Odyssey Battery Worth it?
Supporter
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
From: Beaumont, TX
I also am running the OdysseyPC925LMJ battery in a 2010 Ultra limited that I upgraded to a 110" and put the 10.5 pistons & the kitchen sink.. Getting 130hp & 128torque.. When winter set in I had major problems getting my bike to start because of the tune. I had to spin that fellow for long sessions taking breaks before it would finally hit. I put Terry battery cables, the SE 1.4KW starter and this Odyssey battery in hopes that my batter would last longer in the struggles I had to get it fired up in anything below 37 degrees..
The problem was the tune and not the engines compression.. But that said,, I have had this Odyssey with their charger recommended in my bike for right at a year and it does a great job.. I did have to crank and crank lots of turns all last year and it did not falter or get weak on me.. Got it retuned & NOW it starts right up and I am sure I could put my brand new HD batter back in that I had bought when I had the engine work done.. I liked the Harley batteyr but I was grasping for more reserved power so I would quit having to get a jump in the cold. Either battery is good but the Odyssey did pass my test of holding its amps up before I got the retune done.. When the HD battery was in the bike it did wear down sooner than the ODyssey.. In fact the Odyssey didn't give up and I would get it started.. Now Im having to put a new compensator in due to all the damage incurred..
David
The problem was the tune and not the engines compression.. But that said,, I have had this Odyssey with their charger recommended in my bike for right at a year and it does a great job.. I did have to crank and crank lots of turns all last year and it did not falter or get weak on me.. Got it retuned & NOW it starts right up and I am sure I could put my brand new HD batter back in that I had bought when I had the engine work done.. I liked the Harley batteyr but I was grasping for more reserved power so I would quit having to get a jump in the cold. Either battery is good but the Odyssey did pass my test of holding its amps up before I got the retune done.. When the HD battery was in the bike it did wear down sooner than the ODyssey.. In fact the Odyssey didn't give up and I would get it started.. Now Im having to put a new compensator in due to all the damage incurred..
David
Intermediate
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 35
Likes: 11
From: NorCal
Old post, but thought i'd share my experience with the Odyssey Battery. I have the PC545MJ. I believe its the smaller version. I used it for 5 months on it so far on my 2012 Fatboy 103 Engine. At first it starts up fine. Then after 3-4 months, the first crank revolution barely wants to go. The voltage drops significantly during the first crank after sitting for a while.
Contacted Odyssey CS and they responded immediately with some good info that included a link to an FAQ about the PC545 battery and Vtwin engines.
http://www.odysseybattery.com/technical.aspx#vtwin
Apparently the HD charging systems will not recharge the Odyssey battery enough. I ride my bike about 20 miles a day, and the battery has been slowly getting weaker. The solution is to periodically hook up the battery to an Odyssey-Approved charger. They do have a list on the site.
In conclusion, good battery, but does need a bit of maintenance if you only put about 20miles or less daily. I'm assuming if one rides 50+ miles on each ride, they would not have to periodically hook up to an Odyssey approved charger.
Contacted Odyssey CS and they responded immediately with some good info that included a link to an FAQ about the PC545 battery and Vtwin engines.
http://www.odysseybattery.com/technical.aspx#vtwin
Apparently the HD charging systems will not recharge the Odyssey battery enough. I ride my bike about 20 miles a day, and the battery has been slowly getting weaker. The solution is to periodically hook up the battery to an Odyssey-Approved charger. They do have a list on the site.
In conclusion, good battery, but does need a bit of maintenance if you only put about 20miles or less daily. I'm assuming if one rides 50+ miles on each ride, they would not have to periodically hook up to an Odyssey approved charger.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,962
Likes: 140
From: NY
Howdy All, just pulled out the receipt on my Batteries Plus Deka, 3 months short of two years and it's toast, and my Glide lives in the house!
Been catching up on the threads and if a HD Bat is $160ish I'm thinking that the Odessey isn't that much of a stretch.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc925lmj.htm
Has anyone out there actually used one yet, or is it just a dream of "If I had an extra $200......"
Been catching up on the threads and if a HD Bat is $160ish I'm thinking that the Odessey isn't that much of a stretch.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc925lmj.htm
Has anyone out there actually used one yet, or is it just a dream of "If I had an extra $200......"
HD repl ETX30L type AGM battery for HD touring bikes is $175-180 not inc tax etc & not the $160 you stated unless maybe you hit a sale on them @ a local dealer.
No,Odessey bike battery is overpriced ,your better off with Yuasa's GYZ32HL maint free fact act AGM battery with 500CCA's / 32AH that i bougt for $135ish to my door which i bought for my 09 HD.
BTW,Deka's ETX30L for HD touring bikes is a quality battery,last i had went 7.5yrs,frined has same type deka maint free agm battery in 1700cc v-twin still going strong that is just a couple months shy of being a full 8 yrs old.
So either you got 1 in a 1000 that went belly up early or you didnt maint it properly along with possibly having some sort of charging or elec issue with you bike pulling the battery down.
On avg the Deka agms last 4.5-5yrs on avg with more then just a few lasting much longer in 5.5-6yr+ range with few going 7.5-8yrs.
I can buy Deka's ETX30L 400cca AGM battery for $98 to my door so for the $200 for the Odessey that gets me 10yrs min if not longer like 12-13+ yrs of battery life.
And Odessey bike batteries have yet to prove they can consistently last much longer then quality agm bike batteries like deka & Yuasa mfg's that have already proven to do for many yrs now.
DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Didn't realize someone brought out this very old thread till i had already responded to it.
