How Long Should I expect a Battery To Last?

[SuperTed]

And what do I get as a replacement?
I am assuming that the battery currently powering my 08 F800GS is not the original, but having said that it might just be.
I got the bike in 2011 with 14000 miles on the clock and it is now approaching the 52,000 mile mark; Just this year it has been reluctant to start on a cold morning and the horn has been a bit - um - flatulent. So I'm plugging it into the Optimate at weekends and it has been much better.
So the other question is: How can I tell when a battery is on the way out? Cos I don't know.
I have done a search for batteries and haven't found anything remotely useful, so if you can tell me:
A) How long should we expect a battery to last
B) Recommend something as a replacement
(Just thought of this one..)
C) How long can I keep it going with the Optimate.
All answers gratefully received
SuperTed

 

[Richie N]

In my experience it depends how often you use the bike. I ride everyday all year round and I have never had to change a battery on a regularly used bike - I had a Transalp for 7 years on the original battery.

Whereas on bikes that I have treated as dry day/summer bikes only (in the days when I had two bikes), I had to change batteries every few years (even on the Optimate) - I had a Ducati that ate them!

Get decent battery, not a cheap one.

 

[Essexadventure]

My 2004 1150GSA is still on its original battery...but I think it's on its last legs. Starting it a couple of weeks ago reset the clock - it's never done that before.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[thauma]

my 2004 GSA's battery died last summer, so 10 years (almost to the day).

Not a high mileage bike, and ridden for pleasure not commuting, and pleasure has been mainly touring.

Always on an optimate - so I guess 10 years is pretty good

 

[alex_rsa]

If you start the bike and the instruments go out when cranking then your battery is on its way out. The 800 and 1200 both do this.

You may get another summer from it (less drain on the battery when warm) and if you charge it every week you will extend its life.

Just bought a Yuasa YTX14-BS from sportsbikeshop.co.uk for £40.00 delivered because me instruments have started acting up.


...oh yes, i use my bike every day and I only expect 2 years for it to work at 100% and I tend to get another year by charging it every now and again. The small batteries and the draw from the CANBUS seem to eat batteries.

 

[wessie]

there are so many variables that affect the life of a battery that it would only be a guess to answer A or C. My OE battery, a wet lead acid battery lasted 4 years on my R1150GS. I replaced it with a Hawker Odyssey AGM in 2004 and the same battery was still fitted to the bike when it was sold in 2012. My Super Ten had the OE Yuasa still fitted it after more than 4 years.

I suspect your battery is the original one as the bike was 3 years old when you got it and is now 6 or 7 years old, which is not uncommon for modern, sealed batteries.

If this battery has reduced capacity and is sluggish starting the bike then replace it. As stated, it will only cost about £40 and continuing to use a weak battery will put a strain on the starter motor and ancillary components, reducing their working life. Plus you won't have that nagging feeling of getting to the bike, miles from home, to find the battery is dead.

 

[bobbsy]

I just replaced mine, 2010 F800GS that I bought new in August 2010, with a Yuasa YTX14-BS. I ride everyday, but the bike lives outside, and running heated grips pretty much each day through winter. Found last December that cranking was getting a little bit hesitant in the cold weather, tried the Oximiser but didn't seem to be making a lot of difference and replaced.

Since then back to instant starting/strong cranking.

 

[thefooleryoftom]

Too many variables to list, but the extreme end is a bike sitting outside in the cold and damp. That won't last very long.

A bike used regularly on a decent length trip and hooked up to an intelligent charger will last for bloomin' ages.

I cannot recommend Odyssey batteries enough. Their power and longevity is very, very impressive. Weighty, though.

 

[SuperTed]

Thanks for the Replies

So having a bike that gets used all year, lives in a garage and gets charged at weekends is a plus for battery longevity. And seeing how long a battery life you guys have got it probably is the original; I wasn't expecting that.
As the weather has got warmer in the last week it has become less of a problem (but its still plugged in to the Optimate).
Two of you have recommended the Yuasa YTX14-BS so I will run with the current battery for the summer and get a Yuasa before next winter.
Cheers guys.

