New battery needed - any particular brand better than the rest?

[Beancounter]

Looks like my battery is on its way out. Fully charged it reads 12.74v but after 12 hours off the charger it drops to 12.46v.

Battery was on the bike when I bought it five years ago and it didn’t look new then so I can’t complain.

Is there a particular battery that performs better on the flat twins? Motobatt perhaps? No idea what battery is on the bike just now, it’s not a brand I recognise.

 

[wessie]

take your pick from these https://www.tayna.co.uk/motorcycle-batteries/types/51913/ - Tayna is excellent. My choice would be the Exide AGM with its 250 CCA

 

[Beancounter]

take your pick from these https://www.tayna.co.uk/motorcycle-batteries/types/51913/ - Tayna is excellent. My choice would be the Exide AGM with its 250 CCA

Thank you.

 

[Feisty]

I hate buying batteries here in Oz. Most don't even get close to their advertised CCA rating or have been sitting on the shelf for a year or two. If I only had one bike I wouldn't care that much but there are 12 in the stable so I want them to last. I now take a tester along to any shop I purchase from and ask to test the battery first. Usually when the battery doesn't come close the seller says it just needs a charge. No that isn't how it works. You then explain that it should read way over as the rating is given to a battery at -15 degrees Celsius AFTER 30 seconds of cranking so any battery tested at ambient temperatures should read at least 20% higher than the rating makes them shut up.
In my experience if you want a good battery then you have to pay. My battery of choice the Fullriver HC20 test well (to install in your boxer you need to remove the steel box they are mounted in as they are sold to the racing fraternity to start cars) I have seen their batteries rated at around 230cca test at 430cca. Varta and deka are other brands that test well. Our local Aussie bike brand SSB make up an optimistic rating then double it. The internet suggests motobatt batteries are not what they once were longetivity wise. I have a couple in my bike collection and they at least do manage to achieve their CCA rating and exceed it by 5% or so

I'd suggest you visit your local battery specialist and ask their opinion. They will have the test equipment to show you what you are buying. In my experience if they know the battery tests well they will be more than happy to put a meter on it for you.

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

 

[Brian A.]

take your pick from these https://www.tayna.co.uk/motorcycle-batteries/types/51913/ - Tayna is excellent. My choice would be the Exide AGM with its 250 CCA

I've just bought an Exide AGM 12/18 with 250 CCA, as recommended by Wessie, for my R1150R. I bought mine from here:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGM12-18...475eb13ed57f0f48fb5b|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2334524 and I reckon it's an absolute bargain at £49.99 including carriage. And if you look at the listing, Ebay have a deal on at the moment which gives you 15% off, making it £42.50 all in. Got to be the best deal around if that's the battery you want. But the Ebay 15% off deal finishes in a couple of days so be quick. It's an even better deal than when I bought mine, it was only 10% off then so it's better still now.

The company, Battery Group, gave me brilliant service too; by that I mean they sent me the wrong one (don't laugh) but one phone call to a really helpful woman there, and the correct one came next working day, even before I'd sent the wrong one back.

It's a known brand, a very powerful battery, and for about half the money I expected to spend.

Hope this helps! Brian.

 

[Beancounter]

Thanks folks, new Exide battery ordered, should be here tomorrow.

 

[donkeydoo]

Just a plug for Tayna batteries in Wales.

Ordered one for a car a few Sundays ago at lunchtime, darn site cheaper than anywhere else, arrived 9am next morning.

I see they also do Bike batteries....

 

[Littledumptruck]

Another Tayna customer here. Got there cheapest Powerline batteries on both my GS amd Pan European, and so far they’re lasting better than the Motobatts I had previously. Im rather impressed with them, especially as I had a run of Yuasa, Exide and Varta’s that all seemed to die after just a couple of years.