Scott
Last edited by wscott; May 1, 2017 at 10:01 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,962
Likes: 140
From: NY
Old post, but thought i'd share my experience with the Odyssey Battery. I have the PC545MJ. I believe its the smaller version. I used it for 5 months on it so far on my 2012 Fatboy 103 Engine. At first it starts up fine. Then after 3-4 months, the first crank revolution barely wants to go. The voltage drops significantly during the first crank after sitting for a while.
Contacted Odyssey CS and they responded immediately with some good info that included a link to an FAQ about the PC545 battery and Vtwin engines.
http://www.odysseybattery.com/technical.aspx#vtwin
Apparently the HD charging systems will not recharge the Odyssey battery enough. I ride my bike about 20 miles a day, and the battery has been slowly getting weaker. The solution is to periodically hook up the battery to an Odyssey-Approved charger. They do have a list on the site.
In conclusion, good battery, but does need a bit of maintenance if you only put about 20miles or less daily. I'm assuming if one rides 50+ miles on each ride, they would not have to periodically hook up to an Odyssey approved charger.
Contacted Odyssey CS and they responded immediately with some good info that included a link to an FAQ about the PC545 battery and Vtwin engines.
http://www.odysseybattery.com/technical.aspx#vtwin
Apparently the HD charging systems will not recharge the Odyssey battery enough. I ride my bike about 20 miles a day, and the battery has been slowly getting weaker. The solution is to periodically hook up the battery to an Odyssey-Approved charger. They do have a list on the site.
In conclusion, good battery, but does need a bit of maintenance if you only put about 20miles or less daily. I'm assuming if one rides 50+ miles on each ride, they would not have to periodically hook up to an Odyssey approved charger.
HD's charging system puts out same type DC voltage & plenty of amps like many other bikes put out & is why the 1st 5 months on the new Odessey in your bike perf ok and didnt act up.
But after it got a little age on it showed its true colors being too weak to handle starting a lrg HD v-twin which is what is really going on which the mfg would never eve admit.
Scott
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 39
From: Central Florida
Summary of all battery threads:
HD batteries are the best! Mine lasted 7 years!
HD batteries suck! Mine died after 6 months!
Deka batteries are the best! Mine lasted 7 years!
Deka batteries suck! Mine died after 6 months!
XBrand batteries are the best! Mine lasted 7 years!
XBrand batteries suck! Mine died after 6 months!
Use a trickle charger! Your battery will last forever! I'll never use a battery without one again!
I used a trickle charger, my battery died after 6 months! I won't ever use one again!
HD batteries are the best! Mine lasted 7 years!
HD batteries suck! Mine died after 6 months!
Deka batteries are the best! Mine lasted 7 years!
Deka batteries suck! Mine died after 6 months!
XBrand batteries are the best! Mine lasted 7 years!
XBrand batteries suck! Mine died after 6 months!
Use a trickle charger! Your battery will last forever! I'll never use a battery without one again!
I used a trickle charger, my battery died after 6 months! I won't ever use one again!
Road Captain
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 669
Likes: 71
From: Tennessee
Old thread but I might as well pile on since I read the whole thing. I'm coming up on two years with an Odyssey in my RK and have no complaints. I also use a Battery Tender Jr in the off season.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
BS on the post that says not to leave a tender on 24/7. Read the info with the tender.
I have left a tender on an 08 Ulysses for three years and it fired on the first turn. Have had many at two years.
The highest and best use of a maintainer is 24/7. Unplug it an ride. Return and plug it back. An AGM motorcycle battery will typically go over 8 years that way.
I keep 22 bikes on them and one van. In the past I also keep three Vettes, a Viper and a S2000 roadster on them. Never one single issue.
My experience speaks so loud that I can not hear what some idiot says.
I have left a tender on an 08 Ulysses for three years and it fired on the first turn. Have had many at two years.
The highest and best use of a maintainer is 24/7. Unplug it an ride. Return and plug it back. An AGM motorcycle battery will typically go over 8 years that way.
I keep 22 bikes on them and one van. In the past I also keep three Vettes, a Viper and a S2000 roadster on them. Never one single issue.
My experience speaks so loud that I can not hear what some idiot says.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,236
Likes: 95
From: lancaster, pa
Yuasa's GYZ32HL
haveing real good luck with this one
I cant kill it or even put a dent . every time i put the yuasa charger on it 20 seconds later it reads charged. time will tell been running it a couple months,leave stuff on let it sit a week doesnt even phase it. I noticed other good things about it that never happened before. molded on the top handle for easy instalation/removel,
I can bump the starter button...spins engine so strong that will start a few seconds later even after starter has uningaged,bike runs better,hitting start lifts the bike up its just that much joice,and its made in Reading,PA.
hd replaced after 6 yrs just cause.
big crank and ultra big crank ,both started going down hill quickly within a year.
background--> yes engine mods,compression is rather too hi even with mcr
haveing real good luck with this one
I cant kill it or even put a dent . every time i put the yuasa charger on it 20 seconds later it reads charged. time will tell been running it a couple months,leave stuff on let it sit a week doesnt even phase it. I noticed other good things about it that never happened before. molded on the top handle for easy instalation/removel,
I can bump the starter button...spins engine so strong that will start a few seconds later even after starter has uningaged,bike runs better,hitting start lifts the bike up its just that much joice,and its made in Reading,PA.
hd replaced after 6 yrs just cause.
big crank and ultra big crank ,both started going down hill quickly within a year.
background--> yes engine mods,compression is rather too hi even with mcr
