91 R100 New Battey Suggestions

[rjlord]

My BMW battery has 2 bad cells. Great after 13 months, I kept it warm all winter and charged it once a month. Dealer said "gee too bad." So need a new battery and would like to find a non BMW replacement. Any suggestions?

[Motorman]

I've had good luck with Yuassa's. I have a 3 year old Interstate battery in my K75 right now and it's working just fine. I got it direct from the main supplier in my old home town.

[AntonLargiader]

Have your dealer re-read the warranty. I'm hearing that a number of parts are warranteed at two years but not that many people know about it.

[The_Veg]

I allowed myself to get ripped off for one of those BMW gel batteries made by Exide. *WAY* overpriced but has been absolutely trouble-free for two years showing no signs of weakness developing. This battery replaced an Odyssey unit that I didn't like. It worked OK, but between the sensitivity to vibration and the tiny little screws they use in the terminals, I found I just didn't enjoy living with the Odyssey. Other guys LOVE them, YMMV.

[carockwell]

What is the deal with all the different types of batteries? Is there some FAQ somewhere that explains the different options in one place?

[Pat Carol]

I order my batteries from a company called Digi-Key. They are sealed Panasonic batteries. I have them in my R100rs and my 1100rs. With proper storage and maintenance I have gotten 7 years out of one of those batteries.
Go to digi-key.com. Make sure you measure your battery.


Good Luck
Pat Carol

[Brownie]

I went the AGM route (Panasonic, I think); for years I nursed my Yuasa's with a BT, etc. Have had the AGM battery for a year-do absolutetly NOTHING to it, has not burped once since new.

[James.A]

I installed an Oddysey battery in one of my /5's. Eventually, both of my 750's will have one. If they ever make a small 6volt, my R27 will have one too.

[sportridertex]

Look here, lot's of information


http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-battery/

[pmdave]

I much prefer the "sealed" AGM batteries. I have a Westco in the R100 and in the R75, a new Panasonic in the K1, and the original BMW lead/acid in the '03 oilhead--still working fine.

www.batteryweb.com-BMW club member batteries (for Panasonic)

or www.westcobattery.com (for Westco)

I've had sudden failures with both Yuasa and Varta, apparently due to cracked cell connectors. Many (if not all) Yuasa are made by Exide, and they had a rash of failures several years ago in a few motorcycle battery sizes. I have not used Panasonic in bikes before, but the Panasonic in my Toyota PU was 7 years old and still working fine when I traded it in, so I have high hopes.

I keep all my machines on automatic chargers when not in use. I seldom use the Deltran, because of "anomolies". I like the Battery Doc, but they are relatively expensive. I now have two or three Schumacher "Battery Companion" automatic chargers, from Wall Mart at under $20 ea. A motorcycle electrical guru put me onto the Battery Companion, which he assures me is a true 3-stage charger. I like the durable plastic case, too. I haven't tried the Accumate, so can't comment on it.

One of the advantages of a sealed AGM is that it can't boil away the electrolyte while on a charger.

pmdave


While "Gel" batteries theoretically will hold a surface charge longer than an AGM or vented lead/acid, the $pecial gel batteries used by BMW have some characteristics that require a $pecial charger. I'd rather stick to AGM and be able to use the same chargers for all the batteries.

[AntonLargiader]

One of the advantages of a sealed AGM is that it can't boil away the electrolyte while on a charger.
It totally can. And when it does, you can't refill it like you can a standard flooded battery.

[rinty]

rj:

I think an absorbed glass mat battery, such as the Odyssey, is one of the best improvements you can make to an airhead. They hold their charge well over the winter, (but you should disconnect the ground), and they seem to have much better cranking capacity, which is really helpful for that sometimes difficult first spring start. I used to keep mine charged with just a Battery Tender.
The best part of the deal is that they're easy to instal, due to their compactness.
I had an airhead for 15 years, and if I still had it, would never go back to a lead acid battery.
With respect to gel batteries, from all the battery threads here and on other forums, it seems that many owners have had problems with them, so why bother getting one.

Rinty

[pmdave]

So Anton, are you suggesting that a sealed AGM battery is just as likely to boil away the electrolyte as a vented battery?

pmdave

[AntonLargiader]

So Anton, are you suggesting that a sealed AGM battery is just as likely to boil away the electrolyte as a vented battery?
It just depends on the charging system. At proper charge levels, neither will lose much. Too high, and both will lose water rapidly (but in the flooded battery you can put it back).

[rinty]

You learn something everyday on the Forum. And last week I found out about two new "mystery" BMW's: the R 100/6, and the R 1100 RL.

Rinty

[pmdave]

Obviously, vapor (and even acid) can escape from a vented ("flooded")battery-- through the vent. But how does the water vapor escape from a sealed battery? Shipping companies seem to be satisfied enough with the seal that they don't require any special handling for an AGM.

pmdave

[AntonLargiader]

'Sealed' really is VRLA... valve-regulated lead/acid. There's a rubber pop-off valve in there that vents when the byproducts of overcharge (basically hydrogen and oxygen from electrolysis) build past a certain point. Normally the hydrogen recombines with the oxygen on the negative plate but on overcharge it happens too quickly.

Shipping companies like the sealed ones not because they're sealed, but because there's no free electrolyte. They can break and nothing should come out. I remember going through this when we started shipping 'wet' (meaning activated, with electrolyte in them) YTX20 batteries to Harley. Previously we had only shipped dry-charged ones.

Some of this is described on my really old article on my website.

[pmdave]

Anton,

Thanks for the explanation.

pmdave

[James.A]

It is my understanding that the Oddyssey is a dry cell battery, not AGM or gel.