When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
............So lets hear it. Is it worth the $300 plus TTL they asking for it? Or just stick with the regular style battery?
Thanks
Drifter
For me - my needs - and riding style, it is not worth it. The OEM battery in my 09 lasted 5 years on a BatteryMINDer. Replaced with a AGM from BatteryMart for $100 and got another 5 years exactly before it started to show signs the first signs of slow cranking. This time, wanted to try out another AGM battery from BatteryStuff that has 450 CCA's. So far I am a month in and it fires right up as expected - so I'm very pleased. If it craps out anytime soon I will report back.
Deltran Battery is a bit more reasonably Priced technically called a LiFePo4 .. For those that forgot about Chemistry Class Li=Lithium Fe= Ferrous or Iron Po4 = Phosphate
Had one on my Indian Scout for the simple reason the OEM was totally short of the Cranking Power Needed especially on a Cold Morning .. Also had very little space for the Battery and an AGM with more Cranking Amps would not fit.. This LiFePo4 only took 1/2 the space to fit in with 30 more cranking amps ..
Odyssey batteries are the only agm batteries made with virgin lead,all others use recycled lead,so you already start with a compromised 30 yr old technology. Come into the present and go Lithium. Its only a matter of time when the sjws will have lead batteries banned.
I have four bikes, three of which weigh less than 1/2 to 2/3 as much as my RGS. These three bikes all have lithium batteries, and have for several years, with great results. Weight, with these bikes, is a factor. However, if anyone is considering a lithium battery for your heavy HD, please consider any parasitic draw present on the bike. Lithium batteries have about 1/3 the capacity of AGM, and will be dead in 1/3 the time due to this parasitic draw. If you have a machine with an ECU and other parasitic draw like an alarm system, this is a big consideration. For example, my KLR has no parasitic draw; it is ideal for a lithium battery. I can leave it for weeks and it requires no external charger. My Ducati and my Honda are both FI bikes, with an ECU, and resulting parasitic draw. They will each be dead in two weeks, in the absence of being ridden or with an external charger. These big HDs with FI and all sorts of electronic gizmos and have a sizable parasitic draw. SO, if you want to spend the money on a lithium battery, that is fine, but you will need a lithium specific charger to keep your bike on if you are an infrequent rider. Plus, lithiums are finicky in cold weather. Plus, you can kill a lithium battery quickly by letting it fully discharge. The upside to them is if cared for, they will last a long time and they provide superior cranking power in a lightweight package. Personally, I am going with a Big Crank (Deka) AGM for my RGS when the time comes.
Someone said size. And how many Harley's actually benefit from reduced weight of a lighter battery? Baggers carry around an extra 200 lbs of fiberglass and frame. Not to mention a lot of riders are on the portly side. I can see a benefit in a Sportster, or a lighter Dyna.
I'm going to recommend the conventional battery here...At least you don't have to buy another battery charger on top of a 300 dollar battery. .
Last edited by SirHarley; Mar 18, 2020 at 11:38 AM.
Reason: addendum correction
How is smaller battery size a benefit when you have to put the new battery in the same old hole that your last battery fit in??? Just askin'...
From what I've seen, most of the Harley lithium batteries come in same/similar size cases as OEM, to keep the connections in the same position... but there is a big weight difference...
I suspect the main benefit to the weight, for most, would be ease of install... Personally, I wouldn't pay the extra cash just to have a lighter/easier battery install...
However, I have a 124" engine in my bagger... I have heard that the Lithium batteries supply superior cranking power..... If I ever have issues with my 500CCA Yuasa GYZ32HL battery spinning over my 124" engine, I would consider the switch to a lithium battery (and new charger)....
Deltran Battery is a bit more reasonably Priced technically called a LiFePo4 .. For those that forgot about Chemistry Class Li=Lithium Fe= Ferrous or Iron Po4 = Phosphate
Had one on my Indian Scout for the simple reason the OEM was totally short of the Cranking Power Needed especially on a Cold Morning .. Also had very little space for the Battery and an AGM with more Cranking Amps would not fit.. This LiFePo4 only took 1/2 the space to fit in with 30 more cranking amps ..
240 CCA isn't very powerful IMHO....for $89.00 I'll keep my conventional battery
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
