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Battery Choices

14K views 45 replies 27 participants last post by  RefCat 
#1 ·
I believe my battery is near to dead, as I had to jump it to get it started even after a long ride. It's the original one and my bike is 14 GT, so it's not surprising. I have a lightly used Odyssey PC680 lying around, but I'm not sure if that would work, as the amp hours are stated as 16, while the original was 19. Besides, it is smaller and slimmer than the original, plus the terminals are at a different angle, so I'd have to do some modifications to make it work. Has anyone used this battery successfully in a K1600? If this won't work, what are my other options other than an OEM one? I know they have these newfangled really light batteries out there, but I'm not worried about weight on a bike like mine, besides I hear you need a specialized charger for them. What are most people going to as an option?
 
#2 ·
I'm on my 2nd (3rd?) PC680. Works fine. Seems like there was a little finagling to get it to fit ... but it wasn't hard

I'd heard conflicting info about charging too, so I just went ahead and bought their charger/conditioner. Potential (?) issue solved.


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#11 ·
I'm on my 2nd (3rd?) PC680. Works fine. Seems like there was a little finagling to get it to fit ... but it wasn't hard

I'd heard conflicting info about charging too, so I just went ahead and bought their charger/conditioner. Potential (?) issue solved.

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Third Odyssey battery in your K16? Counting the OEM battery that came with your bike and assuming for discussion’s sake that you have the first K1600 that came off the assembly line, you’ve had four batteries in 7 years! Either your bike has an electrical issue or the Odyssey batteries are less than ideal for the K1600.
 
#4 ·
Even when new the stock battery would do the slow crank turn over when I would stop for a short period of time and then try a restart. I've had the Odyssey PC680 for a couple of years and it always spins the engine over quickly regardless of conditions. It only requires a 3/8" spacer either on top of the battery or underneath for it to fit snuggly. I use a simple Battery Tender Jr for periodic trickle charges when it sits for more than a couple of weeks. IMHO, it's a great battery for this bike.
 
#6 ·
I've been using Odyssey batteries for years. The 680 fits the K1600. No special charger required.

Duane
 
#8 ·
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#9 ·
@Gunnert , thanks. I've had this one since new in 2017. Not sure how long the bike sat at the dealer before I bought it, just before the '18s made their debut. Went on a 3500 mile ride earlier this month and was wondering how good it was. I threw in the jump start battery just in case but had no issues. I was looking at Battries Plus but this one is a fair amount less $$. I'll swap it out just for the reasons you mentioned...PM
 
#15 ·
Are you kidding me?



Hadn't you heard? We live in America- the land of the free, home of the brave, and where there's more choices for anything and everything than you can shake a stick at. Why would anyone use another OEM battery after they'd already had one? :surprise:


Seriously though, lots of people prefer to use other brands, often because they are better quality/lasts longer/better warranty/less costly.... pick any reason that suits you.

One train of thought is vehicle manufacturers often use some of the "cheapest" parts to assemble their products just to maximize profits, and in hopes of selling additional parts once the OEMs are out of warranty/worn-out. I'm not saying that is what BMW does, but I wouldn't be surprised.

On a related note, when I was a teenager, I would buy parts marketed towards the racing community, thinking they must be better- not necessarily. Just because they're designed for such extreme conditions doesn't necessarily translate into more longevity as a street application. Durability and performance are often two different animals. I think everyone here knows that- just look at our tires.



Jeff
 
#21 · (Edited)
If I read you correctly, when faced with the choice of what battery to purchase for your K1600, you chose another of the same brand and model of the battery that died and left you stranded after only three years of service over the less expensive brand and model that you removed from your bike after four years of service even though it was functioning perfectly at the time. If I have read you correctly, why would you do that, particularly when, your own rule contemplates getting potential battery issues after four years of service?
Not saying that everyone will have the same experience, but my current K1600’s OEM battery has never seen a battery charger and is still functioning perfectly after 60,000 miles and five years of service and my R1200r that was rear ended and totaled last December, as of the date of its demise, also had never seen a battery charger and was still functioning perfectly after seven years of service over almost 100,000 miles. My own rule is: don’t fix what ain’t broke and, when it does break, fix it with the same as what broke if what broke worked without trouble for as long as it should have even if it’s more expensive than something else. When it’s cheaper, it’s a no brainer!
I also believe that battery trickle chargers are overrated. Except when stored for months without any use in cold weather, bike batteries will start their bikes just fine and will last as long, if not longer, without trickle charging as those that are charged regularly. Perhaps it is coincidence, but well more than the majority of tales of sudden battery death that I’ve heard over the years involve batteries that have been repeatedly hooked up to trickle chargers.
 
