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R80 G/S battery fitment

happy wanderer

Day Dreaming ...
The battery is dead in my 81 R80 G/S. I was thinking about getting a battery that would fit both my '82 RS and the G/S but I don't think that is possible.
The RS battery box is much larger.

I tried the RS battery in the GS yesterday and not only the width is much too large but installing it required removing the top of the rear shock and sliding it out of the way. Once in, the battery rubs on the shock so the length is too much also. I have the small battery holder with rubber isolators on the bottom and some funky bungie hold down straps the PO left in there.

I've seen several posts about fitting a Odyssey PC680 but it seems that it might be too wide. The vendor site shows:
Length 7.27 in.
Width 3.11 in.
Height 6.67 in.

- Anyone running a PC680 in their GS?
- Anyone running a PC680 in their RS?
- What are the standard R80 dimensions?

Looking for ideas. :scratch
 
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I put a Deka in my R100GS, not sure of the model but I could pull it out if you want... the current rating is higher than the stock and it was shorter, not as long and not quite as tall as the stock one.

Excellent cranking, is maintenance free and excellent quality. It was ~ $150 3 years ago.
 
I put a Deka in my R100GS, not sure of the model but I could pull it out if you want... the current rating is higher than the stock and it was shorter, not as long and not quite as tall as the stock one.

Excellent cranking, is maintenance free and excellent quality. It was ~ $150 3 years ago.

Pretty sure the R80 and the R100 have different battery boxes.
 
Pretty sure the R80 and the R100 have different battery boxes.

That they do ... BMW never tried the small battery with an R100 engine.

But, the same small battery is what's now starting Oilheads, Hexheads, Camheads, etc. I expect K-bikes, too, but don't care. NOT the single-cylinders.
 
Check here to see if this works for ya... as I said it was significantly smaller. I had to use an 1" of fill across the width to match the battery box.

http://www.euromotoelectrics.com/Battery-BMW-R-Airhead-K-Moto-Guzzi-BAT-ETX30L-p/bat-etx30l.htm

I looked at the dimensions and this battery is over 5" wide. The G/S bottom plate for the battery is only 3.5" wide. It takes a narrow battery. The R100 battery boxes are significantly larger. Other than that it looks like a great AGM battery with high capacity.
On sale even! Would probably fit my R100 RS OK but not the G/S unfortunately.

I have a Odyssey PC680 on it's way. Hopefully it will fit OK although it looks to be a bit wide. If it is I'll just put it in my oilhead and get a Westco or something local for the G/S.
 
Glad to report the Odyssey PC680 fits my '81 quite well. Turns the starter over noticeably faster than the old lead acid that was in there and it was quite chilly today.

I did have to remove the upper rear shock bolt and slide the shock back a bit to slide it in there but once it is placed in the tray it fits just fine. The PC680 is slightly taller and wider than the stock battery but the tool tray still fits with enough clearance and the bottom of the battery fills the tray bang on.

At $109 shipping included I'm pretty happy with the whole deal. :D
 
At $109 shipping included I'm pretty happy with the whole deal. :D

Where did you find it for $109? I just paid $114 shipped a couple of weeks ago for my PC680 for my K1. It spins the K1 a lot better than I expected. I've had the larger Odyssey PC925L in my airhead for six years and it has been great. Love the Odyssey batteries!
 
Just going to throw this into the pot.

I stopped by the local Duc shop where a friend of mine works and he showed me these. He says they give excellent cold weather starting capability. Their weight is ridiculous.

Ballistic 12 cell EVO2 (fitted to 1000cc and larger)

Lithium
4.4"(L) x 3.4" (W) x 4.0" (H)
Weight: 2.5 pounds
CCA: 410
A/H: 20
Pos. Term Location: Left side
3-year warranty

$189.95 (yipes!)....

0000-Ballistic-EVO2-Battery----634474500316518341_detail.jpg
 
That battery looks promising! I know it's relatively expensive, but if it does a good job of cranking in cold weather and has decent longevity, it is worth considering. I wonder if the cost of these Lithium batteries will eventually decrease.
 
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