery charger all night long 24/7.That is what trick me a liitle bit so i hesitate the UPDATE.
Third and last yesterday denial to start at all.The VOLTAGE drop from 12,8 to 9 instantly.
FINNITO LA MUSICA!!!
Today is a new day to all things.!! I TEST RODE ΤΗΕ ΒΙΚΕ for 160 kms with speed up to 180km/h!!!
NO DENIALS ,NO COMPLAINS from her....even if the outside temp exceed the 40 DEGREES CELCIUS!!!!

[Rhino]

Wow! I'm not sure I've ever gotten 6 years out of a MC/ATV battery.

[VirginiaJim]

I got 5 on my C10 and changed it just because it was 5 years old.  I changed the C14 battery at 3 years because I was going on a long trip and didn't want to angst about it.  Some people are worse on batteries than others.  I think it's an electrical Karma thing.

[PH14]

My rule is, the first time it is hard to start, car or bike, I get a new battery, unless of course there are mitigating circumstances, like the lights left on all night on the car, or something like that. It just isn't worth the risk or hassle.

I am still on the original battery on my '09. I bought it new in '10. So far, no problems.

If it will sit for a while, I keep it plugged into a Battery Tender. I travel a lot so while I am gone I plug it in. I learned my lesson woth my RC51. The battery failed because I didn't keep it charged. Those batteries cost over $130. 

You got great life out of your original battery! I guess I have two years to go. 

[Cold Streak]

I just replaced my original battery on my 08 a month ago for the same reasons.  I replaced the FOB batteries at the same time, because, why not.  I guess 6+ years and 54k miles is pretty good value for a battery in a motorcycle.  I had it on a battery tender the last couple of years when stored or not ridden for a while.  The first couple of winters I removed the battery and stored it inside with a charger on it occasionally.

[maxtog]

Wow! I'm not sure I've ever gotten 6 years out of a MC/ATV battery.

Me neither.  Longest ever for me in any vehicle was 5 years, and that was a car (and usually it is more like 3 years).  Concours battery only lasted about 2.5, but that was because I was not using a battery tender and I allowed it to go dead a few times (which is VERY bad for lead acid batteries).

Now that I got a $20 Tender and use it, I expect the battery will last a very long time.  If you don't ride every week or more throughout the year then it is a very good investment.

[rocknrod]

Αυτό ήταν μια καλή μπαταρία, δεν θα παραπονιούνται. 

[VirginiaJim]

Looks Greek to me.

[maxtog]

Looks Greek to me.

Hardy har har.

This battery thread is just shocking.
It goes over like a lead balloon.
The tone is pretty acidic if you ask me.
We are powerless to stop it.
If I could, I would charge people to reply to it.

[aspire61]

I got 5 on my C10 and changed it just because it was 5 years old.  I changed the C14 battery at 3 years because I was going on a long trip and didn't want to angst about it.  Some people are worse on batteries than others.  I think it's an electrical Karma thing.

I regularily get over 5 yrs on mine. I attribute it to NOT using battery tenders. The idea is good, the regulators from china are questionable.

chrs-mat

[PH14]

Hardy har har.

This battery thread is just shocking.
It goes over like a lead balloon.
The tone is pretty acidic if you ask me.
We are powerless to stop it.
If I could, I would charge people to reply to it.

Hopefully it is terminal.

[VirginiaJim]

I regularily get over 5 yrs on mine. I attribute it to NOT using battery tenders. The idea is good, the regulators from china are questionable.

chrs-mat

I've never used a battery tender on this bike.

Hopefully it is terminal.

RIP

[Conrad]

Hardy har har.

This battery thread is just shocking.
It goes over like a lead balloon.
The tone is pretty acidic if you ask me.
We are powerless to stop it.
If I could, I would charge people to reply to it.

Oh no you didn't! If I could I'd hook up jumper cables to your ears for that Max!   

My C14 is still on the original battery (purchased 5/09) with no problems at all. I do use a Tender...

