Battery Life?

[Greenman14]

Before you ask, yes I did a search but it wasn't too helpful. My TC is heading for its 4th birthday and still on its original battery. Over winter it's connected to an Optimate. I'm wondering whether I should replace the battery: sometimes the engine turns over ok and sometimes it's quite sluggish, though always starts and it's been like this for more than a year.

 

[G5RJO]

Keep it as it is.....

My battery died after 7 years and 80,000 miles.

Can't see the point in changing it just in case... You can get one easily enough if it lets you down. 1/2 hr or less to change it.

Roger.

 

[Bendy toy]

Plus one on that. Try a jump lead from another known good battery if no difference no worries.

 

[littleredrooster]

I replaced mine at 7 years old only because I saw a Lucas Gel battery in a winter sale for £26. Original was actually OK, no Optimate or owt, but I couldn't resist a bargain.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

I used to reckon 5 yrs for a battery but they are getting better.
So 6-7 yrs is probably on the money.
Keeping it on an optimate will hide if it's getting weak.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

For the sake of £50, I'd replace it if you are worried. The thing with the GS is the battery will suddenly go with no warning and you are goosed.

 

[JonnyBravo]

similarly, my 4 1/2 yr old GSA has been starting recently sometimes OK and sometimes sluggishly - what I have noticed for some time is that if the heated grip switch is left on from the previous ride, I have set off again and they have not been working. I have to stop the bike, switch off the grips and then restart the bike to get them to work.
I think this is correct if the battery is 'sensed' to be low.
Is this sensed when you turn the ignition on or only on after actually starting the bike ?
A sign that the battery is on its last legs ?
cheers

 

[AberdeenAngus]

For the sake of £50, I'd replace it if you are worried. The thing with the GS is the battery will suddenly go with no warning and you are goosed.

And they're a reet bugger to push start.

 

[(RIP) Johno23]

Just changed mine after 6 years.........It was starting to lose charge if left for a couple of weeks.Never had it on a optimate.Can't moan at that, will be interesting to see how the motobatt goes.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Just changed mine after 6 years.........It was starting to lose charge if left for a couple of weeks.Never had it on a optimate.Can't moan at that, will be interesting to see how the motobatt goes.

They go well mate. I've had my Motobatt on for 4 years. It lives outside, spends weeks on containers, never seen a charger and starts on the button everytime. Can't fault the Motobatt

 

[adventuredon]

Is it the motobatt that requires some sort of resizing? Can't remember where or which battery but 1 needs a small mod

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[Sgt Bilco]

Is it the motobatt that requires some sort of resizing? Can't remember where or which battery but 1 needs a small mod

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I think so mate but I can't remember to be honest. Well worth the hassle though.

 

[King Key]

I fitted a Motobatt to my 2012 GSA a couple of weeks back. The original was knackered, there is no modification required, you must just lift out the loose fitting plastic packing brick under the original battery as the Motobatt is taller. Other than that it's a simply swap over.

 

[Greenman14]

Cheers, I'll disconnect the Optimate and see what happens. Just been out for a quick ride and it started fine then on a restart on my drive before putting the bike away it was really sluggish. Could this be the engine stopping at a point in the cycle where both valves are closed and the starter has to initially turn the engine over on full compression?

 

[Smug]

The best way to check out a battery is to check it with something like a Fluke Scope as shown here. This shows a trace off a good battery which drops as low as 9.6 volts on cranking. When the cranking voltage drops below 9.0 volts then it is time to change the battery.

 

[Bendy toy]

Batteries don't cope so well with periods of inactivity, but the more costly Odyssey copes better than most. Brother has used an optimal every few weeks but his battery is fecked after a couple of years. Mine gets used most days and has been fine with its batteries. If you don't use the bike it should be plugged into the Optimate.

If you can't be bothered to always have it plugged in (or don't have power to the garage) get an Odyssey. But at £100 I would rather pay a bit more and get a Ballistic LiFePo. No self discharge no damage after a year of disuse much smaller so could go under the petrol tank leaving useful space under the seat.
For summer only use the 8 cell version will be fine. For winter use, a 12 cell has capacity to self warm the battery for cold starts.

 

[adventuredon]

similarly, my 4 1/2 yr old GSA has been starting recently sometimes OK and sometimes sluggishly - what I have noticed for some time is that if the heated grip switch is left on from the previous ride, I have set off again and they have not been working. I have to stop the bike, switch off the grips and then restart the bike to get them to work.
I think this is correct if the battery is 'sensed' to be low.
Is this sensed when you turn the ignition on or only on after actually starting the bike ?
A sign that the battery is on its last legs ?
cheers

I have the same issue with the heated grips, so this weekend I put a new, fully charged motobatt in. Yesterday the heated grips worked first time. Today they didn't and they were switched off after the last ride. So this puts paid to that battery theory. Ps, had the problem very very intermittently for last 3 years...

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

 

[vRSG60]

They go well mate. I've had my Motobatt on for 4 years. It lives outside, spends weeks on containers, never seen a charger and starts on the button everytime. Can't fault the Motobatt

Motobatt on my F650 less than a year old, connected to an Oxford Oximiser over the winter, flat as a fluke when I tried it?
I've bought a Motobatt charger to keep it connected to now.

 

[Greenman14]

I disconnected the Optimate and left the bike alone in the cold, ahhhh I hear you say. Anyway it started 5 times first prod of the button after a week's idleness. Just checked the price of LiFePO batteries, good job I was sitting down! Motobatt for me before next winter.

 

[Guigsy]

Sad story, my 2012 twin cam on its original battery frequently goes a month between starts over the winter. Lives outside under a cover in a car park without access to an Optimate. Always starts. Although the TC seems to be far easier to crank than the 2008 I had before.