The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: Sergeant_Joe on July 19, 2010, 03:16:07 AM
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Oh well It died at last :'(, this battery has been in the R65ls for two and a bit years now.
It was ment for a Jap bike but I made it fit in the ls battery tray ;).
I think it was only about 10 amp/hr or so, so it did a fine job to last this long.
Now I need a new one I think I will go for a Panisonic one, now the Book of words for the BMW sez they fitted a 16 amp/hr as standard.
However I think I would like to go 20 amp/hr or more as it gets real cold up here in the highlands.
Will the higher amp/hr be a problem for the R65ls?
Tell us what you run in your Airhead and why.
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Quite a few of us living here at R65-dot-org run this AGM battery. Good quality, service life and price. Perfect fit for the R65's battery tray.
http://www.staabbattery.com/product/sla-12/UB12220-V.html
Monte
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From the posts here from members that reside in your region of the world, batteries for the R65, are quite pricey .
There seems to be battery replacements for garden tractors, that will work in the R65 .
If you can get an AGM type battery without breaking the bank, they seem to be better than the typical 'flooded', or serviceable type .
I have the same battery as Monte, swapped it over from the R65 to the oilhead in January, only about a year old, so I don't know how long it will last in this hot weather testing area that I reside in .
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However I think I would like to go 20 amp/hr or more
From a technical standpoint there would be no problem using a higher Ah battery however you will find the choice restricted by the dimension of the battery carrier. The stock 19 Ah Varta battery is 186mm x 82mm x 171mm
I any case you want to look primarily at the cold cranking amp rating of the battery (min 150A and more is better) and not just at the Ah rating.
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I've got a lead acid battery from AutoZone in Lompoc Ca. No really! Mine died on a road trip some 3 years ago. This one still passes the load test. They actually have it listed on the store computer. Paid about $45 for it.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Small-Engine/Battery-Motorcycle/_/N-265t?filterByKeyWord=powersport+battery&fromString=search
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I swear by the Hawker Odyssey gel battery, it just goes and goes and requires very little maintenance. I run an Odyssey on the K75 as well.
It offeres a higher cranking output on startup and is generally more forgiving. It is pricier though.
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I've had two Odyssey batteries, in this desert heat, one lasted a few months beyond the warranty period, which is two years, the other around 3 years .
In a more temperate climate they can't be beat, compared to a standard 'flooded' battery .
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I have an Odyssey PC680 in the '81 R100, it's about 5 years old, I have generic AGM batteries in the Junkyard Dawg and a PC680 in Barbi's '84 R65.
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Thanks guys :).
I got a Katana YTX20L-BS 12v, 18Ah for $150 AU, the oddessy type are $350 Au or so :o.
This thing is not wet as such so no topping up needed ever ;).
Yes it is a little wider (front to rear) than stock but that is ok as my mudguard has been modified to fit it.
So now I will see tomorrow if it kicks the old girl back into life.
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I rather like the 'garden tractor' route.
www.surpluscenter.com had a boat load of 'em that were exactly the physical dimension of my original. 14.99 ea. I got four of them. Replace them every two years. Trickle charge over winter.