[PH14]

I regularily get over 5 yrs on mine. I attribute it to NOT using battery tenders. The idea is good, the regulators from china are questionable.

chrs-mat

A tender is good for those who need it. My RC51 battery died prematurely a couple of times because it was discharged too often from sitting. At almost $150 a pop, I didn't want to replace it all the time. I would love to ride it all the time to keep it charged, but I would often travel for work being gone weeks, if not a month or so at a time, leaving me no time to ride. Once I got a tender, the Battery Tender, I haven't had an issue with a battery.

I am on my original battery on my '09. It has given no signs of failing. It always starts. When I can't ride for a while I leave it on a tender. It hasn't been on the tender for a while since I am home and can ride it more, over the Winter when I ride less, it will be on the tender.

There is nothing wrong with the regulator on it. If you have issues with products made in China, then you should probably give up using electronics in general, most are made in Asia, and a vast majority are made in China. Have an iPhone? Made in China. Is it of inferior quality? Sorry, but comments bashing products made in "x" country bother me. As far as electronics go, the US put out a lot of incredibly inferior products a number of years ago and lost out to Asian manufacturers. My father was in the TV business then and the quality of some of the electronics made in the US was appalling. I just hate that attitude. I travel worldwide and have been to every continent, yes, even Antarctica, and over 100 countries. I have friends in countries all over the world and my wife is from Thailand. She is made very well by the way. So I have issues when I hear someone make blanket statements bashing products from another country implying the the only good products are made in the USA. That may have been true at one time, but not anymore. There are good products made all over. And by the way, before you question my patriotism, I love my country, I have been all over the world and as a result, I truly appreciate what we have here, more than many people I know. I know how it is in other countries. I do not like the current trend to make our country like those in Europe, I have spent a lot of time there and I know we have the cheapest goods and services of anywhere I have been, period.   Sorry, I just hate that. End rant.

So far, I have had no issues with the battery on the C14. The RC51 used a different type battery, and was much smaller, hence the need to have it on a tender. It simply discharged too fast while sitting. The RC51 also took a lot of juice to turn over the motor. I don't think the C14 is as bad in that regard, still, I will keep it on the tender if it is going to sit for a long time.

[maxtog]

I regularily get over 5 yrs on mine. I attribute it to NOT using battery tenders. The idea is good, the regulators from china are questionable.

I think that greatly depends on the actual brand/product.  There are bad Chinese components and mediocre ones and good ones.  Just depends on what the company making the product wants to source.

This is what I use:  http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S
I have been using it 100% of the time the bike is parked at home, since October 2012.  Works very well and is highly rated not only on Amazon, but everyone on the Forums who has used one.

[PH14]

I think that greatly depends on the actual brand/product.  There are bad Chinese components and mediocre ones and good ones.  Just depends on what the company making the product wants to source.

This is what I use:  http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S
I have been using it 100% of the time the bike is parked at home, since October 2012.  Works very well and is highly rated not only on Amazon, but everyone on the Forums who has used one.

That is the same one I have Maxtog. It works great. It is not a trickle charger, it is a float charger, so it can be left on indefinitely without damaging the battery. Once the battery is fully charged, it supplies no charge to the battery, once the battery self discharges a bit, the charger supplies a charge to bring it back to full, then  shuts off again. 

[rocknrod]

I just received this one:
http://batterytender.com/products/motorcycle/battery-tender-plus-high-efficiency.html
And upon install noticed the dealer didn't tighten the positive cable correctly.

[maxtog]

I just received this one:
http://batterytender.com/products/motorcycle/battery-tender-plus-high-efficiency.html
And upon install noticed the dealer didn't tighten the positive cable correctly.

That is very common, unfortunately.

[VirginiaJim]

Still?

[PH14]

Still?

I believe it will be that way until the end of time. I just replaced my valve stem core since it was leaking. I found the dealer simply didn;t tighten it when they changed my tire.

On another note, I took out a bottle of aspirin the other day and spilled them all over the floor because some idiot didn't tighten the cap down the last time they used it.