Odyssey battery failing

[colin phillips]

15 months old, regular top up useing Ctek charger (its recomended one), anyway started and rode down for the MoT, pass, then failed to start flat battrey, mechanic helped me with quick boost and back home.
Placed charger on as flat battery, full after 5 hours charge, seemed to quick so used a multi meter and read 12.6v, to ma good un should be up at 13v. So me thinks battrey on way out and best replaced under 2 year warranty before it fails completly probably when the warranty runs out.
Would I be correct so far?
or
Is there anything I can do or just send it back to the supplier?

TIA

 

[ghiribizzo]

A 2 year warranty is a two year warranty.
Bike no start? No obvious abuse or misuse? Contact supplier and new battery plz!
More than you'd get from BMW...

 

[Steptoe]

More than you'd get from BMW...

BMW batteries have a 2 year warranty and they've never quibled once when ever i've had to use it for customers.


Use a car charger to charge an odyssey battery. They need a lot of uuumpff to start them off excepting a charge if they've been allowed to go flat.

 

[wessie]

You need to take the battery off the bike, or at least disconnect it, and charge it. Then check the voltage. If possible leave the battery overnight and check the voltage again.

The reason I say this is that you need to check that it is not something on the bike affecting the battery. You are posting in the 1150/1100/850 section so the bike must be of a certain age so there could be a faulty component draining the battery.

The other thing to check is the voltage across the battery terminals when the engine is running. Should be above 13.8V if the charging system is working okay.

12.6V for your battery at standstill would be fine by the way, especially in cold weather. See section 4.4.2 here http://www.batteryfaq.org/ which is the best resource on the web for diagnosing battery/charging problems.

 

[Doctorbiker]

I had an odyssey battery on bike bike when I bought it. The previous owner told me it was a recent purchase - but that failed in the first few months of ownership. replaced with a BMW gel battery as reckomended by Steptoe-- much better.

Sean

 

[colin phillips]

I am being wary as this is the second Odyssey to fail premature, the first failed just after the warranty expired, about 5 weeks after, in future I wont bother with this make, had better in the past!

thx for info guys will do as suggested just to see if it makes a difference, yes its a 2000 GS1150

 

[wessie]

I am being wary as this is the second Odyssey to fail premature, the first failed just after the warranty expired, about 5 weeks after, in future I wont bother with this make, had better in the past!

thx for info guys will do as suggested just to see if it makes a difference, yes its a 2000 GS1150

That's unlucky. I replaced the OE battery on my 2000 R1150GS with an Odyssey in 2004. It's still going strong. Rarely needs a top up even after sitting in the garage for several weeks.

Do you do a lot of short journeys which can strain the battery?

 

[colin phillips]

For me its the other way, long journeys infrequently, inbetween with top up from the Cytek.
I read the article on temp v voltage reading, and will do as you and the text suggests, for testing further.
The reason for this thread is I am not entirely convinced that the battrey is as faulty as I think it might be!

 

[Steptoe]

I am being wary as this is the second Odyssey to fail premature, the first failed just after the warranty expired, about 5 weeks after, in future I wont bother with this make, had better in the past!

That's the conclusion i've come to after seeing the indestructable odyssey fail on so many customers bikes.

Stick to a bmw battery, 2 years warranty and they last 5-6 years if used regularly, plus no fecking about with the terminals, especially if you have the bmw studded earth terminal instead of an "O" terminal. .

 

[Trullion]

Original BMW wet battery lasted 6 years on my 850GS. Replacement BMW gel battery now coming up to 5 years old and still ok. 1996 RS had replacement BMW gel battery in 2005 and I've just replaced it with another. I don't ride much in winter, nor do I have a fancy charger. All I do is trickle charge the batteries about once a month.

 

[PW Cymru]

I'm still on my original battery that came on the bike when I purchased new in 2003.

Just my luck it probably won't start now

 

[The Sea Dog]

I have a brand new Exide Gel ( as fitted oem, but bought for 50% of the cost from the dealer from Motorworks ) sitting here to go in at the weekend after my Odyssey failed last week. In fairness it has lasted 8+ years in 3 different boxers and been abused on a regular basis always recovering quickly and fully when put on a decent charger, or bump started. However in the intervening time I think other manufacturers have caught up in terms of technology and therefore I'll try the standard battery, any issues with that though and I'd have no hesitation in going back to an Odyssey as there is little price differential now.