Battery
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Jobs a good'un.Bendy toy
Registered user
The internal resistance rises in cold weather so the battery needs enough capacity to warm itself on cold starts. A summer only bike could happily use an 8 sell Ballistic but an all-year-around bike would need a 12 cell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBfvR1EJJBk
Had a new Motobatt last Feb (2014) and its just died.. Did about 10000 miles last year but not used between end Dec and beginning March this year, had it on the optimate though. Ok as long as used every day but leave it for a day and pot luck if it starts. Just realized only one year guarantee 
So whats the solution. Another Motobatt, did I get a bad one? or something else. Funds limited so a superduper odyssey probably a bit out of reach at moment.
Thanks
So whats the solution. Another Motobatt, did I get a bad one? or something else. Funds limited so a superduper odyssey probably a bit out of reach at moment.Thanks
Bendy toy
Registered user
Odyssey is 2x cost of MotoBatt but not likely to be 2x better.
A cheapo Chinese will last a year or two
A cheapo Chinese will last a year or two
Odyssey is 2x cost of MotoBatt but with a 2 year guarantee.
You pays your money, you takes your chance.
You pays your money, you takes your chance.
patzx12
Registered user
Halfords in all my bikes
Which Motobatt model are you guys using?
Looks like both the MBTX9U and MBTX12U are specified for 1200 Hexheads.
Looks like both the MBTX9U and MBTX12U are specified for 1200 Hexheads.
Roymondo
Registered user
A bit late to this particular party. However, my battery has started to show the first signs of failing (it was reluctant to spin the motor over after being parked up over the Winter, and has occasionally been a tad sluggish to spin over since then). I plugged in my Optimate and it charged for a good long while before the Optimate pronounced it "weak". But it's four years and 32k miles old and the thing stands outside all year round, so I'm not entirely surprised.
Got the old battery out and was somewhat surprised to see (a) how small it is (it has a thick plastic spacer underneath it so that it fills the available space) and (b) that it appears to be a 12Ah job - the handbook says it should be a 14Ah unit. I've temporariliy replaced it with a "full size" (no spacer) battery that I had knocking around from my F800, but a new one will be purchased tomorrow. I'm going for a Yuasa YTX14-BS as that is the "standard" recommendation on the Yuasa website. No point in mucking about trying to rejuvenate the old one.
Got the old battery out and was somewhat surprised to see (a) how small it is (it has a thick plastic spacer underneath it so that it fills the available space) and (b) that it appears to be a 12Ah job - the handbook says it should be a 14Ah unit. I've temporariliy replaced it with a "full size" (no spacer) battery that I had knocking around from my F800, but a new one will be purchased tomorrow. I'm going for a Yuasa YTX14-BS as that is the "standard" recommendation on the Yuasa website. No point in mucking about trying to rejuvenate the old one.
Deleted account 200502001
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How would the MBTX9U differ from the MBTX12U? is the 12U just a bit more powerful? I don't understand electricery.
A sluggish starter could also be a sign that the starter is on its way out ...
After my summer rebuild my GSA wa sriggling to start, especially when hot. After one paticular 60 mile ride to work the battery would not turn the engine over at all. I thouhgh it was a sign the battery was shot, so got chrager to get me home and ordered a new battery. After day chraging it started Ok, but still seemed sluggish. Next morning it seemed fine so went off to work, coming home again it was fine, buit whne I ggo thome it wouldn't restart a few seconds afetr stopping.
The new battery had turned up, so after bit of iddling about in the dark it was ftted and charged. It started fine next morning, but when I go to the office I tried it a few seconds after stopping and the new battery appeared to be a duff one!
A bit of digging around in ADVrider showe d afew people reporying these systems hen the starter motor was shot, so that night I removed and stripped mine down. Wish I had taken photos.
The motor was full of debris for the brushes, the commutator not particlualry worn but also covered in brush material. Pinion gears very stiff, amd the internal planet gearbox quite stiff.
So, after a good strip down and clean, waterproof grease on the pinion helix, planet gears and solenoid mechanism, plus a gentle shine with 200 grit wet and dry on the commutator - it is now like new! Both the new battery and old battery are fine. FYI, the new battery was an Ednuroline 14AH from Tayna batteries @ £39. I was prepared to accept it was crap and about to return it as such.