SuperTed

 

[Bem]

So having a bike that gets used all year, lives in a garage and gets charged at weekends is a plus for battery longevity. And seeing how long a battery life you guys have got it probably is the original; I wasn't expecting that.
As the weather has got warmer in the last week it has become less of a problem (but its still plugged in to the Optimate).
Two of you have recommended the Yuasa YTX14-BS so I will run with the current battery for the summer and get a Yuasa before next winter.
Cheers guys.

SuperTed

Don`t want to poop on your party SuperTed, but the decay in battery "life" or "performance" is not linear ie one day it will just fall over as a cell fails and you instantly lose 2 volts ie you fall below the notional 10.5 volts required to get things going.
Buy one now, even if you just leave it on a shelf waiting, on charge, for that moment to come . Be in charge and take command, don`t wait for the horse to to leave before you volt the stable door!
(Thus speaks the man who tried this last year)

 

[Deano64]

My first lasted about 4 - 5 years. My second is showing signs of ageing now so I've started using optimate. I've only done 120000 miles in 7 years though . Bike is kept in garage

 

[Davel]

My Dec 14 bike with 350 miles on the clock is now on its third!

 

[Reggie P]

My only observation is that you are always better off buying a new battery than "fannying-around" with a battery charger.

 

[Sebnev]

I had an issue with the alarm draining the batteries. Sometimes I only use the bike twice a week, and then it may sit for a week or two before I've used it again. My bike was set up to turn the alarm on when I took the key out of the ignition. After a year the battery went flat and then wouldn't hold charge. So now I have an optimate plugged in when its sat for a while.

I went for a Motobatt MBTX12U AGM Gel Battery YTX12-BS,YTX14-BS,YB12B-B2,YTX14L-BS,YTX15L-BS and it seems to be working fine so far....

 

[steve hughes]

As to the question , how do I know its on the way out, its simples the GS will tell you. On ignition the rev counter does a complete sweep , this is normal.

When the battery is about to fail, on starting the rev counter will sweep, cranking speed will be slower, and once the engine is running. The rev counter will sweep across the dial again.

My f650gs twin is six yrs old , used infrquently And its on its 3 rd. Cuttently a Motobatt appx £50 from Busters.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

A) How long should we expect a battery to last
B) Recommend something as a replacement
(Just thought of this one..)
C) How long can I keep it going with the Optimate.
All answers gratefully received
SuperTed

A) Between 3 and 7 years. I always change mine at 5 because I can't be arsed fecking about.
B) Motobatt are highly recommended
C) a good while but it WILL let you down.

I think it sounds as if yours is on its way out. Change it for a Motobatt. Might as well do it now.
Here you go. http://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/battery-bmw-f800-gs-2008-2009-motobatt-p-337779.html
£54 to you squire.

 

[fezzer]

GS8, 25,000 miles. Replaced mine.
Exactly as described in posts above, condition got gradually worse and eventually electronic dials would restart every time.
Not described previously and quite worrying if you didn't notice was that occasionally the ABS would default to off after start up and not the other way round as is normal.
ABS light would be displayed fixed as normal in non ABS mode but how often do you fully check your dash before you pull away?? I certainly did a few metiles before spotting it on one occasion.

fez

 

[Roy Barnes]

With 52,000 you need to check charging system out put. The stators are good for about 50,000 miles before they turn into a crispy critter. I'am on my third stator with 120,000 miles on bike.

 

[SuperTed]

Update

Well I got the bike back last Friday from its 54K service and it was fine. Went out on Sunday for a run and it was reluctant to start first thing but was okay during the day. It has been getting steadily worse since then and on Wednesday morning it died completely. Symptoms on pushing the start button were: read-out panel blanked, all the lights (warning lights as well) all went off, half a reluctant turn from the starter motor.
Bugger.
So it has been plugged into the Optimate for two days and I'm getting a new Yuasa from Jap&German on Friday.
Current (dead) battery is 2.5 years old and has probably done around 30,000 miles. So I'm not complaining.
I just should have known to change it before it got to this stage.
Oh well, we live and learn.
I'm just hoping it will start the bike twice tomorrow.
SuperTed

 

[Packer]

You were warned in March to buy the replacement straight away as it would finally die with no warning

Another recommendation for Motobatt. My 1150 battery lasted 9½years and over 90,000 miles. Finally died after I attacked a hump backed bridge with way too much enthusiasm, I reckon the impact on landing caused the ancient plates to buckle or collapse. The Motobatt spun the engine faster than I could remember the original ever managing.