Battery recommendations

[beemrdon]

I bought the Odyssey PC680 from Battery Mart. It has been in there for about 6 months. No more ABS alt blinking b.s. and fits perfectly. I bought this brand based on all of the reviews from multiple sources. A tad higher than BMW but not enough to cause a fit issue. There are less expensive alternatives on the market but I don't plan on buying another battery for this bike anytime soon.
BTW, I use a battery tender junior when it is cold out, plugged into the BMW power outlet...so convenient.

[Totem95d]

Thanks for the answers,

Odyssey PC680 seems to be a 16 Ah with a capacity as 20 Ah.
the #4 in the FAQ section is interesting but it's quite complicated to measure the current (A)

Actually if someone tested batteries can telle me :

- 10Ah yes or no
- 12Ah yes or no
- 14Ah yes or no

I read that a 15 Ah can start a K100. But on a K75 (mine don't have ABS), compression are higher  :dunno
My last possibility is to go in a shop, ask for a batterie, try it and bring back if it doesn't start !

[The Mighty Gryphon]

AH rating has nothing to do with starting the engine beyond telling you how long you can crank an engine that won't start before the battery goes dead.  What you want to know is the CCA rating which tells you how much power the battery will provide for the starter.  The higher the CCA, the faster and harder the starter will spin the engine for starting. 

I have been using a 20 AH, 225 CCA AGM battery in my K75RT for three years now and it always gives me a good start even at temperatures as low as 10 degrees F. 

225CCA at 10V(what the battery voltage drops to under heavy starting load) yields around 3HP to the starter motor to spin the engine.  This should be more than enough to start even a stone cold brick engine.

With a fully charged 20AH battery you should have something like 3 minutes of cranking before the battery is discharged to 1/2 of it's capacity at which point the ability to spin the engine will become marginal.

While cranking can use a lot of current(amps) the AH used is very small because the engine usually starts after only 1 or 2 seconds of cranking.  A normal start only uses about 0.1AH.

[K1300S]

Thanks for the answers,

Odyssey PC680 seems to be a 16 Ah with a capacity as 20 Ah.
the #4 in the FAQ section is interesting but it's quite complicated to measure the current (A)

Actually if someone tested batteries can telle me :

- 10Ah yes or no
- 12Ah yes or no
- 14Ah yes or no

I read that a 15 Ah can start a K100. But on a K75 (mine don't have ABS), compression are higher  :dunno
My last possibility is to go in a shop, ask for a batterie, try it and bring back if it doesn't start !

Well.....pc680'S are used in race cars to start 3+ liter high compression engines....starting any motorcycle is a non-issue.

And I have a 680 in my k75s.

[Laitch]

I think what Totem is looking for is a petite battery—small, elegant yet energetic, the style and presence of Zoe Kravitz combined with the power of Thor. He seems not to have sorted how any of this bothersome electrical stuff works, and who can blame him.

So I'm just going to answer the substance of his questions although briefer than I did before because he doesn't seem concerned with the long term. Maybe he's never going to shut off the engine once it starts.

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.

[colly]

If you want something really really small, someone recommended this to me: http://www.masolise.com/batterie-moto-ulm-lithium-12v-c2x9183182

[Totem95d]

Thank you for these answers and especially Colly.
I know Solise very well because I bought one of the battery but...I took a 240CCA but it's really not enought powerful with this Solise technology.
That's why I come back with a lead solution and it's also cheaper.

I'm here to find the best solution of my needs and understand the choice. You seems to have the knowledges and I'm here to learn.

Yes I thought that "Ah" was proportionnal with CCA and The Mighty Gryphon helped to re-oriented my battery research.

Laitch, thanks for the joke

[lmiklosy]

I've read good recommendations for Deka AGM batteries and using their EXT 30L in my R100 for three years now.  Totem95b: a  good fit for the K75S is the EXT 16L but a 30L will give you 400 CCA - enough for an arc-welder and it still fits the battery tray. Notice the dimensions cited for these are the battery overall dimension, the base dimension to fit the tray is slightly smaller.  A complete line of Deka batteries are offered by vendors on eBay, reasonably priced.  The factory charging system is designed for conventional lead-acid batteries, there are considerations when dropping in gel and Lithium storage batteries and a topic for a new post. Thanks to all for their contributions to this topic.

[beemrdon]

Just buy the Odyssey and be done with it.

[stokester]

Just buy the Odyssey and be done with it.

:2thumbup:

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I'm going on my 4th season with a Scorpion AGM battery in my RT and S.  They never fail to start even when the temperature is down in the teens.  Around 80 bucks if I recall. 

[Martin]

Deka AGM 8 years second one 5 years currently running a Rev Plus for coming up to 4 years due to the unavailability of the Deka at the time.
Regards Martin.

[lmiklosy]

Johnny knows (East Penn Mfg)  :deal:   listen to johnny. Tx all.

[k]

I use a Bosch Miata battery.

For a very nice installation, have these folks make you a custom negative cable with a negative terminal on one end and a lug on the other.

http://www.2xpower.com/Custom-Battery-Cables_c_60.html

[technostructural]

I have the Panasonic LC-X1228.


I have to say that I am very, very, impressed with how resilient it is in the face of neglect. The bike sat for two years when I found it, it was able to easily turn over the engine. It has been neglected and abused for at least 7 years in total, and it still works fine.


If it were to crap out on me, I would definitely buy one again (if I could find one).

[keahi]

Hi all,
  When the Westco that was in my K75C died last year I replaced it with an "Xtreme AGM Battery CYLA30LXTA" from Batteries Plus.
Good specs, fit like a glove and most importantly it was half an hour away. Also a 10% discount when ordering online for p/u and I
could turn in my core. No problems so far (including heated gear). It spends the winter in an unheated shed on a tender and fired her right up a couple of weeks ago.
Ride safe,
   Best,  Steve

[ckp]

I had a PC680 in my Corvette and it started it for 2 years before it bit it. I didn't think it would last even that long. I was shaving every pound off my car at the time.