Lithium battery
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 927
Likes: 17
From: Spotsylvania, VA
I have one from EarthX arriving tomorrow 19 Ultra Limited - I will post back after I install it. I have EarthX on three of my other bikes and they are awesome batteries - Starts strong on all bikes.
Stage IV
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: Texas
I have no first hand knowledge, but read a lot about them while doing research. I even contacted Antigravity batteries with some specific questions... I was thinking of going Lithium when I installed my 124" crate engine...
"Warming up" a lithium battery in cold weather, as mentioned by skratch, is one of the "quirks" I read about.... Not really a problem, but you need to know how to deal with that "quirk"..
Lithium batteries will be damaged if discharged to a certain point. I had it confirmed by Antigravity Batteries, that the BMS (battery management system) on their batteries will keep a battery from being overcharged or discharged to the point of harming the battery. Even though they have a popular "restart" line of lithium batteries, I was told how their BMS batteries, without restart, can also be "woke up" once the BMS goes into protection mode (sleep) to avoid deep discharge. It just needs a few more steps than just pushing a button, like on their "restart" batteries... Most PowerSports lithium batteries have a BMS to protect the battery, but not all are as sophisticated as Antigravity Battery's BMS...
The biggest problem with lithium batteries is that if they are charged in cold temps, the battery can be damaged. I forget the temp threshold below which they get damaged, but many RV lithiums and auto lithiums now have a heater circuit to avoid damage when charged in cold temps. Many RVs are moving their lithium battery banks to inside living space compartments, as an attempt to avoid the cold threshold issue...
And of course, they have a different charging profile that requires a specific tender/charger that is compatible with them.. Luckily, many of the new smart chargers/tenders are now coming with a lithium profile like they do for Flooded, AGM, and Gel batteries...
In the end, I just went with a Yuasa AGM with 500CCA. It spins my 124" engine easily and doesn't have any quirks of the lithium batteries. Plus it was a bunch cheaper....
I have no doubt we will all be using lithium batteries in the future, but I just don't think they are quite there yet, for me anyways..
"Warming up" a lithium battery in cold weather, as mentioned by skratch, is one of the "quirks" I read about.... Not really a problem, but you need to know how to deal with that "quirk"..
Lithium batteries will be damaged if discharged to a certain point. I had it confirmed by Antigravity Batteries, that the BMS (battery management system) on their batteries will keep a battery from being overcharged or discharged to the point of harming the battery. Even though they have a popular "restart" line of lithium batteries, I was told how their BMS batteries, without restart, can also be "woke up" once the BMS goes into protection mode (sleep) to avoid deep discharge. It just needs a few more steps than just pushing a button, like on their "restart" batteries... Most PowerSports lithium batteries have a BMS to protect the battery, but not all are as sophisticated as Antigravity Battery's BMS...
The biggest problem with lithium batteries is that if they are charged in cold temps, the battery can be damaged. I forget the temp threshold below which they get damaged, but many RV lithiums and auto lithiums now have a heater circuit to avoid damage when charged in cold temps. Many RVs are moving their lithium battery banks to inside living space compartments, as an attempt to avoid the cold threshold issue...
And of course, they have a different charging profile that requires a specific tender/charger that is compatible with them.. Luckily, many of the new smart chargers/tenders are now coming with a lithium profile like they do for Flooded, AGM, and Gel batteries...
In the end, I just went with a Yuasa AGM with 500CCA. It spins my 124" engine easily and doesn't have any quirks of the lithium batteries. Plus it was a bunch cheaper....
I have no doubt we will all be using lithium batteries in the future, but I just don't think they are quite there yet, for me anyways..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 12,233
Likes: 4,943
From: England
Taking a cell below 2.5 volts is liable to see irreversible damage and a much reduced lifespan.
The cells in lithium bike batteries will be LiFePO4 as that gives the correct voltage using 4 cells.
The cells in lithium bike batteries will be LiFePO4 as that gives the correct voltage using 4 cells.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 505
Likes: 24
From: Edmonton, Alberta
Stfu.... Kind of nice to have modern posts on stuff like this as the tech is ever-changing. You don't want to read it... then go to the next thread instead of being a douche canoe.
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