BATTERY QUESTION
- Thread starter GRAMPY
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barbagris
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Interesting - Here's something.
My Land Rover blows batteries every 6 years - almost to the day.
My Wife's Car battery lasted 8 years.
Batteries that work for 8 plus years on an old Buell - last 2 years in a Harley.
My 1979 Guzzi devours batteries. And the rate of consumption is inversely proportional to use.
The original Bosch battery was great but no longer made. So far the combination of MotoBatt and LiFePO4 has outlasted anything else in it.
The only other that has come close was also an AGM type in the late 1980's. Made by Exide - and iirc called the Torque-Starter - a car battery that fitted.
barbagris
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GET SOME ACF-50 and spray all terminals - could be moisture.Once again---Thanks to all for advise-------Strangely enough----- I tried the motor today, and it started 1st time---????? Weird
Yep----- Will do... Ta fer that.
zenbiker
Zenbiker
I tried a Lithium Ion battery on my Carpentered R3. With the 11.8:1 pistons, the stock battery was not up to the task unless it fired up immediately..
The Lithium battery would crank it much faster but would give up far faster than a standard battery.
Expensive and it seemed too good to be true that this battery weighed 2.5 lbs. with all that power.
Well, it turns out that If I turned the ignition on for more than a minute, it would not be able to turn the motor over. There was no real reserve power in it.
I did two things: I removed my stock air filter and moved it to an under tank location, installed a full sized AGM (330 CCA) and a smaller Harley Sportster battery (200 CCA) in the previous air box, wired them in parallel and changed all of the cables including the ground to #1 welder's cables....expensive but I never have a thought about whether or not the bike will start.
Always on a battery tender when not in use.
As an interesting sideline about battery longevity...I bought a 2007 Big Dog Limited edition with 4500 miles on it last year. The bike had the ORIGINAL battery in it and still cranked the 117" S&S motor over easily. Always on a tender.
I could not believe it but there it was...a seven year old standard battery working perfectly. I am amazed how long some batteries last although I get paranoid after two years. Of course, I replaced it just because.
The Lithium battery would crank it much faster but would give up far faster than a standard battery.
Expensive and it seemed too good to be true that this battery weighed 2.5 lbs. with all that power.
Well, it turns out that If I turned the ignition on for more than a minute, it would not be able to turn the motor over. There was no real reserve power in it.
I did two things: I removed my stock air filter and moved it to an under tank location, installed a full sized AGM (330 CCA) and a smaller Harley Sportster battery (200 CCA) in the previous air box, wired them in parallel and changed all of the cables including the ground to #1 welder's cables....expensive but I never have a thought about whether or not the bike will start.
Always on a battery tender when not in use.
As an interesting sideline about battery longevity...I bought a 2007 Big Dog Limited edition with 4500 miles on it last year. The bike had the ORIGINAL battery in it and still cranked the 117" S&S motor over easily. Always on a tender.
I could not believe it but there it was...a seven year old standard battery working perfectly. I am amazed how long some batteries last although I get paranoid after two years. Of course, I replaced it just because.
CanberraR3
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As best I can tell there are 2 main causes of short battery life -
1. infrequent and/or short riding distances.
2. really cold weather.
My Yuasa is still the original (5 yo) and cranks just fine. Clean terminals and connections are a must and battery tenders are a good idea especially through winter but unless you ride frequently and go a decent distance each time your battery most likely isn't going to last.
1. infrequent and/or short riding distances.
2. really cold weather.
My Yuasa is still the original (5 yo) and cranks just fine. Clean terminals and connections are a must and battery tenders are a good idea especially through winter but unless you ride frequently and go a decent distance each time your battery most likely isn't going to last.
zenbiker
Zenbiker
Here is the answer. #1 welders cables throughout ( especially ground cable ) and 520 CCA.
https://imageshack.com/i/f7triumphrocketdualbatterj
https://imageshack.com/i/f7triumphrocketdualbatterj
Gregger
Living Legend
That's quite the battery set-up.....
Kind of reminds me of that seen in Crocodile Dundee....."That's not a knife....this is a KNIFE!"
Kind of reminds me of that seen in Crocodile Dundee....."That's not a knife....this is a KNIFE!"
zenbiker
Zenbiker
Just got sick and tired of trying to start my Carpentered engine. Tried a lithium battery and it was BS.
This setup will start the engine up at any temp immediately....Instantly! Overkill for sure but no issues.
Two AMG batteries...a 320 CCA and a 200 CCA Sportster battery.
Take away all questions about starting voltage with this setup! Hammer the issue.
This setup will start the engine up at any temp immediately....Instantly! Overkill for sure but no issues.
Two AMG batteries...a 320 CCA and a 200 CCA Sportster battery.
Take away all questions about starting voltage with this setup! Hammer the issue.
Last edited:
Rocket Scientist
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