2013 - On my third battery!

[rbernie]

<rant mode>

I cannot seem to get more than 30-32 months from a battery. The bike is ridden year round in NoTexas - it seldom sits for more than a week and is usually run on the freeway at least 20 minutes each time that it's started. I'm using the Yuasa YTZ14S. I do not have any electrical add-ons that are not ignition-switched., I'm not using over-wattage headlight bulbs or anything that would drain/strain the charging system, and in fact other than the occasional use of electrically heated grips the bike doesn't see electrical demand other than stock.

At $160 per battery, I would have expected the Yuasa YTZ14S to give better than 2 1/2 -3 years of service before stranding me with a bike that won't crank over.

</rant mode>

 

[ace50]

A couple things, get a cig plug-in voltage readout (cheap) and monitor the voltage while riding.
You can get a decent YTZ14S battery for 60-70 bucks that will last at least that long.

 

[rbernie]

couple things, get a cig plug-in voltage readout (cheap) and monitor the voltage while riding.

I did that a while back (was a feature of the USB charging plug for the accessory outlet) and I consistently saw 14.2VDC at steady cruise.

You can get a decent YTZ14S battery for 60-70 bucks that will last at least that long.

I've actually chickened out of buying a less expensive YTX14S equivalent battery due to the poor life of the Yuasa; I didn't want to find out that the off brands were even worse!

 

[jbrown]

Us it humid there? Maybe there are some corroded connections? I'm still on the original battery in my 2012, and the temperature here is pretty similar to North Texas, but likely far less humidity in the summer.

 

[Sierra1]

It wasn't mentioned, but, jbrown & rbernie, do y'all use a battery tender? To me, three years on a bike battery is normal.

 

[MFP]

You may have a short somewhere that is causing a power drain. Check that your batt cables are not frayed and that the (+) & (-) terminals are clean and secure to the batt posts.
As mentioned above by Sierra1 are tenders/chargers being used?
Batt tenders/chargers and a lack of using them shortens batt life for sure.

 

[jbrown]

In general, I don't use a charger on my bike, although when flashing the ECU, I do hook up a trickle charger just to be sure I don't drain it. My bike came from the dealer with the YTZ14S battery installed. I assume the battery is installed when they do the dealer prep, and my dealer used the higher capacity one.

 

[RIDEMYST]

I had the exact experience and also ride every week! I talked to the Yuasa Reps at AIM Expo three years back and they said I should be getting longer life from their battery.
They told me to always put the battery on a tender whenever I’m not riding even though I ride often.
They recommended the Yuasa charger as they knew the charge would be correct for their batteries.
Since following their instructions I’m on year 2.75 and the battery still seems strong.
Hope this helps. -JEP-


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RonH]

The tender is questionable as an AGM doesn't lose charge like an old water filled battery. I think the general design of the YTZ, being small case but powerful as a larger battery equates to less life and the Super Tenere really requires a strong battery. The one in my 2012 lasted only 3yrs which I considered pretty poor. The factory GYZ Yuasa in my GL1800 still works good as new at 10yrs old, but the GL turns over effortlessly, where the Super Tenere is quite the opposite.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Texas heat is really hard on batteries. You've got nothing to lose by trying an off-brand. There are actually only a half dozen actual manufacturers who build batteries which all the vendors stick their own ID on. Watch the minor case details and you'll pick out some brands which are really made by Yuasa.

 

[AVGeek]

All heat is really hard on batteries, we are lucky to get 2 years out of one in Nevada...

 

[rbernie]

This is my commuter bike and is ridden 45 miles a day, five days a week, so I've not used a Battery Tender on it in, well, forever. Connections are all clean and tight. Nobody in NoTexas seems to get more than 3-4 years from their auto batteries, and I've been told that the heat is just tough on the batteries for reasons that I cannot fathom - all of my battery failures have been a gradual decline in charge (chemistry related) and not a hard cell short (SBD).

Are the Lithium Ion batteries likely to give a better service life?

 

[Checkswrecks]

Note the text:
"AGM and other sealed batteries do not like heat and should be installed away from the engine compartment. Manufacturers recommend halting charge if the battery core reaches 49°C (120°F). Table 1 spells out the advantages and limitations of AGM."
From here: https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/absorbent_glass_mat_agm

Your AGM battery is right next to the engine, plus in the Texas heat, plus the simple charge system on these bikes doesn't cut off for temperature. btw - Lithium doesn't do well with all this either.

 

[Crew Chief]

What exactly are you calling a battery failure? Press the start button and it won't turn over? If that's the case, I would do an immiate output check on the alternator, the voltages you mentioned would be good, a voltage check on the battery and a load test on the battery would be next if the battery voltage checks good. Battery voltage should be north of 12.5V, 12.7 is pretty much ideal. I suspect if it's not starting the bike it will fail the load test. Most auto parts stores can charge and load test. 3 years seems short to me. I live in FW and I'm going to a 4 year time change on my vehicles just to avoid issues. Years ago when was in the auto service industry, 2.5 years was the average life of a battery in this area. Lately I seem to be getting 4 or a bit more. I've only owned my Tenere for a year and I've hardly ridden it so I don't have long term experience with it. Mine has the origonal Yuasa 12 in it and seems anemic to me. I will change it soon just 'cause. A voltmeter on the bike is invaluable in keeping up with starting and charging issues. It is among the first things I add to any bike I own. It just helps see problems while they are developing.

 

[Sierra1]

All heat is really hard on batteries, we are lucky to get 2 years out of one in Nevada...

....Nobody in NoTexas seems to get more than 3-4 years from their auto batteries, and I've been told that the heat is just tough on the batteries....

Super hot, and super cold is hell on batteries. I never expect to get more that the above listed life expectancies. My only exception was an '04 Ram that had ZERO electric accessories; manual everything. That battery lasted 10 years. I'm amazed that my current Tenere battery still functions since I was bone headed enough to leave the bike on and kill the battery....twice. The battery tender keeps the battery viable; going on two years old.

 

[EricV]

What CW said on heat. Add to that, a 20 minute ride is really on the edge of being enough to recover from the start process.

 

[regder]

This reminds me that my S10 needs a new battery. Had to boost it the morning of a trip a couple weeks ago. Tried to boost it through the SAE tender cable, did not go well...

 

[RENOVATOR20]

My YTZ12S Yuasa battery was getting weaker on my 2014 Super Tenere. I bought a Noco Lithium MLP14 500 amp battery. It was a challenge to get in around my altrider crash bars but it can be done. The battery is lighter than a lead acid battery and has a 5 yr warranty. It has been in for 3 weeks and the bike turns over much faster when starting. So far no complaints. I also bought a noco charger and pigtails.

 

[Sierra1]

As an update on my OE. 5 1/2 years old, and still starting. It does get bottle fed by a maintainer that also disulfates it. It should be noted that when I get home and plug it in immediately, it goes into disulfate mode every time. If I let it sit for a while before plugging it in, it just goes into charge mode. My FJR kid's bike is a '14, and still has the OE battery, and he almost never hooks it up to a charger. That being said, he's gonna replace it here in the next week due to weak starts.