[BRod]

My first (stock Yuasa) battery only lasted two years (2000 - 2002) which I contributed to infrequent riding (a crime in itself). With my replacement Yuasa I also picked up a battery tender plus. This second battery finally died this Sunday after eight years of good service, which I contribute to the battery tender, and unfortunately not to more frequent riding . Picked up a new Yuasa today at Bob's today for $136.

FYI, my battery has always been winterized indoors with a full charge. While on the bike it's always connected to the battery tender.

 

[RAZR51]

I got 7 years out of the original battery.

 

[b.miller123]

Yuasa are the best I've ever used. People will always claim that they aren't worth it, and go with off brands and a lifetime warranty (Yuasa's come with some warranty, never had to use it though) but I would rather pay the money up front and not have to deal with getting a new battery every six months because it's made of popsicle sticks and bubble gum. Same reason why I would rather rebuild the calipers on my 17 year old toyota with genuine toyota parts than give them to the parts store as a core for some crap made from pot metal or god knows what in the middle of China or Croatia that has a lifetime warranty. I'd rather rebuild my calipers and have them last another 17 years than have to replace shitty components every year.

A battery tender helps if you don't ride daily. Mine is on one any time I don't ride for a few days. It's just cheap insurance, and you never have to worry about a dead battery in the morning after you get all geared up for a ride.

 

[sburns2421]

Is the Yuasa sealed or can you add water?

 

[BRod]

Is the Yuasa sealed or can you add water?

It is sealed.

 

[RVTMAVERICK]

Hello BROD,

Did you get the OEM battery or The small one? I paid $69 for the small Yuasa, shes on a tender whenever I'm not ridding and has lasted 2.5+:wacky years so far!:clapper :rockon

For the price of $136.00, I would have paid alittle extra and got one of those new jobbers they're selling here, the one they say which will out last your MC! I can't remember their name\brand :banghead

 

[RAZR51]

Hello BROD,

Did you get the OEM battery or The small one? I paid $69 for the small Yuasa, shes on a tender whenever I'm not ridding and has lasted 2.5+:wacky years so far!:clapper :rockon

For the price of $136.00, I would have paid alittle extra and got one of those new jobbers they're selling here, the one they say which will out last your MC! I can't remember their name\brand :banghead

Speed Cell

 

[BRod]

Hello BROD,

Did you get the OEM battery or The small one? I paid $69 for the small Yuasa, shes on a tender whenever I'm not ridding and has lasted 2.5+:wacky years so far!:clapper :rockon

For the price of $136.00, I would have paid alittle extra and got one of those new jobbers they're selling here, the one they say which will out last your MC! I can't remember their name\brand :banghead

Jeff, I stayed with the stocker. I've spent far too much of my summer fixing crap and not enough time riding and I took the route of going with a known (to me) battery rather than trying to save a few lbs. Besides, with the stock cans I've gotten used to throwing a lot of weight around.

 

[Defender]

I opted for the Parts Unlimited version of the Yuasa (since I run my own shop), which is exactly the same in most every respect and made in the same plant, but is $83.95 (part number 2113-0091). Two years and no issues here. The prior owner had used a PowerMax and it started to fade about a month after I brought the bike home.

 

[DesperateSP2]

I went the opposite route.
The original battery lasted from 2003 to 2008 and I had to change it because it was starting to leak acid.
In 2008 I replaced it with a Yuasa bought from Honda (genuine spare) and now, after little more than two years, the trip has started resetting when turning the bike on. Run a charge test, both generator and rec/reg are fine so it's the battery on its way out. Guess I have just been unlucky.

 

[polePosition]

I got 7 years out of mine and used no battery tender.
The fact being high capacity high(ish) compressing twins are not east on their batteries.

Also note that an alarm system is probably the bigest cause for shorter battery life span.

....
In 2008 I replaced it with a Yuasa bought from Honda (genuine spare) and now, after little more than two years, the trip has started resetting when turning the bike on. Run a charge test, both generator and rec/reg are fine so it's the battery on its way out. Guess I have just been unlucky.

DesperateSP2 your #s are extrimly low - did you tried to check for leakage current?

 

[RAZR51]

My original went 7 years without a tender also....maybe the factory batteries are just better.

 

[RVTMAVERICK]

Speed Cell

YEP! That's it, Thanks RAZ.:rockon

 

[wingnutt]

Yuasa are the best I've ever used. People will always claim that they aren't worth it, and go with off brands and a lifetime warranty (Yuasa's come with some warranty, never had to use it though) but I would rather pay the money up front and not have to deal with getting a new battery every six months because it's made of popsicle sticks and bubble gum. Same reason why I would rather rebuild the calipers on my 17 year old toyota with genuine toyota parts than give them to the parts store as a core for some crap made from pot metal or god knows what in the middle of China or Croatia that has a lifetime warranty. I'd rather rebuild my calipers and have them last another 17 years than have to replace shitty components every year.

A battery tender helps if you don't ride daily. Mine is on one any time I don't ride for a few days. It's just cheap insurance, and you never have to worry about a dead battery in the morning after you get all geared up for a ride.

I only read the first sentence and cannot agree more :clapper

 

[pannetron]

My 2003 RC51 still has the original battery, still strong. It's always on a "smart" trickle charger when it's parked in the garage. YMMV.

 

[wingnutt]

My 2003 RC51 still has the original battery, still strong. It's always on a "smart" trickle charger when it's parked in the garage. YMMV.

My original 03 yuasa sat on the shelf for the last three or four years since the relocate mod,but it started my neighbors 4 wheeler the other day just fine :notworthy :clapper :rockon

 

[JBs_SP3]

Speed Cell

+1. I now have Speedcells in the SP2, both NC35's and the RC31. Completely satisfied.

 

[Tec]

2003 28k miles OEM Yuasa battery.

95 VFR 33k miles OEM Yuasa 9 year life...sold

Periodically use a trickle charger in the winter

 

[Nemo]

OE still going strong after 8 yrs./ no trickle charger used. It has been stored in a heated space in the winter.

 

[RxRC]

I only got eight years from my original battery. It would have been more but it got fried by my brother in-laws F2's r/r.

It never had a charger on it in the summer. Maybe a couple times in the winter, but even then I didn't have to charge it much because I keep all of my batteries in a cold garage. Much better than indoors.