Los Padres National Forest RR

530ktm

530ktm

Jeff aka BOLT:
Agreed... cheaper than a lithium. $25

But if you go Shorai get their charger.

This why they are WRONG about not getting a charger. They know that Lithium has little self discharge and will not harm itself from partial charges sitting in the garage. But thats NOT the whole story.

The bikes system is not a great charging system first off. It is meant to simply maintain the battery... not throw a recharge on it while riding.

Nothing against KTM... NO VEHICLE SHOULD EVER BE USED AS A BATTERY CHARGER.

You will drain any battery after a grueling ride that makes you restart the bike many times all day. The headlight and fan take NOTHING compared to the starter motor. Saving a few amps on the light all day is almost meaningless compared to two or three extra starts.

The bike may start OK when the ride is over because the battery has not dropped below the CCA - Cranking Amps of the starter. But the battery could be 30% low. When next you ride and it's 4 hours across the desert you will be charged sure. But what if thats not the ride you take. And do you really want your charging system running max amps through the system all day anyway... when you could have started the day with a totally fresh battery.

Or maybe your next ride is on switchbacks where you dump 12 times. Do you wanna start that ride with the battery low by 30% from last ride ?

Lithium is great for not damaging itself when you leave it charged or partly discharged. But it still should be properly charged to 100% for your next ride. Not because the battery will be harmed like a standard AGM. But because you never wanna start a ride at anything less than 100% full charge for the ride.

I won't spend money on a Lithium because I know a $25 battery tender on a $48 heavy duty battery gets me more Amp Hours and more starts than a high tech Shorai. All batteries fail eventually. If you maintain them with a tender the cheaper and more powerful AGM battery will live as long as your lithium.

You decide what you want. But start every ride with a fully charged battery.

Love always... Uncle Jeff
Click to expand...
This is the route I took just last week when replacing my battery. I could have purchased a $123 more powerful battery good name brand or purchase a $43 more powerful less name brand. I decided if I get the less expensive battery and it fails I can get 2 more for the same price as the one expensive brand. :prof: And I also have the small battery tender that I keep on my batteries.
 
msgtretired

msgtretired

The stock battery was a POS. I replaced with a Shorai, and thus far am happy. It cranks alot better and maintains a charge. We shall see over time. I also got the charger/maintainer. I plug it in while in the garage just to ensure I have a fully charged battery for my next outing. One thing about batteries is, they say (whoever they are), it's best not to let them deplete more than 50%. if you do that often, you could damage the battery.

bike008.jpg
 
530ktm

530ktm

msgtretired:
The stock battery was a POS. I replaced with a Shorai, and thus far am happy. It cranks alot better and maintains a charge. We shall see over time. I also got the charger/maintainer. I plug it in while in the garage just to ensure I have a fully charged battery for my next outing. One thing about batteries is, they say (whoever they are), it's best not to let them deplete more than 50%. if you do that often, you could damage the battery.

bike008.jpg
Click to expand...
What is the CCA of that battery you have there? The one I took out of my bike was 4 and the new one is 5. I think I got that right. :thinking:
 
msgtretired

msgtretired

The Yuasa YTZ7S is 130 CCA is what I had in there.....

The Shorai LFX14L2-BS12 is 210 CCA

The Shorai LFX battery is 1.62 Lbs. lighter than the lead-acid 4.6 lb YTZ7S.
 
530ktm

530ktm

msgtretired:
The Yuasa YTZ7S is 130 CCA is what I had in there.....

The Shorai LFX14L2-BS12 is 210 CCA

The Shorai LFX battery is 1.62 Lbs. lighter than the lead-acid 4.6 lb YTZ7S.
Click to expand...
I knew I had something wrong with the numbers. I must be thinking of the amp hours which is 4 old one and 5 new one.
 
Jeff aka BOLT

Jeff aka BOLT

I went with the model 7 @6.5AH. I even squeezed one into the KTM350SX-F.

I would use the lithium battery if I was a MotoXer. But I know my ultra heavy duty tubes weigh more than the battery... so saving a pound on my battery doesn't mean much to me. Hell I can skip breakfast and hit the toilet before the ride and save more than the lithium can save in weight ! :lol:

I don't say "don't buy a lithium". I just say start every ride with a fully charged battery.
 
Rack

Rack

Jeff aka BOLT:
I went with the model 7 @6.5AH. I even squeezed one into the KTM350SX-F.

I would use the lithium battery if I was a MotoXer. But I know my ultra heavy duty tubes weigh more than the battery... so saving a pound on my battery doesn't mean much to me. Hell I can skip breakfast and hit the toilet before the ride and save more than the lithium can save in weight ! :lol:

I don't say "don't buy a lithium". I just say start every ride with a fully charged battery.
Click to expand...

Yep - just get a tender and use the stock battery til it's done.
 
J

johnrunner

Well I should hopefully be read for the next ride and won't have battery issues. Today I took my bike to 3bros and am having Gustavo put on a KTM Powerparts 52 rear Aluminum inner/steel outer sprocket, matching orange KTM Z racing chain, new KTM grips and of course a Shorai LFX14L2 Battery! :banana:
 
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