JaimeC
New member
An Addendum to my post regarding AGM batteries: It seems WestCo does NOT have a battery to fit our scooters, but Yuasa does make an AGM battery that does. The gel cells that BMW used to use for their bikes used to hold a charge for a good long time, however if you didn't use the "right" type of charger (one designed for a lead acid battery instead of a gel type) you would cook and kill them before their time. In addition, even if you did maintain them properly they worked wonderfully up until they didn't.
In other words, the lead acid batteries I'd used always gave you ample warning when they were about to give up the ghost. It would take longer and longer for the bike to crank over, for example. However, in my experience, I never got any kind of warning that the gel battery was nearing the end of its useful life. In the morning the bike would fire right up, then 20 miles away from home when I left the office, I'd hit the starter button and get NOTHING. That's when I decided to say "To hell with these damned things" and switched to the Odyssey battery. Based on posts I've seen in the BMW MOA forums, that was a very popular and common decision.
In other words, the lead acid batteries I'd used always gave you ample warning when they were about to give up the ghost. It would take longer and longer for the bike to crank over, for example. However, in my experience, I never got any kind of warning that the gel battery was nearing the end of its useful life. In the morning the bike would fire right up, then 20 miles away from home when I left the office, I'd hit the starter button and get NOTHING. That's when I decided to say "To hell with these damned things" and switched to the Odyssey battery. Based on posts I've seen in the BMW MOA forums, that was a very popular and common decision.
P
Pierrel
Guest
Got a new YUASA battery from the dealer and the scoot started just fine! Paid $140 CDN for it. Same battery listed for $213 USD on the YUASA website plus of course delivery... Anyway back on the road again with weather forecast for the weekend being sunny and 15 celsius (60 F). Now I know why I live on the West Coast of Canada 
Rifleman3006
Member
YUASA batteries are typically very good. BMW batteries in these models are NOT good, they had a bad batch of batteries and have had many failures on these. Mine crapped out after 4 to 5 months. The dealer admitted that the batteries were subpar.
Got a new YUASA battery from the dealer and the scoot started just fine! Paid $140 CDN for it. Same battery listed for $213 USD on the YUASA website plus of course delivery... Anyway back on the road again with weather forecast for the weekend being sunny and 15 celsius (60 F). Now I know why I live on the West Coast of Canada
Hi Pierrel, can you share the part number of the Yuasa battery. My scooter is nearing its 30th months in service.. I will try to get something similar at where I am located.
Affnan
exavid
Member
Take a look online about charging AGM batteries. They can be tricky to charge once dead. Older style chargers can overheat them as well. One thing about these scooters is that even with the ignition off there's some current drawn for the clock and most likely some to keep the computer ready to go. Jump starting can be safe but if you do have to resort to that be sure if it's a car battery jump make sure the engine is not running in the car. That can cause trouble with the car's computer as well as the one on the bike.
seraphtan
New member
Hi. Any reviews on the Li-On battery from Shorai? Are they any good?
Sent from my D6633 using Tapatalk
JaimeC
New member
As an aside, if you really did leave the bike on a "Trickle Charger" and not a "Smart Charger" like a battery tender, then you probably cooked the battery which is why it wouldn't start.
Of course, a lot of people mistakenly call a battery tender a "trickle charger" but I can't assume you meant anything but what you specifically stated. If you did have it on a battery tender, make sure you have a model that works with AGM batteries, as that is what is installed in the scooters at the factory.
It was sure a lot simpler when everything came with flooded-cell batteries. Now you need a special charger for every kind of battery type out there.
Of course, a lot of people mistakenly call a battery tender a "trickle charger" but I can't assume you meant anything but what you specifically stated. If you did have it on a battery tender, make sure you have a model that works with AGM batteries, as that is what is installed in the scooters at the factory.
It was sure a lot simpler when everything came with flooded-cell batteries. Now you need a special charger for every kind of battery type out there.
