[AZroaddust]

For some reason I couldn't get the seat off my piglet*, though I followed the service manual exactly. Must just be a tight front latcher? Anyway, I was able to take apart the chrome battery cover and get to the battery only to find what looks like a sealed unit. I know I have seen car batteries that are sealed and cannot take additional water, but are some MC batteries like that too?

if so, do the windows on the side turn a color when it starts to loose electrolite, or do they just quit one day?

* I took the name piglet from somebody who posted it in one of these forums. I think it's a great and appropriate name for a Sportster, cause they sure ain't no hogs!

[SK]

Sealed batterys are more common in motorcycles today. I've got one in my Royal Star (RS) by Odyssey batterys and they last twice as long or more as a conventional lead acid battery. There's no fluid to check, and when you charge them you give them a full 15 amp charge with a charger that automatically shuts off when it detects a full charge. In other words..don't trickle charge them as they're not made for it. I hadn't started my RS in two and a half months until yesterday as I ride the FJR the majority of the time (better mileage and easier to maneuver around town) and the RS cranked and cranked until that ole carb kicked the bike over. The charge was as good as it was a couple of months ago without trickle charging this Winter.

The only real detriment to sealed batterys is they don't give signs of wearing out until one day..it just doesn't work. So it it shows any signs of not starting the bike well after a good charge..replace it.

They cost more than a lead acid battery, but I've had them last up to 7 years.

http://www.odysseyfactory.com/

[AZroaddust]

Thanks, SK. Glad to know I wasn't just imagining things. With any luck I'll get another year out it. A sticker on top of it was dated 2001, and Phoenix isn't kind on batteries!

[HDManic]

the battery will just die when it gets too old..slip the seat back a little from the front catch then lift up the front a little and slip it out from the back strap..

[AZroaddust]

Thanks! I was doing it bassackwards by trying to move it forward first.

[hotroadking]

Get yourself a battery tender, you hook up a pigtail and hide the end, then when you are not riding hook up the tender, it isn't a charger per se it reads the volts on the battery and keeps it at the proper voltage.

Should extend the life, FL is hard on batteries too about 3 years is the limit.

[SK]

The thing about sealed batteries, at least in the instructions for my Odyssey battery is it says not to trickle charge them or slow charge them (not sure about other sealed batteries though). You should give them a full 15 watts until your auto-shutoff battery charger's green light comes on and says it fully charged (usually 20-30 minutes). I've not started my bike ole Royal Star for over two months and the battery started kicking just like it's fully charged. When I replace my battery in my FJR (which is 3.5 years old now), I'm going to spend the extra and get an Odyssey for it. Odyssey batteries were originally designed for the Space Shuttle. I've also seen DJs use them on location for their own power source (like in a park) and told me they run them down and fully recharge them 400+ times (15 watts) and run like a champ.

[Goose]

I have never needed a battery tender on my SV and it sits up for a month at a time while I'm riding other bikes. I bought it in June 2002 and just had to replace the sealed battery the other day. It slowly got weaker and wouldn't take a charge. Well, I put my automatic charger on my lawn more battery and hooked jumpers over to the bike and it took a charge, but the charger would just click to "check battery" of I hooked it straight up. It got to where it wouldn't sit and stay charged, but so long as I was riding it, it held up even yet. But, time to put a new one in at 75 bucks. It uses a sealed battery because it sits in there at an angle dictated by single shock suspension, the proximity of the rear cylinder, and such. If it weren't sealed, it'd overflow acid under acceleration, especially if the front lifted, not that I ever do that you understand, not me, but I'm just sayin......

Dual purpose bikes like the DRz400 Suzukis and XR650L and such use sealed batteries because the bike is likely to wind up upside down. Same deal, don't want electrolyte spilling.

[FlynDutchman]

Originally Posted by hotroadking

Get yourself a battery tender, you hook up a pigtail and hide the end, then when you are not riding hook up the tender, it isn't a charger per se it reads the volts on the battery and keeps it at the proper voltage.

Should extend the life, FL is hard on batteries too about 3 years is the limit.

Ive never had one but thinking about it, any thoughts on a manufacturer ??

[Slimjim]

I just put one on that I got from the dealer. It has the HD brand but it's probably like many others out there. It cost $40 and you need to buy the wiring kit to attach to the battery with a plug to attach the tender. Another $7. It only has a capacity of 750ma so if the battery is dead, it will take a few hours to get it completely charged back up. If I don't start my bike for a couple weeks in this cold weather, it's dead. With the tender, the battery stays at full charge and is ready to go no matter how long or how cold it gets. Worth the money IMO.

[FlynDutchman]

Originally Posted by Slimjim

I just put one on that I got from the dealer. It has the HD brand but it's probably like many others out there. It cost $40 and you need to buy the wiring kit to attach to the battery with a plug to attach the tender. Another $7. It only has a capacity of 750ma so if the battery is dead, it will take a few hours to get it completely charged back up. If I don't start my bike for a couple weeks in this cold weather, it's dead. With the tender, the battery stays at full charge and is ready to go no matter how long or how cold it gets. Worth the money IMO.

My bike stays in a heated garage (& the truck is parked outside in the cold) & I already have a regular charger, I'm just wondering if it is worth it to toss a tender on or not, I've never really had a problem starting after the winter.

[Slimjim]

Mine stays in a garage but it's not heated. I have a regular charger also but the tender is much more convenient with the plugin installed on the battery. I don't have to remove the seat to get at the battery to attach the charger. My battery may have been getting weak anyway. Even when it wasn't this cold, it wasn't too strong after a couple weeks of not being started. Of course, I ought to be kicked for letting it sit so long. It'll be warming up pretty soon and then I shouldn't have a problem.

[FlynDutchman]

Originally Posted by Slimjim

Mine stays in a garage but it's not heated. I have a regular charger also but the tender is much more convenient with the plugin installed on the battery. I don't have to remove the seat to get at the battery to attach the charger. My battery may have been getting weak anyway. Even when it wasn't this cold, it wasn't too strong after a couple weeks of not being started. Of course, I ought to be kicked for letting it sit so long. It'll be warming up pretty soon and then I shouldn't have a problem.

Its gonna warm up by you before it warms up by me !