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What is the time to replace the battery?

2K views 35 replies 27 participants last post by  tony-wisco 
#1 ·
My idiot light show up when I turn the key on but when I press the start button, all I get is a clunk clunk clunk every time I try to start the bike. It’s a 2019 airbag DCC tour, do you think it’s time to replace the battery?
If so, I’ll see if the local BMW sorry Honda shop has a replacement
 
#3 ·
I guess you'll never know unless you put it on a tester. My battery burped the other day so I stuck it on the charger when I got home, I'll check the charger today to insure its in good shape (battery).

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It was colder than normal, She just hesitated during crank and left blinking boxes in the gear indicator section. I just shut her down and restarted and all was fine the rest of the day.
 
#4 ·
Don't need to go to the dealer. Go to local autoparts place, get it load tested and most likely based on your description - replaced.

My advance auto cut me a deal, ~ $90 each for both of my wings. Www.batterysharks.com also has good prices, I've used them several times.
 
#7 ·
This may be true for aftermarket replacement batteries, but frequently the OEM batteries in these bikes will far outlast the replacements. I've personally seen an OEM battery go 10 years, and there are reports on here of them lasting 12 years.

It may be that your battery simply needs to be put on a trickle charger/maintainer for a day or two and allowed to recover. If you aren't keeping your battery on a maintainer when the bike is parked, then your battery life is going to be greatly reduced due to sulfation of the plates.
 
#6 ·
I recently replaced the battery on my 2018 as a precaution before a trip. Have ALWAYS replaced with Yausa on all my bikes over the years but based on the reliability recently reported, I decided to try a Duracell battery from the local battery store. I think I paid $110 for it and have been very pleased with it so far.

Exact swap, terminals in same spot etc. Except for the logo, it was identical in size and shape with the Yuasa I replaced. Easy DYI replacement and on the shelf at the store.
 
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#8 ·
I have one of these mounted in the right fairing on my Wing. It gives me battery voltage and battery health in percentage. It also has a beeper that sounds when the battery is down to a health rating of 10% or less. It's called a Battery Bug, but I don't know if they are still available.


I recently bought a battery tester similar to this one for my other bikes and other vehicles. The price was very reasonable, about $30. It appears to work well.
 
#35 ·
I have one of these mounted in the right fairing on my Wing. It gives me battery voltage and battery health in percentage. It also has a beeper that sounds when the battery is down to a health rating of 10% or less. It's called a Battery Bug, but I don't know if they are still available.


I recently bought a battery tester similar to this one for my other bikes and other vehicles. The price was very reasonable, about $30. It appears to work well.
If you don't mind, where did you find this tester. And what is the brand name.
Thank you.
 
#10 ·
FWIW. I have a 7 year old Yuasa battery in my 2003 GL1800. I left my home in TN late in July on a trip to Nevada and the 4 Corners Region. This trip was slightly over 5,200 miles round trip. Before leaving I was concerned with the age of the battery and the heat I would encounter on the trip. (107 degrees was the highest temperature I experienced during the trip.) So I bought a new Yuasa before leaving home but rather than installing it right away I decided to take it along packed in my trailer to see how long the old one would last. It’s still doing fine and the new battery is now on my workbench connected to the battery tender. Lucky? Or pushing my luck? Maybe I’m doing both. But no doubt I’ve certainly received my money’s worth out of that battery. Here’s my hat tip to Yuasa. 🤠
 
#13 ·
So…I forget the brand of charger I have though it cost a lot lol and thinking it is a good one. It did sit a long time without a trickle character…for got to plug it in one time for an extended period of time and bike has not been ridden much at all.
1. The reverse does not seem to work when the battery is removed…bummer. Well at least I did not drop her backing her up into the garage :)
2. Auto parts stores love to say ‘yes we have that battery’…which translates to mean…they have one with that spec…not the one you presently have. Mine is a Duracell DURAGM-20L battery…though figure dead now.

DId not have time to take it to a shop and the local auto parts store forced me to do a ‘free delivery’ to get a 20% discount. Might have to cancel that order.

Will hit a BatteriesPlus store and see what they have to offer.
Well, at least I got to watch a Fred video on how to remove the battery :)
Thanks all
 
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#15 ·
I keep my 2005 Wing on a Battery Tender. I guess I'm lucky. Unattached, unheated garage. I'm on my 3rd battery and I put the install date on it. My 3rd battery was installed in May 2019, so about 6-7 years is average for me. When I suspect something, I buy another battery, sometimes about the 5-6 year mark. Below, I bought this battery from Sam's Club just over 1 year before the original died in early 2011. Notice they're the same, and the bottom one from Sam's Club cost me about $79 back then. Also made by Yuasa
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#16 ·
I do not seem to ever get more than 3-4 years out of an AGM battery, and I have a new one ready to go in my 2018 out of fear of instant death. This weekend, I will be in a Christmas light parade with a trailer and a bunch of Christmas lights running off of 2 inverters; so I need the new one prepped, topped off, and in the bike before Sunday. But, a year ago, no one will beat the deal I got for a new battery in my 2010 after it died hard and suddenly on me 100 miles east of Denver, heading for Denver. I got it started from being jumped off from a pickup (not running) and it nearly died when disconnected from the Truck. It ran fine all the way into Denver. An auto parts place in Denver let me have a new one for $70 including tax and everything. I did not know how little I paid until later that night. When I first got there, I ran in the store with the bike outside running while I checked to see if they even had one that would work. Since they did, I went back out and shut off the bike to take care of the purchase.
 
#17 ·
Your motorcycle starts the same every time.... every time.... every time... until it doesn't. Any hesitancy and the battery should be suspect. My experience with these batteries, having five motorcycles, is such if that happens, I replace the battery. I do load test them to check... but, they have always been bad when this happens.

If the battery is five years old or older and I'm going on a road trip, I replace it, regardless, on both wings.

I take no pride in how many years I can get out of a battery. I do take pride in all my years of traveling that I have never had a battery go bad... :p

In all these years while traveling, I have had front bearings go out, drive shaft go out, but never a dead battery... these things happen on my bike. My wife's 2006 has NEVER had a problem...

... why is that?... :unsure:
 
#20 ·
Destin Doc, I agree with you 100% and I like the way you explained it. Batteries start EVERY time......until they don't! I remember years back when you could get a battery to last at least 5 years. I can't get one to last more than 3 years. I don't even try. My logic is, as many others have mentioned, it costs less for a new battery than for a Tow Truck Charge. Not to mention having to wait "who knows how long" for the darn truck to get to you. Call me lazy, or crazy, but I just don't want to put up with all that hassle. I've been on the bad side of this issue once too many times.
 
#19 · (Edited)
My poor battery died while at a trike rally in Vermont last season..... Lucky for me it was while still in the hotel parking lot, :D and a NAPA auto parts store had one,(DIE HARD brand)battery that fit a goldwing.. UNlucky for me that it was in front of Harleys:cry: LUCKY FOR ME, I had the tools to change it, while sitting on my cooler (loaded with beer) under a shaded tree...

Ronnie
11/24/22
 
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#30 · (Edited)
In another battery thread, @Bullet Bob made an excellent point about keeping batteries on tenders: It can disguise a failing battery. I'm not at all suggesting that regularly using a tender is a bad thing, but it's not a cure all. It slows, but doesn't stop, the process of battery degradation.
 
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