Battery ?

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vintagehondabuddy

New member
Was just wondering if my battery is going to need replacing. My DN seems to be cranking slower and sometimes a minus figure comes up while cranking where the D is shown on the right side of the instrument cluster.
I bought my bike in March of 2011 brand new from the dealer and I'm sure a new battery was installed at that time. I had the local Honda Dealer to check the state of charge on my battery and they said it was fine but I just don't want to be caught out some where and the battery die on me!
 

mickwa

mickwa

New member
If mine sits for more than a week, I put the battery tender on it. The batteries in these things are barelly adequate. And they only have an 800w alternator.
Mick
 

V

vintagehondabuddy

New member
Yes, I keep mine on a Battery Tender also, but I do know from experience that even though the charge light on the tender glows green that does not mean that your battery is good.
I also noticed today when I removed the rear seat so I could see the battery that when I depressed the starter button that there is a loud click coming from the hot (positive) side of the battery. I checked to see if the connection was tight on the positive and negative terminals and they were!
So I don't know if this loud click is normal or not, can't say that I ever noticed it before?
Does your's do this?
 



D

DNSarnia

Member
Shorai - the way to go

a bit more than two years ago, I was left stranded when my Battery crapped out. I had simply left my 'hazard lights' on while dropping of some mail. Approximately 10-15 minutes. I was pissed.

Long story short, in my CX500 I had installed a Shorai Lithium Ion battery - at least 3 years prior. I moved this battery into the DN-01 and haven't looked back. It's about 1/4 or 1/3 of the weight and size of the OEM battery, and doesn't need removed over the off season.

I have never had to put it on 'tender' to keep it topped up.
Come springtime this past year, I put the key in, and it fired on first pull. (after being left alone since Mid-November)

Honestly... how often have you ever left your car for a week and said- 'oh, but that's okay, I'll just leave it on the tender, it'll start right up'...NEVER.

Why do we put up with inferior batteries on motorcycles. Especially now that there are fewer and fewer that still have kick-starts as a back up. We should be demanding better, for sure from the OEM battery 2 years was pathetic in mine's case.
 

L

lenny

New member
orginal battery

Original battery still going strong after 6 years, when on the over winter lay-up it is left on the bike and connected to a Optimate 3 smart charger.
When I use the bike I test the battery now and again on starting and charging with a Optimate tec mate battery tester.
 

D

DNSarnia

Member
Shoraipower.com

After a long cold frigid winter, I had left my Shorai battery in the bike and yesterday was the first time since November that I started the bike.

Proof is in the video. This battery is now over 4 years old. It has spent every winter in an un-heated shed. It has never been charged by an exterior source. (only while the bike is running) - and I have never 'boosted' the battery/bike.

Here is the video of my first start in 2016: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=35BAA522B9C5B714!68490&authkey=!ACFoI59Q2x_IDn8&ithint=video%2cmp4

I'm never going back to Lead/Acid batteries. These are more expensive, but the lack of head aches is priceless.
 

spamer80

spamer80

Member
DNSarnia said:
After a long cold frigid winter, I had left my Shorai battery in the bike and yesterday was the first time since November that I started the bike.

Proof is in the video. This battery is now over 4 years old. It has spent every winter in an un-heated shed. It has never been charged by an exterior source. (only while the bike is running) - and I have never 'boosted' the battery/bike.

Here is the video of my first start in 2016: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=35BAA522B9C5B714!68490&authkey=!ACFoI59Q2x_IDn8&ithint=video%2cmp4

I'm never going back to Lead/Acid batteries. These are more expensive, but the lack of head aches is priceless.
Click to expand...
Well, I can`t discuss about my battery because of my riding style at work. I just start, ride a few km, then stop. And again and again. So because of it, I`m buying a new battery every riding season, no matter what charger I`ve used. I`ve tried YUASA, Varta, Bosh etc. Now I`m just buying the cheapest one.
 

Gizmo

Gizmo

Active member
Site Suporter
Still on my original battery, 2009 DN-01, 21,796 miles, on 3/4 amp automatic battery charger/maintainer (Battery Maintainer 750 Superline Dura Boost), in non-heated garage, in Florida, when not riding.
 

D

DNSarnia

Member
Gizmo said:
Still on my original battery, 2009 DN-01, 21,796 miles, on 3/4 amp automatic battery charger/maintainer (Battery Maintainer 750 Superline Dura Boost), in non-heated garage, in Florida, when not riding.
Click to expand...
Thanks Gizmo..... just how cold does your Non-heated garage get in Florida? :)
My point is we shouldn't have to worry about maintainers during the riding season for sure, and it's nice not to worry about them in the Winter. If you buy a new car, You don't even consider battery issues for at least 5 years - my bike's lasted 3 years if that.

