Vulcan 1500 battery life

[michaelh42]

Last year I start a post about problems with cold starting with my bike. tested the battery and it tested fine. If I put a charge on it I could start it in the cold most days. about 40F no issues. This is the original batter and this year I am going to replace it. cant hold out anymore

[DC]

I keep mine on the battery tender over the winter, and I try to start it and let it run about every 3-4 weeks.

[drifter-paul]

OEM FTZ16-BS     - 78 months (ridden 60 miles daily)
CTX16-BS            - 21 months
YTX16-BS            - 46 months
All 16 Amp
Have a Yuasa YTX20CH-BS (as recommended on this forum, 20 A, 270ccA) arriving this week . Expecting to get more than 5 years of it. Also have trickle charger wired to the bike now. 

[John Hopkins]

I have been unpleasantly suprised by the sizing on some of the AGM batteries, (not on my drifter)..being an old man I was bought up on batteries that had walls about 3/8" thick, the new batteries have a case that is about 1/32" thick because that is all they need..until you have a tight fit and have to 'persuade' the battery to fit, then the outer casing just splits.

John.

I might have to change my name to jophn..I have big hands and my fingers keep hitting the O and P buttons at the same time..

[chief]

There is the "use them until they fail date", and the "recommended SHOULD replace them date". Both vary based upon battery type, climate, use, etc.

Average climate, use and maintenance- AGM Sealed batteries should be replaced every 4-5 years. They can last longer if you gamble. Conventional batteries should be replaced every 2-3 years, but usually last longer. I replace mine at 5 years unless something tells me I need to do it sooner. If I end up with a couple of discharged battery situations... forgot to turn on the tender, left lights on, etc... I replace the battery anyway. I've been in the middle of no place with a dying battery - ridden without lights to get to a lighted area to park etc. Not my idea of fun.

[CDNRatMan]

no issues with it yet was just trying to figure out when things were installed or done on the bike, the PO had no records of these things, so I want to start as of this summer being a new year. So was just wondering and asking......

[Troll]

The only batteries that normally come with a date code are the ones sold retail. The OEM batteries generally do not have a code or even any real warranty. There is no date code on the battery I replaced, but there is on the one I bought. I bought the bike from an idiot who tried to destroy it and then parked it in has father in law's barn for 4 years, until I bought it and started the restoration process. When I got the bike home, the battery was stone dead. I charged it for about an hour, and it came back enough to let me get the engine running. I checked the charging system output, and I had 14.9V at idle. charged it over night and haven't had to do anything with it, other than pull it out in the winter, since 2009, when I brought the bike home. I experienced a little early warning a few times this last Fall. Hit the starter, and get "solenoid chatter", hit it again and it fires right up. I put the next size larger (in capacity) in about 2 weeks ago. The original is a 16, I put in a 20..same case size, same sealed AGM battery...If this had been an H-D, there is no way it would have lasted since July of 2000, when the bike was built!

[pcarrell]

Most batteries I've bought have some sort of markings on them as to when they were made, usually for warranty issues.

[jmbo]

Is it starting the bike OK?

[CDNRatMan]

anyone know how to tell the age of the battery? I have a Yuasa that came in the bike and just wondering how old it really is.

[Troll]

As far as I can tell, I just replaced the original Yuasa in my in my '01. It was starting to give me some intermittent problems.

[John Hopkins]

The VN 1500 seems to have one of the best charging systems, perhaps that is part of the reason..

John.

[CDNRatMan]

 don't know yet, one one summer and first winter.....but was told the battery was original, but I am going to take it out and look and see if I can tell.

[smokey422]

My original Yuasa battery on my 1500 Drifter went 9 years before I bought a new one. The first battery was still starting the bike fine, I was just getting a little nervous about its' age. I credit at least part of this long life to liberal use of a Battery Tender smart charger, especially during winter. I was just curious to see if any other owners had experienced such long battery life.
Smokey