free website stats program Battery for my 08 Softail | Page 3 | Harley Davidson Forums

Battery for my 08 Softail

No problem with the pushback but the pushback should be informed. BTW, most of my posts are fact and based on first hand experience and not what I read somewhere or heard from someone that knows a guy that used to work for a dealership. I am always open to and encourage debate on anything I post but please come to the debate with an informed position.
 
You have taken my position on lithium batteries for motorcycles into the automotive world and you surely know that that world is very different from the motorcycle world. That article was written in 2012 and aside from having nothing to do with motor cycle charging systems and considering that the lithium battery technology has advanced since the article was written, I suspect some of the disadvantages of lithium batteries cited in the article have been addressed; just to be clear, I "suspect" but cannot be certain. I do know that the temperature effect on lithium batteries has been addressed and most come with a simple cold start procedure that "wakes" the battery up for cold starts.

If you want to start citing articles, OK. I have attached a link to an article from 2016 addressing the compatibility of lithium iron batteries with modern charging systems; lithium iron batteries are the batteries I made reference to in my previous post. As you can see from the article and as I have so said in my previous post, there is no compatibility issue between the lithium battery and modern automotive charging system. Also you can see in the diagrams that there is quite a difference between the typical motorcycle charging system and a modern automotive charging system.

https://earthxbatteries.com/engine-charging-systems-use-lithium-batteries

It matters not to me what batteries anyone else runs; the science is there.
 
Of course it is; why not. As long as there are potential buyers that don't understand the full advantage of lithium batteries and are making purchasing decisions based on the misconception that there lithium batteries are not compatible with "modern" charging systems, it is in any manufacturers interest to inform potential purchasers. The particular manufacturer has done an excellent job in that regard and provided the technical jargon to support the position.

I rest my case, you can have the last word.;)
 
The couple of ads I see on them say you won't like em if you live in a cold place(i do) or if you have a lot of accessories.But the thing I see is they aren't even listed for touring bikes.All the ads are for 500-750cc bikes(HD) sporties,and softails.One article says they are 4x the cost of lead acid,but I see em listed around 160 bucks,not that much.

OK,just found a Big Crank brand for a Road Glide for 109.00
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here's what they said in the article I posted from Road & Track.


"Disadvantages: Their output drops much faster than lead-acid batteries as the temperature goes down. If not properly charged, they're much more susceptible to individual cell failures."

I'm not advocating one way or the other I'm just not convinced they have all the bugs worked out yet. JMHO.
 
Last edited:
I doubt our debate will influence a battery purchase decision; just two forum members putting forth. Guys and gals need to dig in and do the homework and make an informed decision based on the comparative differences in the two products, their individual needs and available funds.

For instance, jamesearl is all set to buy a Big Crank battery, probably the ETX30L which is a decent battery but has half the warranty, half the service life, 3 times the weight and a weaker amp hour rating than a comparable lithium battery. I have run that battery in my FLHT and almost got 4 years out of it; I expect at least 6 years out of the lithium battery I replaced it with. Having three bikes, they all spend a fair amount of time on a tender. Actually, for a touring model, jamesearl should be looking at a 625CCA rated battery for a touring bike; 400CCA rated batterie are for softails and dynas. Granted, the lithium batteries do cost more but not 4X more.:rolleyes: A 400CCA rated lithium battery can be had, with charger, for about $250; a 625CCA rated lithium battery can be had, sans charger, for a little less; IIRC, I paid $225 for mine.
As for difficulty cold starting, lithium batteries need to be "warmed" up and there is a procedure for that; check out the Twin Power site I have linked and watch the short video of a 25* battery starting a 103" touring motor.

As I said before, it does not matter to me what battery anyone chooses to use but at least anyone interested in what options are available should take the time to do the homework. Personally and JMHO, the current lithium batteries have an added value and are worth the additional cost but I certainly understand why some may see it differently.

Stepping off the soap box now and retiring from the discussion. Waiting for someone to blow up a motor, decide to build a performance motor or have some other catastrophe occur that I can assist with.:cool:
 
Very informative! I did have to look up sans though.Thanks for the info,yeah,it said cold weather you just hadda run your lights or radio,BUT some folks would freak out just for having to do that.As far as accessories,I don't know.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top