BATTERY Life for 800 or 1500

[Trall]

The lithium Iron option sounds promising but, for me anyway, I don't think they're quite 'there' yet in terms of operating one on a charging system not specifically designed for it.

My local Kaw Dealer where I bought my new Yuasa battery said they stopped selling lithium bike battery's because of fires and damages to a few they sold.

[Bucko]

My o1 drifter is now over 15 years old.  The OEM AGM Furokawa battery lasted 7 or 8 years and was still working but I replaced just to be safe.  Even so, I kept the original battery bench as a spare for a few years after that and used it to start my old Hondas every spring.  I would have bought another Furokawa even though they're very expensive but no one had one avaible locally so I opted for a Yuasa AGM battery which is still going strong.  I never use a trickle charger even though my Drifter (and some other bikes I have which also have AGMs) sit in storage for up to 9 months per year - the static drain on a AGM is so low - something like 1% per month -  a trickle charger is just not required (and I've read some stuff that leaving an AGM battery on a trickle charger may in fact be harmful).

The lithium Iron option sounds promising but, for me anyway, I don't think they're quite 'there' yet in terms of operating one on a charging system not specifically designed for it.

[Troll]

Thanks everyone for their replies and tips.  That Yusa seemed about half the price then other's Ive seen and Gooseberries pointers are prob because it's a fake generic one.

Has anyone paid the big bucks for a lithium battery here with great results long term to recoup their costs over a standard high quality one?

Read A LOT about lithium batteries BEFORE you make a decision.

[Trall]

Thanks everyone for their replies and tips.  That Yusa seemed about half the price then other's Ive seen and Gooseberries pointers are prob because it's a fake generic one.

Has anyone paid the big bucks for a lithium battery here with great results long term to recoup their costs over a standard high quality one?

[greenbarn]

Batteries are one of those things I tend to want to replace 1) at the first sigh of showing any problems or 2) when they are old enough to be "likely" to have a problem (the 5 year mark is a good time period on a car battery).  Also, I do not scrimp on battery quality.  To me, it's worth the extra $10-20-40 to get a "good" battery, over the price of an economy battery.

On my 1500, I think the battery was only 2 years old (may have been 3) this year, but it gave me trouble starting one morning for my second ride of the year, so I ordered a new battery the next week and put it in.  Probably didn't "Need" it, but I'd rather spend the bucks on a battery than have an issue.

To me it comes down to:  What will it cost you if/when the battery fails?  A tow bill?  Missing/cutting short a ride?  1-2 hours of screwing around with it in the middle of a ride?  How much is the potential trouble worth compared to the price of the new battery?   For example,  If this is your daily transportation to work, and the worst that would happen is it won't start one morning, so you have to drive the truck to work--  that's not too bad a situation, really.  On the other hand for me, it would likely be on a weekend ride with friends, so would be a lot more hassle.  It's worth it to me to pay up front 

[Tfrank59]

Well if you think that's going to incur the groups wrath, I'll get it even worse because I don't think I've even checked my battery. For all I know it's the OEM battery from 2006 ha ha. When I do change it, probably this year, i'll put in A Yuasa.

[kw-retrorider]

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the group, and prefacing this with "I know better".....

- Bought my 800 Drifter in late 2011 with 10K miles on it.
- In 2013, I pulled the battery out, to verify date and take it to Battery Warehouse for a load test. It was a Deka battery dated 2/2011. It load tested sat....so put it back in.
- It's still in and I have almost 26K miles on the bike now.

So I know this is overdue for replacement and I am flirting with disaster. It's a sealed battery, so it's not like I'm doing any maintenance. Don't even have the trickle hook-up on it. To date I guess I ride it enough and winter temps in MD between rides have not killed it. I don't lay the bike up in the winter...I ride when its at least 40 degrees F....about 3K a year.

The battery situation is worse on my W650...but I keep it on a trickle and can kick start it if things get bad.....I know, I know....what am I thinking?...but it speaks to battery life. I'm surprised too.

[Troll]

When I had H-Ds, it was almost every year...with the drifter, I've put in 2 in 6 years, but the first one was a cheapie that only lasted about 1 1/2 years.

[Trall]

I bought my 2001 Drifter 800 last October from the grandson selling for the original owner.  The grandson did not know how old the battery was but it was always on a tender that came with the bike.

I looked but did not see a date code and for now my bike starts normal.  I generally replace my car battery at 5 years if they make it that long to just to avoid the day I am stuck with a problem (which has happened more then once before adopting 5 year change).  I am debating just putting a new battery in for the same reason but should I wait till it shows an issue first.  Does anyone here just change the motorcycle battery every 3,4, or 5 years just to save an headache on the road?

I found this Yuasa on eBay for for $60 and debating to change as preventive or wait till there an issue? The ad says for Drifter 2004-2006 but it would/should all years-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yuasa-12V-10AH-Battery-for-Kawasaki-Classic-Drifter-2004-2006/381369844997?_trksid=p2050601.c100085.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37139%26meid%3D776700882fd0471fa8d527817cb6b0ba%26pid%3D100085%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D381369844997%26clkid%3D5856160463797931821&_qi=RTM2247625