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has anybody decided that there is a better batt. or does it not make much difference???

I just replaced my 5 year old Yuasa with a an AGM bought locally. I was going to get one from Brent next week, but mine died overnight, wouldn't hold a charge. I should have charged the new one. I rode it for twenty minutes last night and it was too weak to start the bike this morning at 27°F.

yep, mine is the original 02 and sat morn i was headed to the Okeechobee rally and she was dead. i pulled it out put it on the charger and it was ok thru the wknd. but tonight i went to bike night and was worried about gettin home, she started but i could tell she didnt want to hahahahaha so there is a local Deka battery dealer (thats all they do) and they seem to have some deals?? so i was thinkin the yusa batt. has been pretty good, i mean 5 yrs. i think thats good being that its hard to get a car batt to do more than about 3-4yrs here. but my local dealer wants 80 some bucks??? and i was thinkin that was a little steep?? and there are plenty of different names available and i was wondering if anybody knew what was the best batt.

When my battery goes I'm going with a circular cell battery if I can find one for our bikes. Circular cell batteries last much lnger and can actually improve with age. I use them in my boat and I've had great luck with them. I'm not sure the technical reason but it has something to do with the circular shape of the lead plates in each cell. I'm just not sure they make them for bikes.

You can be sure that there is a better battery than the one any bike comes with. OEM batteries, like all off the shelf parts, are the least expensive the bike builder deems necessary. This is why your bike didn't cost you $50K.

I don't know if they even make them anymore, but the only aftermarket battery I ever had that was worse than any OEM one I ever saw was a yumicron. I had to go on an unexpected 3 week trip about a month after installing it and, when I got back, it was so badly sulfated as to be unusable.

Wow, I had the same experience with the battery on my 02 leaving for the rally too! I couldn't remember if I had changed out the battery before, but thought it was the new spots draining it too much. It's usually one of those things that don't stick in my mind, replacing a motorcycle battery is just such a normal maintenance thing. I'll probably go with what was in there, since it's lasted this long.

And Newt, I have to agree with your other post about the folks on this site....absolutely amazing to have met everyone at the Fla. Rally and felt as tho we've been freinds for a long time. Just left the '2 Yutes' asleep at my place...Austin took them out about midnight, after Ghrahm and I fed and 'pre-lubed' them!

later, Tom.

Just my lil ol two cent

Even with the best of batteries, that little amount of battery mass doesn't offer much in reserve. I left my 3 months old gel battery unused for two weeks, and the bike wanted to crank for a while before starting. I couldn't get it to fire at 18F until I tickled it up with the charger for a half hour.
(Disclaimer - at that temp it wasn't a very long ride - just enough to blow the frozen crawdads out of the smoke pipe)

I talked to Brent this week, and asked him about his battery. He is pretty high on it (it's made by WiseCo, which someone else here said recently on another thread was made by Panasonic), but we would EXPECT Brent to be high on something he sells. Sold me. I have to get one soon, too, and I'm leaning that direction.

As a car dealer, we sell INTERSTATE-made LEXUS replacement batteries, and I figure for the money, if they make one, I can save a buck. INTERSTATE tells me all their batteries are AGM - when you add the electrolyte it becomes AGM?), but for some reason I am not so convinced. I could get the INTERSTATE delivered to the shop for $48, and Brent wants $60.(plus shipping)

My local independent bike shop sells INTERSTATE batteries for the same $48.

My main concern is that it be a BLACK case, as it shows, and that the dimensions fit the box. I think Brent said his fits, but may be a mm taller? (no biggy), and I would like to think I could buy one at least as good as the one I am replacing.

Our Lexus OEM batteries are made by Panasonic, and I have seen many last 5-6 years, if nobody leaves their lights on and discharges one. Most of the replacement batteries, rarely last 2-3 years. I like the WiseCo, for the fact that it is made by Panasonic.

I got an Interstae, Blackwind, about a year ago when mine died. I also liked the fact I could go pick it up at a dealer about 2 miles from my house. No shipping cost or waiting. Of course I needed it right then because I had messed around a couple of weeks deciding if it was really dead. I jumped it 2 times from a car battery. I don't think that was all that smart. I've been happy with it so far.

Well, I just bought one of Brent's batteries. 27 Degrees this morning, and bike just wouldn't start, hopefully the new one packs a few more CCA than the original one did.

I just too bought my Interstate battery just over a year ago. It was a direct fit and I haven't had any problems with it so far. My stock battery lasted 4 yrs. If I get that out of this one then I can't complain.

Check out the Tech Vault and Misc. forum. New battery cross reference and Yuasa YTZ14-B with more 230 CCA.

I don't think that's the battery Roundslide. These bikes just don't like temps below 32-40. I've always had a hard time starting when it's cold, carb heater or not. I recommend a heated garage.

When I tryed to locate the tyz14-b that dinqua listed, I could find no dealers that carried that number.

"shocking" (sorry)....

Trash
in the tech vault Pat lists YTZ14S. Here is a link, but I am sure there are many more Link

Yeah, that morning when it was 25 degrees, I swore that I'd ran the battery down. When I came home from work, it was 20 degrees warmer, the bike fired up on the first try without any battery tending. My CRS carbs don't have heaters, but I've gotten it to start on cold days before. One problem is the added compression from the big bore kit, it's probably exacerbating the cold cranking amp thing, in any case, I've got the new battery on the way for a reasonable price, it's all good.

Just a recommendation, if you have it in mind to get a particular battery, don’t wait until yours fails. That may put you in a position of having to take the first one you can find. If yours is 3 years or older, I’d suggest shopping for a particular replacement soon.

I’d considered getting the whatever 14 for the 230 CCA but when it came down to it, the day my battery failed I just ran down to the local WalMart and grabbed an ES12BS (which I believe is a gel cel). Since it’s my commuter, I couldn’t spend days shopping around. Bad planning on my part... now there’s a surprise.

Maybe there are some who've gotten 5 or more years, I've never had that kind of luck. So when I say 3 or more years, don't go off the deep end, it's just a wag.

My bike is an 04 built in the fall of 03. The actual age of the battery is three years and around four months. I suppose I oughta look at a new one this spring even though the bike was new to me in Feb of 06