Best battery?

jbrown

Active Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
373
Location
Novato, CA
Batteries seem to be hit or miss for me. The original Yuasa YTZ14S the dealer put in my 2012 back in 2012 is still doing just fine. But I've also has Yuasa batteries die after two years, and I've had cheap batteries last five or six years. I haven't seen any pattern in my vehicles. Some batteries just die early with no apparent cause or correlation to brand.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
I was looking at that battery too, but Scorpion says they will only honor the warranty if you follow their listed fitments. 507 CCA, Wow.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
I don't think that information, above the CCA header is describing a CCA test. Seems to be describing the battery's ability to still provide good cranking power independently of what the AH rating is.
 

oldguy

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
63
Location
Kansas City
Installing the Scorpion Stinger later this week and I'll post up at that time.
The Scorpion website shows cca for their rating, so unless they're lying it's apples to apples.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
Batteries seem to be hit or miss for me.... Some batteries just die early with no apparent cause or correlation to brand.
Which is why I get the cheapest, "best" battery for my bike(s). Had an Odyssey battery on the ST1300; lasted almost four years, and cost almost $400.00. Granted, it had a heavy electrical load, but was put on a tender each day. I can get cheap batteries for less than $100.00. If they last a couple of years each, and they usually do, I come out ahead in the long run. If they only last a year, I break even.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
This is what Steve at Batterystuff.com told me when I asked him how to compare CCA between a AGM and equivalent LiFePO4 battery:

"As with any lithium I am aware of, the CCA is a ‘simulated’ number, not an actual test done at zero. As you are probably aware, cold temperatures are the Achilles heel of lithium batteries, and an actual CCA test would bely how well they perform under ‘normal operating conditions’. In fact, at least for lithium starting batteries, even the Amp capacity is simulated. The good news here is that they outperform traditional lead based batteries in nearly all other environments."
 

Jlq1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
1,749
Location
Argentina
for that there is another test that is called only "CA", which is at room temperature, where almost all are good, but, if "simulating" a CCA gave 507, then at room temperature should start a Carterpillar well:)
 

Jlq1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
1,749
Location
Argentina
now that it was clarified that the 507 CCAs are "simulated" ... it would be good to also clarify what they mean when they say: "in nearly all others eviroment":)
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
Installing the Scorpion Stinger later this week and I'll post up at that time.
The Scorpion website shows cca for their rating, so unless they're lying it's apples to apples.
If you read everything on the linked site, it would indeed appear that they are lying. They list a CCA rating, but clearly indicate that's not how they tested and came up with that number. Not to say it doesn't crank well, just that it's not true cold cranking amps as defined by the industry standard for testing CCAs. They are skirting the issue by not listing the Ah rating.
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
If the S10 is characterized by reliability, in batteries, Yuasa would not be something similar?
I think so, opinions vary.
 

OldRider

Well-Known Member
Vendor
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
2,111
Location
Western Kentucky
Yuasa is by far the best battery made. GS would be a very close second. Every once in a while Yuasa will build a bad battery just as every once in a while the off brand battery makers will build a good one. I've seen a lot of Yuasa batteries last 7-8 years and the longest I've seen is 13 years. It came out of a four wheeler that the guy bought brand new and it was one of the Honda factory installed Yuasa batteries that had the pink writing on it. I've seen a lot batteries sawed in half where you can see the plates and there is a huge difference in the way the cheap manufacturers make batteries. I've been selling Yuasa batteries for 46 years, your opinion may be different.
 
Last edited:

oldguy

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
63
Location
Kansas City
Installed the Scorpion Stinger. Seems to crank the bike more robustly than the 14 series Extreme from Batterys and Bulbs that it replaced.
Completely charged out of the box in less than 10 minutes.
 

menagold

New Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
15
Location
Westchester, NY
Batteries seem to be hit or miss for me. The original Yuasa YTZ14S the dealer put in my 2012 back in 2012 is still doing just fine. But I've also has Yuasa batteries die after two years, and I've had cheap batteries last five or six years. I haven't seen any pattern in my vehicles. Some batteries just die early with no apparent cause or correlation to brand.
Is the YTZ14S the recommended one? Just checked (because I need to get a new battery) and Yuasa recommends the YTZ12S. I have a ST 2014 model.
 
Top