Suggestions and tips for a new battery?

[bambambryan]

I have a 05 sm and and the battery is garbage. Previous owner through some cheap-o Walmart brand battery in it so he could sell the bike. The bike overall is fine, but is hard starting cold and battery drains easily after only 3 tries with electric start. When it's warmed up it has 0 problems and no troubles in between rides. Getting tired of bump starting it. I feel like I'm abusing the bike when I do it. (Does bump start play havoc on the bike in any way?)

What kind of battery has the best results with Drz. I hear a lot of good things about yuasa.

main concern on a battery is reliability on longevity. I brought my bike to college and can no longer keep it on a battery tender like I use to :/

Since I can't keep it on a tender when not in use... how often should I bring the battery up to the dorm and place it on a tender?

Thanks for any advice

Ride safe

[Decil Moto]

Do you ride it during the winter? Is it stored inside or outside? Alot of guys are switching to lithium battery's like MOTY and ballistic with good results! Winterized results idk about though. Also don't discount the walmart batterys. I have it in my ruckus and Z for ease of getting and cheap, as long as they are maintained properly they will last fine. My buddy pays twice as much for his batteries and let's them sit thinking higher price means they take more abuse but that's not true, he's changed out batterys alot more than me.

[cowpie]

the stock yuasa is supposed to be about the best i think .. i dont trust lithiums myself, i dont think the charging circuits on motor vehicles are designed right for them is my thinking .... if you arnt riding it several times a week at least pull one of the wires off the bat, it wont discharge near as fast if its not hooked up ..

[Kx250FRiDeR651]

I bought a tiny Moty battery. Weighs 11oz. I tossed it in my air box due to being so small. It has a quick disconnect so you can actually unplug and take it outa the bike within seconds and charge it in your dorm if you need. There are chargers for them on eBay for $14 shipped. Although it's a pretty tough battery. All the reviews I've read said you can leave it off the bike all year and plug it in and it fires up strong. I've been happy with mine and looks a lot cleaner without the stock battery box and the side panel trimmed smaller.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Kx250FRiDeR651

[William1]

Stock Yuasa is the best lead/acid battery. Many LiFe batterys will give you less grief however, when the die, it is sudden and there is little warning. If you let a LiFe battery drain completely, it can be ruined. A LiFe battery will hold a charge better than a lead/acid battery. A lead/Acid battery performs better in extreme cold. LiFe batteries are significantly lighter but about 50% more expensive.

 

If your bike is going to sit and you cannot take the battery out, you can simply remove the fuse (or even put a switch in the airbox to toggle the power on and off). This will stop the parasitic drain on the battery and enable it to sit for a few months with nearly no ill effects. You will have to reset the clock and lose the trip meter values, not a big deal really.)

[bambambryan]

WOW i didnt even think of that. Sounds like the Yuasa is the way to go and take off the negative wire. The bike sits outside under a motorcycle cover.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[Beta300REcat]

Battery Tender brand LiFe.

 

I charge it with a standard tender style charger. I let it almost die once and then killed it completely trying to start the bike. Jumped the bike off the F350 and the battery had enough capacity to start the bike after it died  30 seconds later. Seems the LiFe do not self discharge nearly as bad as the lead acid batteries do. Additionally, there is no way you'll ever save the weight per dollar spent like you will with a LiFe battery.

[William1]

WOW i didnt even think of that. Sounds like the Yuasa is the way to go and take off the negative wire. The bike sits outside under a motorcycle cover.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

No need to unbolt the cables. Just undo the white fuse wire connector(about five inches from the battery).

 

You can also 'get fancy' and put a toggle switch on the wire (solder and shrink wrap connections). Use a marine water proof switch designed for more than 20 amps.

[BillDirt1]

I have a 05 sm and and the battery is garbage. Previous owner through some cheap-o Walmart brand battery in it so he could sell the bike. The bike overall is fine, but is hard starting cold and battery drains easily after only 3 tries with electric start. When it's warmed up it has 0 problems and no troubles in between rides. Getting tired of bump starting it. I feel like I'm abusing the bike when I do it. (Does bump start play havoc on the bike in any way?)

What kind of battery has the best results with Drz. I hear a lot of good things about yuasa.

main concern on a battery is reliability on longevity. I brought my bike to college and can no longer keep it on a battery tender like I use to :/

Since I can't keep it on a tender when not in use... how often should I bring the battery up to the dorm and place it on a tender?

Thanks for any advice

Ride safe

 

Shoria LFX14

[Kx250FRiDeR651]

Shoria LFX14

I had one of those in my old DRZ.

LFX14A2-BS12

When our battery supplier guy delivered it to me at work I thought the box was empty. Pretty damn light for a battery that fits in the stock location. Cranked over quick too.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Kx250FRiDeR651

[Beta300REcat]

I had one of those in my old DRZ.

LFX14A2-BS12

When our battery supplier guy delivered it to me at work I thought the box was empty. Pretty damn light for a battery that fits in the stock location. Cranked over quick too.

That is the size battery my 955 Daytona takes.

 

The LiFe in the Zuk is the size of two packs of playing cards.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Bermudacat

[38super]

+1 Shorai

[Kx250FRiDeR651]

That is the size battery my 955 Daytona takes.

The LiFe in the Zuk is the size of two packs of playing cards.

That's cool. Just stating that the stock replacement sized battery shoria makes is nice as well. My Moty 4x1 battery I'm currently running is about the size of 2 small iPhones stacked. I know all about tiny battery's ? Its been working out quite well for me.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Kx250FRiDeR651

[Beta300REcat]

Exactly.

 

I had noticed it would fit if I wanted to. Just trying to clarify options. ?
 

[shuswap1]

While waiting for a warranty replacement Shorai I bought a lower-end Yuasa to keep riding. It works so well I sold the Shorai when it got here. I don't need or appreciate the finicky behavior of the LiFe and the Yuasa spins the engine more than fast enough and long enough to get the bike going with ZERO finicky/fussy behavior. I'd a kept the Shorai if I didn't need a more reliable and tolerant battery

[Beta300REcat]

Both my Battery Tender brand have exceeded ANY type of lead/glassmat/spiral/leakproof/maintenancefree/whatever lead acid battery I've ever owned.