Stock battery for the Rocket is in the neighborhood if 310CCA. Starting to see other batteries with the same dimensions and terminal +/- orientation in the 500CCA range. Can a person go with these batteries or is there some hidden risks? All are 12V, but some have more amperage to draw on if needed. Thoughts??
Having MORE on offer should be no risk. UNTIL - And I say this with some reluctance - it is.
Whilst everything else is OK - more than std is however unnecessary.
But if (for example) the starter motor seizes - Then more can turn a smoky motor into a blazing one. The risk however should be seen as VERY VERY LOW.
I have had a 1120Amp discharge through a seized Bosch starter. The effect was dramatic. 16aH LiFePO4 with 70C discharge.
There is a lot of geeky stuff in understanding battery chemistry, Peukert's law, Nernsts's equation ............................
CCA really only has any importance if you compare IDENTICAL chemistry. Wet acid is not the same as Gel or AGM and a long way from Li.
I personally have a pet hate regarding SEALED Pb/H2SO4 batteries in very warm climates - they dry out. Unless it gets VERY F*cking cold they are unlikely to freeze.
In the cold Lithiums ime need to be drawn against before hitting the starter button to get the cells warm inside - Headlights on for 5s-10s for example.
LiFePO4 - ime is still the reliable automotive Li battery family - refined more to say that A123Systems cells are the only ones I would currently use.
But make sure, generally, the unit has top end BMS built in. This should include over charge and over discharge protection.
An R3 will probably turn over and fire with a 5aH (maybe even a 2.5aH) LiFePO4 based on A123. I personally would get a 7.5aH. But these will NOT be cheap. An R3 is hardly a track bike where weight matters.
YUASA (full OEM spec wet acid) or I too like Motobatt AGM (just for the 4 posts). And if you are really worried - buy a little power boost doodad and keep it warm inside your jacket - just in case.