Recommend me a battery!

[BobJ]

Beautiful day - wheeled the old girl out of the garage for the first time (probably since November), key in, switch on, hit the button and the all too familiar death click
The battery was clearly flatter than a set of witches baps. And this despite being hooked up to an Optimate when not in use. Had the same thing last year but the bike was under warranty then and BMW stumped up for another battery. It's not any more though.
Yes, I know I should get out on it more - blah, blah etc.
What do I do - replace it with another OE BMW battery which I have to say seems to have all the staying power of a AAA cell or stump up for something else with some guts - say an Odyssey battery? Not used one before - are they any good and worth the extra wonga?
Are there any other batteries out there which aren't as fragile as the BM ones?

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Odessy

Have a search on here if you need convincing - great bit of kit.

Andres

 

[VAL. H.]

Odessy

Have a search on here if you need convincing - great bit of kit.

Andres

Whats the cost Andres?

I'll be needing one too soon.

Val.

 

[redcastle]

motorworks have them chum
a bit over a hundred quied with a bracket to suit

best bit of money you'll spend.

have a look on ebay they have them on there
item no 200193990866

 

[Thunder]

Had an Odessey fitted on a previous bike (big twin but not a Boxer) and found it lived up to all the hype.

Would not think twice about fitting one to the GS, already had a new battery replaced under warranty on the last bike the original failing at the Gathering of the Clans meet last year.

The Battery Shop have the PC535 for the 1200 GS for £95.99 and currently offer free delivery.

 

[KAYCEE]

Definately recommend an "Odessey". Replaced my OE GS one after 3 years with the Odessey and had no probs so far. Got mine from Motorworks.

Battery is a bit of a tight fit, but fits never the less.

Kaycee.

 

[birdseye]

The editor of an old bike mag wrote last year that his experience of trickle chargers wasnt good - left on constantly, they seemed to kill batteries long term. And he has something like 30 bikes and so a lot of batteries and chargers.

The BMW battery is arguably too small and doesnt benefit from the vibration of a twin. But there's no reason to think its any worse than any other battery at just sitting there unused. FWIW my guess is that the charger hasnt helped.

Funnily enough I just b**ered the battery on my KTM though leaving it coupled up to a charger that wasnt plugged in. 11.2volts when discovered.

 

[Arnold29]

Can't say for Gs but went through trials and tribulations trying to get an R100RT to turn over in cold weather. This after getting batteries from a local motorcycle dealer. I thought of an Odessey or similar which I am sure would have cured it, but unless you are planning your bike to be on its side a lot off roading or similar I didn't really see the value for me. Finally decided to go for a Varta, they have an excellent website and good technical support. The battery was affordable at from memory roughly one third the price of an Odessey at that time and it cured my starting problems for good. Since then I have used their product on a number of various vehicles and been well pleased. I have no connection with the company in any whatsoever other than a satisfied customer

 

[marcus]

ODESSEY BATTERY UP FOR GRABS

Want mine?


I got rid of my 1200GS a while back

I still have an odessy battery, unused, never fitted, still in the packaging...under my desk right now...

I'll happily off load it at a loss to get rid of clutter but I can;t be arsed going to the post office or fannying about on fence-bay.

Take a trip to SW18 or EC3 or E14 and it's yours in exchange for a couple of nice bottles of claret or something....

 

[nick_boxer]

I fitted an Odyssey and it's great. Fitting was a bit of a faff because there wasn't a lot of play on the main live cable but it's in now and no problems. I got mine from Motoworks. You can get them from elsewhere slightly cheaper but then they don't come with the modified clamp for the battery compartment.

 

[Magwych]

Want mine?


I got rid of my 1200GS a while back

I still have an odessy battery, unused, never fitted, still in the packaging...under my desk right now...

I'll happily off load it at a loss to get rid of clutter but I can;t be arsed going to the post office or fannying about on fence-bay.

Take a trip to SW18 or EC3 or E14 and it's yours in exchange for a couple of nice bottles of claret or something....

Marcus, you have PM

 

[tasr12]

Hi Marcus,

Do you still have that battery or has CityBum done the honours? If not I've got some great Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux that you may be interested in?!

 

[BobJ]

I fitted an Odyssey and it's great. Fitting was a bit of a faff because there wasn't a lot of play on the main live cable but it's in now and no problems. I got mine from Motoworks. You can get them from elsewhere slightly cheaper but then they don't come with the modified clamp for the battery compartment.

Good advice this. Before I read Marcus's thread I went and ordered an Odyssey PC535GS from Nippy Norman assuming wrongly that they all came with a longer retaining strap etc.
No they don't
Motorworks have a local metal worker knock the straps up and include them in their 'kit' for fitting the Odyssey. They also shave a couple of the plastic fins off the side of the battery in order to make it fit properly.
I know all of this now I thought I was saving a couple of quid by getting the battery from elsewhere. False economy I'm afraid.

 

[max7]

I got mine from Motoworks. You can get them from elsewhere slightly cheaper but then they don't come with the modified clamp for the battery compartment.

Great tip, thanks Nick.
I got the "click of death" when trying to start the old girl last night, Optimate couldn't do a thing to save the situation...the battery is well and truly dead! So I've been hunting around every site under the sun trying to find the best deal on an Odyssey...

Read your comments about the fitting kit, that sealed the deal - Motoworks it is. Anything for an easy life

 

[MATKAT]

battery finally died

Oh well, went out to start the 1200 on saturday, dead, dead dead.
Mind its 4 years old so in the scheme of things done well.
It has been sounding dodgy for a couple of months. So new odyssey ordered from Motoworks.
just for the record this bike or any of my bikes ever have a trickle charge or anything else to keep the charge up, just run 'em regular and they always seem to start. As i replace its always an Odyssey

 

[fez]

Marcus
I too have some nice Claret. I live in SW8 too so you could be glugging tonight. Needs decanting first though.

 

[Tramperman]

I fitted an Odyssey battery...

I fitted an Odyssey battery to my 1200GS a while ago. Nippy Norms.
No strap with it. But I cant see why you would need strap, coz the
battery is a tight fit (it wont move either side to side or up and down)
It comes with small plates to extend battery posts, making leads fit easier.
Its a tight fit as Ive already mentioned.

Bloody good battery tho'.
Im going to try to post a photo. But dont hold your breath coZ Ive never
put one on here yet..... ho hum!

 

[Tramperman]

Photo of Odyssey

I havnt a clue how to put photo on here. Doh!!
Sorry mate.

 

[Tramperman]

Photo (I hope)

 

[Tramperman]

Wow!!! I did it

Well thats me first photo, whey hey, watch this space!!