JaimeC
New member
LiIon batteries are a completely different kettle of fish. Make sure you read up on the proper care and maintenance of those things because if you treat them like a lead-acid battery, you will kill it in short order (and they are VERY expensive to replace).
grey.hound
New member
As an aside, if you really did leave the bike on a "Trickle Charger" and not a "Smart Charger" like a battery tender, then you probably cooked the battery which is why it wouldn't start.
Of course, a lot of people mistakenly call a battery tender a "trickle charger" but I can't assume you meant anything but what you specifically stated. If you did have it on a battery tender, make sure you have a model that works with AGM batteries, as that is what is installed in the scooters at the factory.
It was sure a lot simpler when everything came with flooded-cell batteries. Now you need a special charger for every kind of battery type out there.
Thanks for that post. I didn't know there was a difference. I believe mine is a trickle charger, fortunately it's only on for a couple of days at a time. I usually ride at least once per week.
As for the Shorai, I looked into them and it does state they need a specific charger. My buddy, who doesn't really ride anymore, "I'm going to sell my bike.." Says he has gone a year in between starting and his shorai cranks right up. Of course low temps rarely get below freezing here.
davidh
Member
Looking for part numbers for non-OEM replacement batteries. Motobatt, Duracell, other???
Thinking these: https://www.revzilla.com/parts/2014...&implicit_facets[]=424&implicit_facets[]=1889
Plus: https://www.amazon.com/MotoBatt-MBYZ16H/dp/B00JKPUYXO
Thinking these: https://www.revzilla.com/parts/2014...&implicit_facets[]=424&implicit_facets[]=1889
Plus: https://www.amazon.com/MotoBatt-MBYZ16H/dp/B00JKPUYXO
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JaimeC
New member
Although I would normally recommend Odyssey, they apparently don't make one that'll fit our scooters. Damn shame because it works wonderfully in my K1200LT. For my TMAX I used a WestCo battery (because Odyssey didn't make one to fit that one either). It looks like WestCo does make one to fit our scooters too. I would recommend that one if you didn't want the OEM battery.
bicyclenut
Member
Any lead acid battery will fail prematurely if not properly used and charged. Unlike deep cycle batteries and other types of batteries, lead acid batteries are not designed to be severely discharged or kept in a low state of charge, when this occurs battery sulfation occurs and deposits form on the lead plates that reduce performance and prevent proper recharging. This is why a battery that is being left without being used for a period of time or maybe used for only short trips needs to have a proper battery tender used that keeps the battery properly charged and topped off. Many times just idling a motor or short trips will not properly recharge a battery (in our scooters or a car/truck). Too many deep discharges and not properly recharging a battery will cause premature failure.
At our auto shop we see many premature battery failures in cars driven by some of our elderly customers because their driving habits are the hardest and less ideal situations for a lead acid battery - they drive very infrequent, so their car sits for days without being driven (battery gets depleted from parasitic draws) and they make short trips only down the block or just across town (so battery never gets sufficiently recharged ever).
The webpage listed below has some additional information on sulfation in lead acid batteries as well as some good general battery information:
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/sulfation_and_how_to_prevent_it
At our auto shop we see many premature battery failures in cars driven by some of our elderly customers because their driving habits are the hardest and less ideal situations for a lead acid battery - they drive very infrequent, so their car sits for days without being driven (battery gets depleted from parasitic draws) and they make short trips only down the block or just across town (so battery never gets sufficiently recharged ever).
The webpage listed below has some additional information on sulfation in lead acid batteries as well as some good general battery information:
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/sulfation_and_how_to_prevent_it
Thom Davis
Member
I replaced my battery with a generic RV Lithium battery from Amazon. Since it is so much smaller and lighter, it didn't fit perfectly, but it was pretty easy to make a snug fit with some styrofoam. I expect to get many more years from it than a replacement Pb battery and it has better CCA (300). No need for a trickle charger or battery tender since Li batteries are stable and do not lose charge like Pb batteries. Not much more expensive, either. I paid less than $100 delivered to my door in 2 days (gotta love Amazon). If you do stupidly leave the bike on and discharge it (as I did); takes less than an hour to recharge completely.