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Lithium battery for CRF250F

By _Bauer_,
in CRF150F/L, CRF230F/L & CRF250F

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_Bauer_

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Hello all

Battery question for the collective. I was looking at Li batteries for my CRF250F. I came across this one:

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/shorai-lithium-iron-battery-p

It fits a 230F - I contacted Rocky Mountain, and their tech folks said it won't work with the 250F - but I'm not sure if they looked in to it, or just noted that Shorai didn't list it as compatible. Any reason a battery that is compatible with the 230 wouldn't be with the 250? [Rick R - size-wise, are they different between the two?]Is anyone running a different brand of battery?

thanks!

Michael

 

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_Bauer_

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Good question - I'm going to contact Shorai directly - my guess is RM may have just looked at the compatibility list and noticed the 250F wasn't on it

 

Edit: Shorai responded that if the CRF250F came with a Lithium battery, then it would not work, as the battery tray is too small. I found that odd - perhaps that's for non-US bikes. Interestingly Antigravity has a battery aimed at a direct replacement for the YTZ7S - even the name is a reference to it:

https://shop.antigravitybatteries.com/products/starter-batteries/restart-oem/atz7-rs/

Edited by Michael Bauer
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_Bauer_

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Yeah - I was hoping it would be a bit more savings in the weight but 3lbs is 3lbs

 

Edit: Shorai responded after my reply - looks like their battery will work:  "If it has a YTZ7S , a Shorai LFX14L2-BS12 will work for the bike"

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Chuck.

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My CRF250X uses the same size battery as the 230F. Yuasa YTX5L-BS, 4ah, 70CCA, 4.49W x 2.8D x 4.14H, 4lbs

I replaced it with a Shorai LiFe (Lithium Iron Phosphate) LFX07L2-BS12, 7ah, 102CCA, , 4.45W x 2.28D x 3.5H, 0.93lbs

Slightly smaller, but is comes with shims to fit the battery box. And 3+ lbs lighter and never needs a trickle charge. It is now several years old and has never had a trickle and starts the bike after 6 months of storage.

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ramz

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I bought the Antigravity ATZ-7-RS Lithium RE-START Battery on Amazon for $117 for my CRF250F. It's smaller than the stock Yuasa and has the newest Antigravity lithium ion technology.

I have not yet installed the new Antigravity; I'm finding it difficult to remove a working battery just to save 3 pounds.  Perhaps I'll swap it in over the winter break. No worries about it sitting on the shelf unused. I had one lithium ion battery sit on a shelf for a year, and when I installed it without a re-charge, it worked great. For another 3 years. Then an internal connection broke and the manufacturer was no longer in business.  That's when I switched to Antigravity. I've had no problems with Antigravity batteries, but others have.  YMMV.

I had a problem with a Shorai battery when they first came out, and although they replaced the first battery, the second failed within a few years, so I crossed Shorai off my list. YMMV.

Very informative comments from the Antigravity source:

https://advrider.com/f/threads/antigravity-batteries-game-changing-new-lithium-battery.1282714/


:ride:

Edited by ramz
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_Bauer_

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58 minutes ago, ramz said:

I bought the Antigravity ATZ-7-RS Lithium RE-START Battery on Amazon for $117 for my CRF250F. It's smaller than the stock Yuasa and has the newest Antigravity lithium ion technology.

I have not yet installed the new Antigravity; I'm finding it difficult to remove a working battery just to save 3 pounds.  Perhaps I'll swap it in over the winter break. No worries about it sitting on the shelf unused. I had one lithium ion battery sit on a shelf for a year, and when I installed it without a re-charge, it worked great. For another 3 years. Then an internal connection broke and the manufacturer was no longer in business.  That's when I switched to Antigravity. I've had no problems with Antigravity batteries, but others have.  YMMV.

I had a problem with a Shorai battery when they first came out, and although they replaced the first battery, the second failed within a few years, so I crossed Shorai off my list. YMMV.


:ride:

I'm kind of in the same boat regarding swapping out a good working battery just to shave 3lbs. Although with the 250F, every pound shaved helps. I need to shave a few myself lol. 

Experience seems to vary with the Antigravity units. Interestingly there aren't many Amazon reviews, but there are a handful of negative ones. I guess that is one thing about the lead acids...if you take care of them, they don't tend to fail prematurely. 

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OldMac

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I'll probably put the lithium on the "to do" list which seems to always get longer.

In my mind it is just about the options available to make it each person's unique package, Clearly Mr. Ramsey has his specific "package". Think most all of us do it. 

The price tag doesn't make me feel good (about any of the mods), but offsets the additions of the skid plate, bark busters, etc, that is smart to protect yourself and the investment. Some of the mods are just for comfort, like aluminum bars (however you get bonus weight savings).

That's why I love following Mr. Ramsey because you can see not only the value of the personal modifications but if you're going to spend the money for comfort, spending it knowing you are also saving weight at the same time is nice.

Now if the aftermarket will start to catch up we can have some more options. An example is if you're going to an aftermarket shock (performance gain and weight savings) it would be nice to also go to a billet aluminum shock link (and save another half a pound) and get a grease zerk! at the same time because you have to take the thing apart so you might as well get all the benefit for the effort.

Maybe the weight loss coupled with performance gain makes me feel better about spending stupid money...

 

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_Bauer_

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11 minutes ago, OldMac said:

I'll probably put the lithium on the "to do" list which seems to always get longer.

In my mind it is just about the options available to make it each person's unique package, Clearly Mr. Ramsey has his specific "package". Think most all of us do it. 

