The battery in your Rocket?

rusty

Turbocharged
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Messages
735
Location
Northwest, MO.
Ride
2005 Rocket III
I'm going to straddle the FBG this afternoon for a short ride out to a friends to get Penny's '07 Speedmaster & take "it" for a spin to limber it up some.

Each time I go climb aboard the FBG lately, I wonder "Is it going to start this time"? I'm still running the "stock" battery and this is the end of year 4 for it. I'm guessing I'm running on borrowed time. With as much demand as the Rocket starter has on a battery, surely I'm one of the lucky ones still on the original.

I know there are several threads about which is the best battery to purchase & this is not about that issue. I'm just wondering how many captains have had the same reliability in the stock battery as I have.

See ya.
 
Good grief Rusty....4 years and once upside down..... Time to make fishing sinkers....

Time for a new one. I would get a Yuhasa AGM, Hawker Odessey or a Deka AGM. All good batteries especially the Hawker. Hawker Odessy is a very procey battery but it has a fantastic warranty and it's built to Military Specifications....actually, the Military use them.
 
Stock battery. Just into its fifth year. I might replace it preventively... but it's still as dependable as new (although local temp is only 3° above freezing point).

My 2-cents? Talking to my RCE club members, it appears that Triumph's alarm system is conducive to premature battery failure. Jamie
 
6 months into mine (last winter) mine gave up the ghost and was replaced by a fine odyssey 625. No problems since.
How's Penny's bike ride Rusty?
 
OE batteries

In my experience the OE batteries in bike, trikes and atv's have always outlasted replacements. 4-6 years on OE batteries and a couple on the aftermarket tops.

I do plan to add a battery tender (thanks Pigr), never used one before.
 
Do AGM type batteries have better shelf life than liquid cell? I take it the batteries are not connected before purchase or do they put in new at delivery? If not, mine is going on 3 with longer cold starts with no problem.
 
If your battery is showing any signs of weakness, you do need to replace it. A weak battery is hard on the starter and will destroy the brushes in the starter motor over time. I had to replace the brushes on my Thunderbird Sport after running with a weak battery, and that was a PAIN. The starter on the Rocket is much easier to get to..
 
Flooded cell batteries (the kind with caps or no caps but a vent) if, they are precharged, start sulfating immediately after the electrolyte is added whereas as AGM (absorbed glass mat, like Optima's) and Gel-Cells (where the electrolyte is in suspension in a thick solution) sulfate, but not at the same rate as a flooded cell.

The advantage of an AGM or Gel-Cell is there is no spillage of electrolyte and no vent so battery position is basically irrevelant but the technology is more expensive and they don't lend themselves (especially the Hawker Odessy) to conventional charging methods. They don't like the 'Battery Tender' trickle charge, they want an inital charge rate many amps above the low, 2 or less amp rate and the need an electronically controled charger.

I use Yuhasa AGM's or Deka AGM's in everything I can get a direct fit on. Optma (Johnson Controls, Whitehouse, Ohio) and Hawker don't have a broad interchange.
 
What is a battery tender if I ride my bike nearly every day in this wonderful 70 degree heat do I need one Rusty my factory battery lasted to 30 months replaced it with one from auto zone no trouble since.
 
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