anyboday taken the plung for lithium batterry?

I am considering one of these when I next change mine (probable next winter after 2.5 years)

Has anybody done so on their road bike (not racing only) all year use including winter?

what is their performance like during the cold weather?

How does the bike charging handle it?
In the Honda RR8 service manual, the charging system test states charging voltage of below 15.5v @ 5000rpm.. Now all lithium battery manufacturers state a maximum voltage of high 14v. So I am a little puzzled taken 15.5v of Honda at face value, the battery would fry!

Yet manufacturers list batteries for this bike

 

Hi Bonjo,

Although I can't answer your question today I've got a Lithium battery ready to be fitted either this afternoon or tomorrow....Watch this space

 

great while you are at it, would you mind measuring the volts at the bat terminal with the engine running @ 5000rpm (if you decide to test run the engine)

 

I'll see what I can do. Just off to fit it now.

 

Well as sps170373 said there's 14.18 volts across the terminals at 5k rpm. Time for a test ride.

 

SPS on mine now, 3rd season and still going strong with no issues, I do remove it from the bike over winter months

 

Switched to Lithium as I was finding the batttery was flat every time I came to the use the bike.

 

I had one on the trackbike, but i've switched back to a normal one for the road just because I didn't want to buy a specific Lithium charger and i've already got an normal Optimate. I discharged it too much sorting the wiring and testing lights and idicators etc without the bike running.

If you remove them from the bike over winter etc they last for ever (It came with the bike when I bought it and I never had to charge it. Really light weight too.

I'm not sure if the one I had was up to the job, was really small, about a 1/3 the size of standard one, I did have a few probs with HM Dash not powering up every time (never got to the bottom of it, not sure if it was a dash problem or related to the battery)

Don't know what they are like with alarms etc and leaving them on trickle charge.

Are the Blade specific ones the same dimensions as the standard battery?

 

Everything seems to be working fine after a quick 50 mile trip. Put the bike onto the Optimate charger and it gave a brief charge followed by the green retention test light which is good.

I also weighed the original Yuasa battery which came in at 3kg!!! The Aliant YLP10 that replaced it is only 754g, so that's nice

 

It's ok I bought a new Optimate designed for Lithium batteries....go me

 

I have lithium battery on mine, I only use on sunny days, I have put a solar charger with a 13.3v cut off on it works well, these battery's like to be stored at a lower voltage to extend life, also has an alarm fitted

 

i need a new battery, considering this.

if you get the correct optimate charger, do you plug it in all the time as a normal battery reading Jez comment above about them preferring to be stored at a lower voltage?

and how do you know what to get?

looking on ebay they fit a blade, but have diiferent capacities so what is the recomended?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LITHIUM-B...05-/282085941583?_trksid=p2349526.m2548.l4275

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LITHIUM-B...407307&hash=item3f65ecf734:g:o8cAAOSwhOVXdlLW

cheers jim

 

I would have thought if it has been designed to run lithium it will be ok to leave on all the time, leaving a lead acid charger on a lithium will over time cook it, When lead acids are fully charged they stop taking a charge, lithiums will still keep charging.

 

I checked my charging voltage as per the service manual : meter at the bat terminals, engine running @ 5000rpm and I got 14.5v which is great. The manual says , 15.5v which would fry a Lion battery and simmer a led one!
What are they like to use in cold weather like our cold English winter (not Scottish!) say on a 5 deg C day?

 

they are for different bikes! Check this carefully as fitting will be an issue.
given the choice and money, go for a bigger capacity one (which would still be much lower that your OEM battery).
LION battery are a lot more demanding in terms of looking after. If you use a dedicated charger, then charging will stop once the battery is full but if you use a non sulphating Led battery charger, then you have to manually disconnect!
I done some readings about the do's & don't's of how to deal with LION bats and what to be aware of when choosing one since my original posting. I may put together it in a condensed form as a post which you may find helpfull

 

Just to catch up on your battery. How is it performing in the cold weather?
I noticed The terminals are centered! Did it cause any complication with the stiff & short battery cables?
Would apprciate your feedback
PS what year is your bike and wothout ABS?thanks

 

Hi Bonjo,

So far even in -6C the bike starts first time every time. I do keep the bike in my garage and always connected to a trickle charger (Yes lithium approved type )

And no problems connecting up extra wiring for things like the quickshifter and heated grips.

Mine is the 2014 with ABS.

 

I went for a Skyrich battery. So for so good, starts on the button and was reasonably cheap at £78 delivered.