Recommend me a new battery please.

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Thanx again guys. The Motobatt MBTX12U is ordered, cost me £47 including delivery.

FWIW my bike lives in the garage & has only be used for 'pleasure' (to coin an insurance phrase) so far. Whenever she's not being ridden she's been on the BMW charger through the aux socket.
When I was talking the service manager at my favoured BMW dealer earlier this week about the battery issue, he told me this doesn't actually do the battery any favours and recommended that if the bike's not being used on a daily basis to just top the charge up for a few hours every 3 weeks or so.

I'm using the bike fopr commuting at the moment so we'll see how that goes.

Edit: Sorry Mistacat, just seen your post - the battery is already ordered - thanks though.

 

[Mistacat]

I have had a PM regarding the size of the Motobatt MBYZ16H, Yes it is the same size as the original BMW battery.
If this photo loads ok this is a MBYZ16HD ( HD being the black & orange Harley option) next to a BMW original.

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[Speedy1959]

Thanks Mistacat..
"A picture is worth a thousand words"

S.

 

[lawvar]

E bay are selling lithium battery for £59.95

 

[Bendy toy]

My plan is to fit a LiFePo big enough for UK use. The is the Shorai. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lithium-i...603674?hash=item3f597250da:g:yaQAAOSwQTVWBpeG

The big benefit of LiFePo is a failed start doesn't mean game over as it does with lead acid. Try again (and again) and its usually fine. For the faint hearted buy a booster pack which is handy backup for laptops, phones and car starting.

 

[DrFarkoff]

I wouldn't fit a Li ion battery Personally! There's a big punch required to spin over a big opposed twin and I have heard a few people say that the LI version starter speed slows dramatically if they miss it first time!

If you do fit one remember to check if you have a Lithium approved charger!

Apparently these things catch fire with the wrong charger

 

[Bendy toy]

I wouldn't fit a Li ion battery Personally! There's a big punch required to spin over a big opposed twin and I have heard a few people say that the LI version starter speed slows dramatically if they miss it first time!

If you do fit one remember to check if you have a Lithium approved charger!

Apparently these things catch fire with the wrong charger

Dead right, a lead acid charger will kill an Lithium battery (of any flavour).

Regarding the big starting punch - Lithiums are better than lead acids. If the first try is weak, the second try will be a lot stronger. Self warming the battery seriously increases its current output. With weak** lead acid you get one start attempt maybe another weaker attempt & then its game over.

**By weak I mean old, but not warn out, battery or very cold ambient conditions.

Lithiums may or may not have the same reserve capacity as lead acid. But a 12 AH lead acid is likely to be well down on volts long before all of those amp hours have been used. They for sure will not deliver start currents for anything like the total AH would suggest. Lithium deliver full current almost to the end and are not harmed by running to dead flat. A lead acid taken below 9 volts open circuit is likely to refuse to accept a charge. Optimates were originally developed to recover dead or over discharged batteries.

A small Lithium like the Ballistic 4 cell has enough punch to start a 1200 twin, but very little reserve capacity if the engine is sluggish for some reason. The 8 cell is not a lot more money but gives 240CCA more than enough to start a 1200 twin. They need a different technique for use in very cold conditions but they have more than enough capacity to warm themselves to running temperature and start the engine. Ive had usually good lead acids refuse to work properly in very cold conditions (engine turns but volts too low to start the bike).

The lithium booster batteries are a handy idea but cant be used in place of a proper engine start battery. The boosters cannot accept a fast recharge and will be fried if left permanently clipped to the bike battery (or any vehicle) after the engine is running.

 

[Bungy]

Does anyone bother de-sulphating their lead acid battery with an appropriate charger rather than trickle charging?

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

Does anyone bother de-sulphating their lead acid battery with an appropriate charger rather than trickle charging?

Yes, i've got 4 motobatts on a 4 Mottobatt charger which goes through the de-sulphating procedure on a regular basis. My first 1200GS battery lasted 8 years before I thought it had been on long enough and replaced it. It was always plugged in to a BMW proper charger which also goes through the de-sulphating procedure.

 

[DervMan]

I'm pleased with the Motobatt I have in mine.

 

[Bendy toy]

Lead acids will last if they are kept on a proper charger. But (1) it's a hassle and (2) not everyone has mains power to their garage.

 

[Delboy777]

I have had a PM regarding the size of the Motobatt MBYZ16H, Yes it is the same size as the original BMW battery.
If this photo loads ok this is a MBYZ16HD ( HD being the black & orange Harley option) next to a BMW original.

[/URL][/IMG]

Just bought what appears to be the last one in that listing, thanks for the heads up.