I think its time for a new battery. I got a left over 2008 about a month ago. I think the battery sat too long. 1.5 years.

I drained it once by accident,and then got a battery tender hooked up.

I charge it for about 3-4 days only to see it settle back to 12-11 volts.

This time I have had it hooked up for 5 days. Turned the key over to check the volts and it was 13.4,,, then dropped to 12 in about 45 seconds. And the last time I rode it I had to step out side to fire it up to charge the battery. Last time was about 4 hours since I fired it up ,, and I thought it wasnt going to crank over.

Im not getting stranded. I will invest in a good NEW battery.

So I think its new battery time.

What is the better one on the market.

What do you consider when buying a new one.

Side note,,, I wont ask the dealer I got it from for a new battery,, he was just excellent in the bike transaction.

And thanks in advance!

The problem is, the "assumption" the bike is going to move off the floor. So, it is more like a car, where you walk in, and drive out. So, technically, that battery should be wet when you buy the bike. The quick charge is better than no charge or a sitting left over with a batter on the way out.

Pro-rate the dealer is spank those ass is holes. Don't throw that technical at me and begin to pro-rate the tires cause they sat in the sun and cracked is they will last much longer than a battery if you want deterioration technicals thrown at me.

The best battery is OEM and if you have it charged correctly = 5 years if not 4 years you stay on top of it with that tender.

I would also consider a light weight battery if i had to replace because last I heard, they could be had for close to the same price as OEM and they are a lot lighter. I know there is a topic around here on light weight batteries somewhere. Check back in Performance Upgrades if interested. Masszx14 is the lightweight battery authority around here. You might Get some first hand knowledge out of him.

Here in So. Cal we do not have an off season and motorcycle can be driven year round. For this reasons, batteries have are in constant use. My '94 ZX-11 in on third battery right now, meaning the first two lasted 7 years, each.
Yes, it's correct that perfectly good battery can go bad very quick if it's not maintained and allowed to go discharged.

offtopic, but I wish we could ride all year long here, can already feel the days gettin shorter!!! I agree with Hub oem....

Steven wrote: ... first two lasted 7 years, each.

Hub, the 1-st was original OEM Yuasa, the second was same Yuasa YTX14-BS.

Im up for info on the light weight sucker.

Thanks in advance

Thanks, Steven.

* Last updated by: Hub on 8/6/2009 @ 3:02 PM *

Welp,,, I just bought a stocker from the dealer,,,, hope ill be good to go now.

Plenty of guys riding on there 3rd year of service from the stocker. I'm sure it will go at least 6 years as long as you keep it charged during storage.

I'm running the stocker in my 04 busa.....I didn't give it the best of care in the first few years, but I did charge it once or twice through the winter months, never let it sit dead, and have had it on a battery tender constantly for the last couple years. Its still going strong The 14's battery is the 06 stocker and also going strong The trick is to not leave them in a dead or low state for extended periods. A happy and long lived battery is a full battery
Keep in mind if you get a smaller battery, you have to be sure you can find a way to strap it down in the battery box. The last thing you want is a loose battery flopping around, shorting out, and leaking in your frame

Well update,,, new battery fires right up,,, then when i get back from ridding i hook it up to the battery tender,,,, next day its green full charge.!!!!!!!!

The first battery would be on the charger for 4-5 days and still not reach full charge.

Question is,,, is this first battery shot,,, can it be saved be charging for a long time,, or is it all about keeeping the charge? And also should I just take it to the recycle center?

Basically ,, what to do with first battery?
Thanks all.

You can try to give your first battery a good charge with a 1.5 or 2 amp charge to see if it charges up full and holds the charge. Unfortunately sometimes a battery tender that only puts out 600 milli-amps (.6 amps) won't put out enough amperage to "wake up" and fully charge an weakened battery. But usually when the batteries been dead for too long its done. And running a weak battery, that won't hold a charge, in a bike will just overwork the rest of the charging system....not good. You're prolly best off just recycling your old battery
Also you can leave your battery constantly hooked up to a battery tender, thats the best way to get maximum life out of them. Both my streetbikes have alarms on them and are always plugged into my tenders when not being ridden

* Last updated by: BadinBlack on 8/13/2009 @ 4:56 PM *