Brushes were down to 12mm from 18mm, so I have a new set on order from EVC. I will take and post pictures when I fit the new brushes. You really don't want to see how messy it was when I first opened it up, my first thought was that it was scrap.
After my summer rebuild my GSA wa sriggling to start, especially when hot. After one paticular 60 mile ride to work the battery would not turn the engine over at all. I thouhgh it was a sign the battery was shot, so got chrager to get me home and ordered a new battery. After day chraging it started Ok, but still seemed sluggish. Next morning it seemed fine so went off to work, coming home again it was fine, buit whne I ggo thome it wouldn't restart a few seconds afetr stopping.
The new battery had turned up, so after bit of iddling about in the dark it was ftted and charged. It started fine next morning, but when I go to the office I tried it a few seconds after stopping and the new battery appeared to be a duff one!
A bit of digging around in ADVrider showe d afew people reporying these systems hen the starter motor was shot, so that night I removed and stripped mine down. Wish I had taken photos.
The motor was full of debris for the brushes, the commutator not particlualry worn but also covered in brush material. Pinion gears very stiff, amd the internal planet gearbox quite stiff.
So, after a good strip down and clean, waterproof grease on the pinion helix, planet gears and solenoid mechanism, plus a gentle shine with 200 grit wet and dry on the commutator - it is now like new! Both the new battery and old battery are fine. FYI, the new battery was an Ednuroline 14AH from Tayna batteries @ £39. I was prepared to accept it was crap and about to return it as such.
Brushes were down to 12mm from 18mm, so I have a new set on order from EVC. I will take and post pictures when I fit the new brushes. You really don't want to see how messy it was when I first opened it up, my first thought was that it was scrap.
Bendy toy
Registered user
Carbon dust could short out some battery power. A good clean is always worth doing. The brushes are fiddly to fit. Just hold them back with small zip ties. Fit the rotor and cut the ties.
Mine also had dry sun/planet gears. I used moly grease but waterproof probably better.
Mine also had dry sun/planet gears. I used moly grease but waterproof probably better.
Roymondo
Registered user
Same here - I generally ditch the OE battery at around 3/4 years and get a new one from Halfords. If I kept the bike another three years I would do the same again. Life's too short to go working out the relative price/guarantee/durability benefits on what is a (very easily replaceable) consumable item.
Tin hat firmly secured...
flo3flo
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Deleted account 200502001
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Motobatt MBTX 12U looks to be the right one according to their website.
Cheers.
Moobatt MBTX12U - 14Ah 200CCA
Yuasa YTZ14S - 11.8Ah 230CCA
Not sure which is more useful, the Ah or CCA?
Bendy toy
Registered user
If you don't go camping using the bike battery to light the tent then CCA is the most important feature.
The LiFePo (e.g. Ballistic) batteries have avery low AH value but very high CCA. They are rubbish for camping purposes but they give a huge wallop to start the bike. They just need enough additional capacity to warm the cells in cold weather so the battery can fling the engine over. Lead acid in cold weather either works or the battery goes flat due to the cold stopping the chemical process. You get one hit only.
The LiFePo (e.g. Ballistic) batteries have avery low AH value but very high CCA. They are rubbish for camping purposes but they give a huge wallop to start the bike. They just need enough additional capacity to warm the cells in cold weather so the battery can fling the engine over. Lead acid in cold weather either works or the battery goes flat due to the cold stopping the chemical process. You get one hit only.
MWH
Registered user
Motobatt for me. Guzzi 1200 sports eat yuasa batteries regularly so not a fan, friend has fitted a mottobat to hers and so far so good.
Deleted account 200502001
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I was all set to buy a Motobatt but at 200CCA its less than my current Yuasa's 230CCA
Only had 2. Original oem and a hen gericke freebie. Bike ridden all year and stands outside. 48 000 now....no need for motobatt....
Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
Bendy toy
Registered user
The fancy and very heavy lead acids are nothing special apart from the price.
Go cheap and cheerful and expect to replace every 2 years. Or go the full monty with a Ballistic or Shorai. They are small enough to put elsewhere on the bike freeing up useful space. They also don't degrade when stored and don't need trickle charging. Actually an Optimate will kill an FeLiPo battery.
Go cheap and cheerful and expect to replace every 2 years. Or go the full monty with a Ballistic or Shorai. They are small enough to put elsewhere on the bike freeing up useful space. They also don't degrade when stored and don't need trickle charging. Actually an Optimate will kill an FeLiPo battery.
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