battery observations

I have my stock R3 battery on a battery tender all winter long. Last week I tried to start it and it did not have enough umph to turn the motor fast enough for it to start. Yesterday I put a regular charger on it at 10 amps for one hour and the motor turned fast and started right up. It is my observation that the faster the motor turns over the easier it is to start. When I originally bought the battery tender, I thought it would keep the battery at a level to start at any time but it does not. Is my battery going bad or is the motor cold and just contrary. In the past most bike batteries never last more than a few years and my current R3 battery is about 4 years old but this is the first time I have had one hooked to a battery tender. Should I get a new one before this one shoots craps and dies at the most inopportune time. I was thinking Yuasa, I do not want to have to modify the battery box for an Odyssey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Dave
06 Blood & Bone Classic

The only way to get one started in the cold is spinning it fast. The only way I know to do that is with a high output battery. The odyssey works great, but only with the odyssey charger. Sorry dude, dont have any other suggestions.
I did the tray mod, it wasn't so bad.

triroketman said:

I have my stock R3 battery on a battery tender all winter long. Last week I tried to start it and it did not have enough umph to turn the motor fast enough for it to start. Yesterday I put a regular charger on it at 10 amps for one hour and the motor turned fast and started right up. It is my observation that the faster the motor turns over the easier it is to start. When I originally bought the battery tender, I thought it would keep the battery at a level to start at any time but it does not. Is my battery going bad or is the motor cold and just contrary. In the past most bike batteries never last more than a few years and my current R3 battery is about 4 years old but this is the first time I have had one hooked to a battery tender. Should I get a new one before this one shoots craps and dies at the most inopportune time. I was thinking Yuasa, I do not want to have to modify the battery box for an Odyssey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Dave
06 Blood & Bone Classic

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TriumPhil found this one the other day. Triumph Rocket III (2003 - '09) Motorcycle Battery - BatteryMart.com I found the same things with the Stock Battery even with a Battery Tender. I rode last week at 15 degrees F in the morning and it sat all day outside with a high of 24 F. Wouldn't turn it over. I installed the Odyssey, but maybe the Big Crank would work.

I have the same problem with my bike and my battery is only 2 years old. My battery is always on the tender. I had my battery tested and they said its fine.

Bought my '08 in Aug '08, by Nov it wouldn't start. And I drove it everyday. 1st real cold snap and it sat for a couple days, went out to start it just to hear it run (I was still in that new bike world) and RRrrrrrrrrrRRRRrrrrrrrRRRRRR ........CLICK. Week later and the Odyssey was installed, tray modified and didn't have a problem with it again till this winter. I had been using a Tender Jr., and it just wasn't cutting it in the cold this year after all the extra accessories (the ECM, GiPro and PCIII actually draw power when the bike is off). Got the Odyssey charger and even though it's been in hibernation since December ... it would start right now on the .... ummm (4weekswithoutstartingit) ... third try. But it would have the juice to do it. The stock battery is fine for warm weather and no accessories, but not much else. If you find a battery with the crank time and speed of a PC625 that fits the box, and then actually test it in real life ... you might just be the 1st.
I've read about batteries that print specs as good or better and say they fit, I just have'nt read anyone's thread who has one and actually uses it in below freezing temps yet. If there is one and it works, thats great, we can un-sticky the tray mod.

triroketman said:

I have my stock R3 battery on a battery tender all winter long. Last week I tried to start it and it did not have enough umph to turn the motor fast enough for it to start. Yesterday I put a regular charger on it at 10 amps for one hour and the motor turned fast and started right up. It is my observation that the faster the motor turns over the easier it is to start. When I originally bought the battery tender, I thought it would keep the battery at a level to start at any time but it does not. Is my battery going bad or is the motor cold and just contrary. In the past most bike batteries never last more than a few years and my current R3 battery is about 4 years old but this is the first time I have had one hooked to a battery tender. Should I get a new one before this one shoots craps and dies at the most inopportune time. I was thinking Yuasa, I do not want to have to modify the battery box for an Odyssey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Dave
06 Blood & Bone Classic

Click to expand...

I use Mobil 1 0W40 and my bikes start nice in the winter.

Dave,
just get the odyssey.
You don't HAVE to do the tray mod.
I ran mine for about a year or better with it sittin on the lip with no damage to the battery.
Only took the tray out and bent it for my own peace of mind after that.
As far as that goes, you could space it up by cutting some rubber to place in the tray and I'm sure it would be ok then.

flhtpi said:

I use Mobil 1 0W40 and my bikes start nice in the winter.

Click to expand...

But, let's face it, you are in North Carolina!

xhdskip said:

Dave,
just get the odyssey.
You don't HAVE to do the tray mod.
I ran mine for about a year or better with it sittin on the lip with no damage to the battery.
Only took the tray out and bent it for my own peace of mind after that.
As far as that goes, you could space it up by cutting some rubber to place in the tray and I'm sure it would be ok then.

Click to expand...

I did nothing to get it in the R3T. It seems to be sitting down just fine, as, even with the higher profile, the rubber band that holds it in still went on easily.

Someone said they shaved off some cooling fins and dropped it in ... not something I would do myself ... but what ever gets the job done.