What type of Battery to buy ??

[Around Australia]

Hi Guys,
I hear my battery struggle to start when cranking over. Sounds like the battery has lost it power ( CCA). In anticipation of having to buy a new battery can you suggest what type??? I see many types on the market, lead, Gell , Li.
your advise would help.
Cheers
2008 R1200GS

[mikec]

Originally Posted by Around Australia

Hi Guys,
I hear my battery struggle to start when cranking over. Sounds like the battery has lost it power ( CCA). In anticipation of having to buy a new battery can you suggest what type??? I see many types on the market, lead, Gell , Li.
your advise would help.
Cheers
2008 R1200GS

I like dry cell Odyssey batteries and have had great service with them over several years and motorcycles. The longest life I got with one was nine years in a Harley FLHTC.

Mike

[Around Australia]

Does anyone use a Lithium battery? how does it perform? any issues?

[WoodButcher]

I just put in a Shorai lithium in my 09 GSA a week ago. Seems to work just fine. Not a long time eval for sure, but it does start it up better than the OEM one ever did. This is the 21 amp battery they are currently recommending on their website.

[robday]

I've had a Shorai in my '08 GT for a couple of years now with great results. I have the charger too, but have only used it once to balance the cells. These batteries can sit for up to a year without going flat, and they are 9 pounds lighter than the stock battery.

However, I am not convinced this is the best battery for a GS(A). The reason is that lithium batteries have an enormous discharge rate. It's why they crank so well compared to stock. But, they can be dangerous if the battery shorts for any reason, possibly causing a fire or even an explosion under the right circumstances. And if you ride hardcore off-road, there may be a possibility of your bike getting submerged in water. I have zero data on the shorting characteristics of the Shorai, I'm just talking from experience with lithium polymer batteries in RC toys. And the Shorai is lithium-IRON (not "ion"), which I'm not nearly as familiar with. They could be just fine in this application for all I know, but that's the reason I haven't put one in the GS.

On the GT, I was surprised that I could feel the weight difference. Not much, but when flipping the bike around on twisty roads, it definitely felt a tad lighter. I assume this is because the battery on the GT is up pretty high. On the GS, it probably won't be noticeable.

The Shorai is a little more expensive than the stock BMW battery, and it's advisable to buy their charger as well.

For hassle-free use, and to eliminate any worries, I think the Odyssey is the best choice.
JMO, of course...