Batteries, what are ya running?

[Sergeant_Joe]

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.

[montmil]

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

[Bob_Roller]

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 .

[Barry]

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.

[MrRiden]

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

[soc7260]

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.

[Bob_Roller]

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 .

[Justin B.]

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.

[Sergeant_Joe]

Thanks guys .
I got a Katana YTX20L-BS 12v, 18Ah for $150 AU, the oddessy type are $350 Au or so .
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.

[bjamesw]

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.