The price tag doesn't make me feel good (about any of the mods), but offsets the additions of the skid plate, bark busters, etc, that is smart to protect yourself and the investment. Some of the mods are just for comfort, like aluminum bars (however you get bonus weight savings).

That's why I love following Mr. Ramsey because you can see not only the value of the personal modifications but if you're going to spend the money for comfort, spending it knowing you are also saving weight at the same time is nice.

Now if the aftermarket will start to catch up we can have some more options. An example is if you're going to an aftermarket shock (performance gain and weight savings) it would be nice to also go to a billet aluminum shock link (and save another half a pound) and get a grease zerk! at the same time because you have to take the thing apart so you might as well get all the benefit for the effort.

Maybe the weight loss coupled with performance gain makes me feel better about spending stupid money...

 

That's where I'm at...it's on the list, but I'm not sure it's something I'm going to get done this season. I follow Rick's page, and I've taken a few ideas from it.

So far I've put on aluminum Renthal bars and a set of risers (I'm 6'1", the stock bars were too short for me to stand in the pegs comfortably) along with a set of hand guards.  I've inquired about the EJK tuner, and I'm waiting to hear back. I'll probably do the suspension at some point - but first I need to try dialing in the rear shock - at 215lbs, it's set a bit soft. I'm putting on an FMF Q4 silencer, although in retrospect, it's not as much weight savings as I'd hoped. 

At this point, I'm trying to not go too crazy on parts until I get used to the bike. I'm just getting (back) in to dirt riding after a long absence, and I didn't do much as it was. I'd really like to see a lot more aftermarket options - especially around the suspension components. 

If I'm realistic, it's probably more likely that I will lose the 15lbs, and not the bike. I need to, anyway LOL

 

 

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OldMac

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At least in my brain, I think the bike losing ten (10) pounds is probably doable, even adding protection mods (skid plate, bark busters, etc,),  by smart choices. It will never be a lightweight, but if the bike can lose 10 lbs while making it perform better and fit you...that is a excellent result to me.

My first mods (other than protection items) is definitely suspension. It's a safety issue to me. Several years ago I learned an expensive physical well-being lesson with a CRF-F shock.

 

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_Bauer_

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4 minutes ago, OldMac said:

At least in my brain, I think the bike losing ten (10) pounds is probably doable, even adding protection mods (skid plate, bark busters, etc,),  by smart choices. It will never be a lightweight, but if the bike can lose 10 lbs while making it perform better and fit you...that is a excellent result to me.

My first mods (other than protection items) is definitely suspension. It's a safety issue to me. Several years ago I learned an expensive physical well-being lesson with a CRF-F shock.

 

That doesn't sound good...I do agree that losing 10lbs is probably pretty doable. Between the battery, bars, rear shock, the exhaust...I honestly don't mind the weight of the bike too much yet - I've had it on the ground a couple times and picking it up is easy - but between the weight and the lack of height, getting it on a center stand can be interesting...

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BSAVictor

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3 hours ago, Michael Bauer said:

That doesn't sound good...I do agree that losing 10lbs is probably pretty doable. Between the battery, bars, rear shock, the exhaust...I honestly don't mind the weight of the bike too much yet - I've had it on the ground a couple times and picking it up is easy - but between the weight and the lack of height, getting it on a center stand can be interesting...

I helped myself a lot for maintenance as well as for longer-term storage by investing in a motorcycle hydraulic jack.  They generally have a setting with some physical stops that also lets you store the bike upright with tires off the ground without keeping the hydraulic system under stress.  The fact that I paid $50 each for my such jacks tells you I've had them for awhile.  I'd still buy them at the current price for their value to me....

Edited by BSAVictor
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_Bauer_

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I helped myself a lot for maintenance as well as for longer-term storage by investing in a motorcycle hydraulic jack.  They generally have a setting with some physical stops that also lets you store the bike upright with tires off the ground without keeping the hydraulic system under stress.  The fact that I paid $50 each for my such jacks tells you I've had them for awhile.  I'd still buy them at the current price for their value to me....

I have a hydraulic jack for my Harley but I think the crossbars are too wide to fit under the 250’s frame properly. I need to take a look and see if it might work. The center stand will work, it’s just about 2” too tall to be really convenient.
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BSAVictor

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6 minutes ago, Michael Bauer said:


I have a hydraulic jack for my Harley but I think the crossbars are too wide to fit under the 250’s frame properly. I need to take a look and see if it might work. The center stand will work, it’s just about 2” too tall to be really convenient.

I should've stated that I use my motorcycle hydraulic jack for all sizess of bikes, including CRF230F.  Though its capacity is rated something like I think 1500 lbs, the rubber-topped cross bars collapse way down to only a few inches off the ground, and I've never found a problem of the crossbars too wide to get under even a small bike.  Yeah, check yours for fit!

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_Bauer_

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2 minutes ago, BSAVictor said:

I should've stated that I use my motorcycle hydraulic jack for all sizess of bikes, including CRF230F.  Though its capacity is rated something like I think 1500 lbs, the rubber-topped cross bars collapse way down to only a few inches off the ground, and I've never found a problem of the crossbars too wide to get under even a small bike.  Yeah, check yours for fit!

I will for sure. Mine will easily fit under the bike, my concern is that the cross bars may be spread further apart than the length of the bottom of the frame. I seem to recall the company mine is made by makes adaptors - so if it doesn't fit, I may still be able to come up with a solution

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