Battery on mine has died at 22 months, 2500 miles ish. Have had to jump start it a few times which undoubtedly hasn't helped, but even on an Optimate trickle charger now it looks like there's a fault with the battery. Just gone with a like for like replacement, I think short journeys and lack of use has contributed.
Battery Fail - What Mileage ?
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Batteries really shouldn't fail so early. Try putting an ammeter in series with the battery (so the wiring goes battery +, ammeter in, ammeter out, battery terminal) and see if there's a leakage current. All digital multimeters have an ammeter function. Also check that the earth (return) connection isn't corroded or dirty.
I use the Battery Tender brand of chargers. Really, most any battery should have a ~5 year lifetime easily if off really does mean off, the alternator is good, and there is no unexpected resistance in the battery leads and grounding.
I use the Battery Tender brand of chargers. Really, most any battery should have a ~5 year lifetime easily if off really does mean off, the alternator is good, and there is no unexpected resistance in the battery leads and grounding.
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37 Posts
First winter here in Minnesota I stored at the dealership. It was ok after that, but would go dead quickly if not ridden often. Last winter I stored in my garage with a Yuasa float charger. Now it will charge enough to start once, but will not start a second time, even if just a minute later...
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These batteries are very small capacity, and it doesn't take much for self discharge to take the battery down to a "ruined" level (usually for a flooded battery <50%). I have had AGM batteries and would always aim for one of those or a gel. On my boat I "accidentally" discharged 3x110AH batteries down to 4v... but recovered them (as they were only 6 months old and cost me £500) and they then lasted for a further 8 years...
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1,307 Posts
I realized last night that these bikes do have a small leakage current. The theft alarm is a constant (but small) drain on the battery. So it is probably worth while keeping the bike on a charger. But discharging a battery to the point of damage should be a difficult thing to do...it still points to something else being wrong, IMHO.
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557 Posts
Not sure the original thread starter is getting any useful stuff here, its all so varied, I have 2016 model, just shy of 7000 miles still original battery, I have an Oxford products battery charger which sometimes gets used over the winter, some times I just start her up and sit on her for 10 minutes during the winter. I will plug the charger in if she hasn't been out for 3-4 weeks or started, just to make sure I don't have a morning problem.
My Ducati used to live outside all year round in Switzerland, and never got charged or run over the winter and she started every spring, the battery was on her for 8 years. came back to sunny England in the spring, battery lasted 3 months before needing replacement.
My Ducati used to live outside all year round in Switzerland, and never got charged or run over the winter and she started every spring, the battery was on her for 8 years. came back to sunny England in the spring, battery lasted 3 months before needing replacement.
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365 Posts
Not sure anyone can answer "what's the best battery money can buy" for the Bobber. YUASA batteries come with the Bobber and are usually solid batteries. Perhaps they ones that they supply Triumph are "cost cutting" models and thus have an unusual failure rate? I'm guessing here, no real knowledge of this. Some would argue a Lithium ION battery may be better than an AGM glass mat. They are certainly more pricey. I wrote a long post on my search for the best battery charger. There are pricey ones that I'm sure work just fine, but in my research I found that you want a multi-stage charger with a float mode at the end. Look for an 8-stage charger designed for lead acid batteries.
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Some Lithium based batteries for vehicles have circuitry built into the battery to deal with the different charging requirements, because the alternator etc won't deliver the correct charging regime either...
I sail radio controlled boats, and LiIon batteries can be a fire risk (we have to recharge them inside a fire proof bag...) I now use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFe batteries) which are much more user friendly...
I sail radio controlled boats, and LiIon batteries can be a fire risk (we have to recharge them inside a fire proof bag...) I now use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFe batteries) which are much more user friendly...
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1,526 Posts
Mine failed last week after a little over 4 years. I just switched the old battery for a new OEM battery. It was a pain in the butt to change but everything is working fine now.
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Yall can bet, the aftermarket won't last but 3.25 years at best
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