My Shorai battery is the answer to my problems. I'm going on my forth riding season and I haven't so much as 'jumped' the battery or even 'recharged' it after a winter lay-up.

I have one also in my CX500 - even less use, it got rode about 700km last year, never charged, and in the spring - she fired right up.

We should be demanding better performance from all the battery manufacturers. The replacement lead-acid batteries are nothing but crap - imho.
 

Gizmo

Gizmo

Active member
Site Suporter
DNSarnia said:
Thanks Gizmo..... just how cold does your Non-heated garage get in Florida? :)
My point is we shouldn't have to worry about maintainers during the riding season for sure, and it's nice not to worry about them in the Winter. If you buy a new car, You don't even consider battery issues for at least 5 years - my bike's lasted 3 years if that.

My Shorai battery is the answer to my problems. I'm going on my forth riding season and I haven't so much as 'jumped' the battery or even 'recharged' it after a winter lay-up.

I have one also in my CX500 - even less use, it got rode about 700km last year, never charged, and in the spring - she fired right up.

We should be demanding better performance from all the battery manufacturers. The replacement lead-acid batteries are nothing but crap - imho.
Click to expand...

I'm just saying that because of the "decent" weather, pretty much ALL year around in Florida, M/C lead-acid/sealed batteries, if kept on a maintainer, tend to "survive" longer.
 

Gizmo

Gizmo

Active member
Site Suporter
Battery change out

Battery FINALLY not holding a charge! The 'original' battery LASTED about 8+ years with sitting in a shipping container for a few months in 2012 after it had been bought. I had to get it jump-started when I bought it ... it was destined to be shipped to Europe because Dino were not selling here in the States. I rode it home and immediately put it on a charger. She lasted me another 5 years ... 8 years total on the original Yuasa battery. I believe my secret was using a low amperage (.750A) motorcycle charger/maintainer all those years.
Now I had to figure out how the hell to get to the battery to remove it! I was debating on whether or not to have the Honda dealership to change it because of ALL the plastic. But after paying 'a lot of money' for them to do the 24K mile scheduled service maintenance, I decide to see IF I could do it using just the owner's manual. 2+ hours later, I finally got the plastic off to get to the battery ... afraid of breaking the plastic! Changed the original for an aftermarket, XTREME AGM Extended Life (XTAZ14S) battery and put it on the charger. 2 hours later the battery still was NOT fully charged, so I switched out the charger for another identical charger and the charger 'green' light came on! Swapped the charger back and the original charger also showed 'green.' Decided to swap the chargers again because I was not too sure of the original charger on the 'new' battery. Battery read 12.9V with the 'green' light lit when I went to bed. The next morning, the battery read 12.4V after sitting on the charger (in the bike) for 6 hours. 2 hours later, the battery read 12.2V. Not sure about whether it was the 'new' battery or an electrical problem, I rode the bike to the battery store to put the bike on a battery/electrical system machine. The machine said that the battery WAS charged but low. I had bought the 'new' battery just 3 days before and had only put 24 miles on the bike with the remaining time on a charger. At the store (in the bike), the battery read 12.5V. The clerk said that they didn't have another one but 'found' another battery at a different store. He said that they would have it in a few hours and it would be 'FULLY' charged when I came to get it. The original 'new' battery had been in the back when I bought it and was 'only' about 80% charged, so he said. I then rode home and this time, it 'only' took me about '15' minutes to get the plastic off ... I did A LOT better with the plastic! The battery now read 12.7V (out of the bike) and dropped to 12.6V in a few hours. Went back (hours later) to the store and they had the 'other' battery BUT it HADN'T BEEN been put on a charger to verify a 'FULL' charge. What the hell was I dealing with there! Anyways, a different clerk 'FINDS' the EXACT same battery 'ON THE SHELF' in the front of the store that was 'FULLY' charged, at 13.2V. (I was only able to get the original 'new' battery to 12.9V!) For a business that does as much volume sales that they do, their inventory keeping SUCKS! This it the 5th battery I've bought from them over the years ... maybe I need to go somewhere else! I was just mad because of all the effort I had to go thru with Honda's idea of putting so much plastic on their toys! Anyways, I'm happy now ... the bike starts right up and the battery is KEEPING it's charge!
 
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spamer80

spamer80

Member
Rus said:
Conclusion: buy the original battery and forget the problem for 8 years
Click to expand...
I thought the same way. But leave the bike for 2 weeks and your battery won`t start it anymore. Forget to charge and your brand new battery is dead.
 




D

DNSarnia

Member
Rus suggested "buy the original battery and forget the problem for (another) 8 years"...

Unfortunately, at least in Canada - Even, if you go to your original dealer, and request an original battery, you will NOT receive the same kind or quality as what arrived in your motorcycle from Japan.
 


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