#30 · (Edited)
Personally I wouldnt fuel a bike with the motor running, in fact with the keyless ignition I have to shut the ignition off for the lock to release. I bought my 15 GTS new in 2017, as far as I know the battery is original. I can tell by the sound when a battery is starting to labor, due to the starter draw. I dont think I have ever seen a battery just quit without any notice, unless there was an internal short which is rare.
If anyone is interested, the minimum voltage on a battery load test for 15 seconds is 9.6 volts. When the time comes I have my eye on the PC 680.
 
#32 ·
I bought my very first Shorai on 2011-10-25, almost exactly 8yrs ago. It has been installed in many different bikes and is still in use today.

What is the #1 killer of automotive lead acid batteries? High temperature.

The longest lasting lead acid battery I've had was an AGM I bought at Autozone. It lasted for 8+yrs... only because it spent its entire life in my Genesis sedan, which places the battery back in the trunk, far away from engine heat. BMW does the same thing for their cars too. Unfortunately, location is rarely something I have control over, car or bike.
 
#35 ·
NASCAR and Indycar crews also wear fireproof clothing, for a reason. Numerous times, fuel will spill and ignite onto something hot and will extinguish itself as the car gets backup to speed. Public vehicles don’t have that option.
 
#36 · (Edited)
In the oil patch, we take great lengths and expense to design electrical equipment that can be operate in areas where explosive atmospheres are present. According to ATEX, areas near an open container of volatile hydrocarbons would be considered the most hazardous - Zone 0 - where the presence of explosive atm is present CONTINUOUSLY. That pretty much describes the area around a motorcycle fuel tank with the cap open and where you shoot gasoline out of a dispensor nozzle at high flow rate.



The next level, Zone 1, is classified as areas where the likelihood of explosive atm is as little of 0.1% of the time. Even then, Zone 1 equipment are typically very specialized and high $$$. Do a google search on Zone 1 cellphones and see how expensive they are. Likewise for cameras and laptops.

AFAIK, nobody makes a Zone 0 cellphone. That might give you some clues, uh?

Still, there are idiots who think the safety rules don't apply to them, just because they can get away with not following them most of the time. They either get fired, thrown off the rig, or worse... blow something up eventually and often themselves with it. These days, most companies understand the seriousness of the matter and make sure their employees observes the necessary precautions.

It amazes me that - in comparison - just how belligerent some folks are at following even the most minimum safety rules at commercial - but no less hazardous - areas like a gas station. The risk may be small, but it is absolutely still there.
 
#37 · (Edited)
...It amazes me that - in comparison - just how belligerent some folks are at following even the most minimum safety rules at commercial - but no less hazardous - areas like a gas station. The risk may be small, but it is absolutely still there.
kinda like the amount of risk of being struck by lightning or being hit by a city bus that I don't see, even when there's a stop right outside my house?


There's a reason for so many of those safety precautions in industry/the work place- it's called corporate liability. If it weren't for that, I wonder how many of these practices/policies would be in place? If you want to live like that kid in the bubble, then more power to you. :kiss:

When we start claiming it's the only way, simply because the government mandates it, then shame on us. The government is stupid people looking after other stupid people because they can't think for themselves.

I'm not saying the govt. doesn't ever do any good, but for all those who say it must be so because the govt. says so- I say BS!


Jeff
 
#39 · (Edited)
My job, (I'm now retired) had a rule book that required strict adherence.
After naming the corporate bosses on page one, the first rule one page two of this "book of rules" as it was called, there were over 1200+- of them was Rule A. To quote: "Safety is of the utmost importance in the discharge of duty."
Am a retired RR engineer, when the S*** hit the fan, safety adherence was the first item of conversation.
RBGary
 
#41 ·
It was time!

After almost 8 years the original battery in my 2012 GTL sounds like it’s on its death bed, so decided to break down and get a new one. I’ve used the BMW charger during the winters to keep it healthy.

Thought about other options but figured if I can get 7+ years out of the next one, I’ll go with the OEM battery again. Maybe not the most economical choice, but Worth the investment for me.
 
#44 ·
I purchased an Odyssey PC680 but it is too wide for my 2017 GT (UK model), which has really thrown me. It’s wider than the OEM but it seems the design of the battery box has been altered and there’s now about a 1.5” boxed off section. This is great for my Amplink PDM, which slides in right next to the battery, but means the PC680 is no “drop-in” replacement for the OEM. Is this a UK thing or a model year thing; does anyone else have this configuration?

143075


143076
 
#46 ·
I purchased an Odyssey PC680 but it is too wide for my 2017 GT (UK model), which has really thrown me. It’s wider than the OEM but it seems the design of the battery box has been altered and there’s now about a 1.5” boxed off section. This is great for my Amplink PDM, which slides in right next to the battery, but means the PC680 is no “drop-in” replacement for the OEM. Is this a UK thing or a model year thing; does anyone else have this configuration?

View attachment 143075 View attachment 143076
Looks like they changed the OEM battery for 2017 (or at least on some of them). The PC680 is definitely the size size or smaller than the OEM in all directions on the older bikes.
 
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