Fitting an Odyssey battery

[Greybeard]

Given that the second BMW battery I have had in the bike started to give up the ghost I decided to fit an Odyssey battery from Motorworks as a replacement.

I followed the instructions from Motorworks to start with - the battery comes with a replacement battery strap and an extension for the positive terminal to help prevent shorting on the frame / seat.

It was a bit of a job getting the the battery in ... but once in place there was a problem - the seat fouled the negative lead of the battery (see the dent) the positive side wasn't much better as I had auxiliary power feeds from the battery for my additional spot lights.

A quick scour of the forum revealed some help (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320214).

I decided not to b****r about with the battery, but did trim the plastic near the fitting for the battery strap. It now looks (I think) a bit more professional and there is no problems with getting the seat on now and uses the original BMW plastic cover back in place on the positive lead.

Since fitting the new battery I've had no problems with starting, using my previous BMW charger as before until the weather warms up a bit.

 

[Roadsweeper]

Given that the second BMW battery I have had in the bike started to give up the ghost I decided to fit an Odyssey battery from Motorworks as a replacement.

I followed the instructions from Motorworks to start with - the battery comes with a replacement battery strap and an extension for the positive terminal to help prevent shorting on the frame / seat.

It was a bit of a job getting the the battery in, but once in place there was a problem - the seat (on lower setting) rested firmly on the negative lead. You can see the dent...

Be carefull there have beeen previous posts about the seat front cross shaft shorting out on an Odyssey. I seem to remember one was even suspected of being the start of a house fire.
RS

 

[wilbjr21]

Current BMW batteries are made by Exide and they are fine. Not too much help I know but I too have been a disappointed Odyssey purchaser. Its still sitting the garage.

 

[Greybeard]

and uses the original BMW plastic cover back in place on the positive lead.

And here is the last image...

 

[Greybeard]

Be carefull there have beeen previous posts about the seat front cross shaft shorting out on an Odyssey. I seem to remember one was even suspected of being the start of a house fire.
RS

Thanks for the warning. I saw the post, which was why I decided to re-route the leads...

I've had two BMW batteries since I got the GS new in 2005 (the first was replaced under warranty). And I have used an Odyssey battery in a previous BMW (R80/7) which I has for 18 years so I have confidence in the brand - I hope that the revised wiring avoids any problems with shorting.

 

[Andrei Ukrainian]

Odyssey Battery

I also read all available info concerning the fitting of the Odyssey battery PC535,I wish I had read the stuff earlier , the whole process took me 2 days, I find it annoying that NNormans sell the old type rather than the new type with curved edges, it was hard graft getting the thing here to begin with without the headache that followed.Day one, a smooth operation, so I thought, I barely got the thing into the battery compartment and then when I did I was unhappy with the cables, its too tight I thought,I'll have to take it out and re-route, nope, the fecker wouldn't come out, 3 hours and nearly bleeding finger nails and it came out, trimmed the edges and installed as www.craig.copperleife.com/bikes/gs/index.htm with the terminals towards the rear of the bike. I think its Ok, I've cable tied the red plastic cover over the positive terminal but am a little concerned about the rear brake fluid pipe which passes the right hand side of the battery, should I trim them fins as well, I mean how much and when do I stop trimming before I'm left with no battery?
The original battery is still strong, I've been charging it every week over winter, we had a really bad winter, below 15 on most days and reaching below 30 on some nights, funny thing or down to stupidity I was charging it on a Gel setting and not AGM, have I done some damage?
I also have a Mudsling which has started to rub on the OEM plastic shroud, is this easy to remove?
Thanks for any help

 

[badgerrrrrr]

Fitted the odyssey battery last week to my 57 1200gsa last week but due to people saying about the terminals shortening out on the seat i fitted it in reverse so that the terminals face to the rear of the bike, just cut the 2 cable ties holding the +/- leads so that reached a little further

 

[Beemerman59]

I also read all available info concerning the fitting of the Odyssey battery PC535,I wish I had read the stuff earlier , the whole process took me 2 days, I find it annoying that NNormans sell the old type rather than the new type with curved edges, it was hard graft getting the thing here to begin with without the headache that followed.Day one, a smooth operation, so I thought, I barely got the thing into the battery compartment and then when I did I was unhappy with the cables, its too tight I thought,I'll have to take it out and re-route, nope, the fecker wouldn't come out, 3 hours and nearly bleeding finger nails and it came out, trimmed the edges and installed as www.craig.copperleife.com/bikes/gs/index.htm with the terminals towards the rear of the bike. I think its Ok, I've cable tied the red plastic cover over the positive terminal but am a little concerned about the rear brake fluid pipe which passes the right hand side of the battery, should I trim them fins as well, I mean how much and when do I stop trimming before I'm left with no battery?
The original battery is still strong, I've been charging it every week over winter, we had a really bad winter, below 15 on most days and reaching below 30 on some nights, funny thing or down to stupidity I was charging it on a Gel setting and not AGM, have I done some damage?
I also have a Mudsling which has started to rub on the OEM plastic shroud, is this easy to remove?
Thanks for any help

The OEM shroud needs to come off - just two bolts at the top/rear that hold it on if my memory serves. You will need some Torx heads to get them out though.

 

[Greybeard]

... I barely got the thing into the battery compartment and then when I did I was unhappy with the cables, its too tight I thought,I'll have to take it out and re-route, nope, the fecker wouldn't come out...

+1

Had a similar issue and the battery was VERY difficult to get out. I eventually levered it out from underneath using some small wooden chocks.

 

[radrod]

I know what you mean about getting the battery back out. Here is a tip for next time:

Try using the battery strap to pull it out. There is a nice 180 degree hook already built into the bottom end of the strap. Just fish it to the side of the battery and pull up. Nice and easy and no additional tools required.

 

[Andrei Ukrainian]

Odessy Battery

Thanks Beemerman59, the plastic shock shroud came off painlessly, had to ask though, I'm a bit like Malcom from Ogre's comic strip in Bike magazine and would have ended up stripping the whole back end.
I haven't got a battery strap, I didn't want to hammer the OEM to fit and I tried making one out of aluminium carpet joining stuff, but it ended up too rigid. There was a sticker on the battery informing that it will be a snug fit, (Ha, Ha) and there will be no need for a retaing strap.
I will start to keep an eye on my leads under the seat to make sure nothing rubs.

 

[Red Rock]

+1

Had a similar issue and the battery was VERY difficult to get out. I eventually levered it out from underneath using some small wooden chocks.

++1 And another one, - bl**dy thing! I wasn't careful to route the -tive lead into the corner of the compartment and when I dropped the battery in it got wedged tight half way.

Now is it me, or does the Odyssey not crank as much as the OEM? - When my original was holding a full charge, it would start in 1.5-2 turns. Now with the Odyssey, I would say it's more like 2.5-3 turns to start and a bit slower cranking, though it does hold the charge and start reliably.

 

[stick]

Short

Be carefull there have beeen previous posts about the seat front cross shaft shorting out on an Odyssey. I seem to remember one was even suspected of being the start of a house fire.
RS

Fitted mine no problem , but as a secondary saftey measure removed the front shaft and slid on a piece of rubber pipe so to stop any possible short.
Simple but effective.