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battery replacement for my harley
- Thread starter Pueo
- Start date
Really? In a BMW forum?
Sure, maybe he has a Harley that he has had battery trouble with and wants to have some technical expertise on a good choice on replacement.
He is a Member, he can ask what he wants. I'd help him if I knew the answer.
Good to see you on Pyzyna.
Gary
reply to all
Thanks guys , I assume you are guys . How would I know?
Left coast , I thought I might raise an eye brow .
Administrator, thanks for the back up.
Out lander, right on!
P Graves, your advise is helpful. Other wise I would just be going in blind.
Much appreciation to all.
Thanks guys , I assume you are guys . How would I know?
Left coast , I thought I might raise an eye brow .
Administrator, thanks for the back up.
Out lander, right on!
P Graves, your advise is helpful. Other wise I would just be going in blind.
Much appreciation to all.
dieselyoda
Active member
Any suggestion is a good advice if you are just looking and so far, all the suggestions have been good. For me, I don't look anymore at brand names or endorsements from others anymore. I look at how well the dealer will back you if something goes haywire.
I buy about $10,000/yr in batteries for heavy equipment and I do have warranty issues, regardless of the paper label on the box. I stick to the dealer that backs me because in turn, I can cover my customer.
As a noob here and your post is about a Hardley, ooopps, I mean Harley, I will watch replies to your comments closely as I believe this forum/association shouldn't be bike blind but rather welcome fellow motorcycle enthusiasts. If you aren't welcomed by this forum/association, perhaps I will join one that will.
I buy about $10,000/yr in batteries for heavy equipment and I do have warranty issues, regardless of the paper label on the box. I stick to the dealer that backs me because in turn, I can cover my customer.
As a noob here and your post is about a Hardley, ooopps, I mean Harley, I will watch replies to your comments closely as I believe this forum/association shouldn't be bike blind but rather welcome fellow motorcycle enthusiasts. If you aren't welcomed by this forum/association, perhaps I will join one that will.
pauls1150
MOA #24991, south of Los Angeles
What used to be Exide is now Yuasa, and both brands have served me well.
The "BMW" battery is a re-labled Exide/Yuasa.
Don't the Odysseys need a "special" charger?
And one of the more knowledgeable guys on this forum has a few dead Westcos on his floor...
Side note: Welcome! I've had a Sportster and a Glide, and I ride with other high-mileage HD-types (and we've all had Japanese and British iron too), and I'm still proud to help with occasional troubleshooting or fixes/mods. Never rode a Softtie, but several friends and other locals here love theirs, and they look and sound purty good.
The "BMW" battery is a re-labled Exide/Yuasa.
Don't the Odysseys need a "special" charger?
And one of the more knowledgeable guys on this forum has a few dead Westcos on his floor...
Side note: Welcome! I've had a Sportster and a Glide, and I ride with other high-mileage HD-types (and we've all had Japanese and British iron too), and I'm still proud to help with occasional troubleshooting or fixes/mods. Never rode a Softtie, but several friends and other locals here love theirs, and they look and sound purty good.
story
New member
Years ago I went to a local independent battery supplier for a battery for my Goldwing. He recommended Deka, said it was the only battery he had that would hold up to the vibrations of a Harley. The Deka lasted 4 years. A couple years later I needed a battery for my Honda VTX1800 this time he sold me an Odyssey.
I still have it and the battery is 7 years old and still going strong. The Odyssey has a 2 year warranty the others don't.
I still have it and the battery is 7 years old and still going strong. The Odyssey has a 2 year warranty the others don't.
jcj78
New member
I called one of my pirate friends and he said he had an HD battery in his old springer softail. But he works for a HD dealer, and I bet he gets em cheap. The other guy I texted builds custom bikes, and he said he uses these, from the local store in Huntsville. He said this link will fit your bike.
http://www.batteriesplus.com/produc...63-Harley--Davidson/Softail-Deluxe-FLSTN.aspx
I think the guys pointing you toward Odyssey brand are doing you a favor, too. I haven't heard any complaints about them other than initial price.
Motorrad- General BMW and bike talk
Wouldn't do you much good.
"General (or unspecified model) BMW Parts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Deere accessory plugs for BMW accessory plugs
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:16:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: Steve Welsh <WELSH_S@dep.state.fl.us>
Accessory plugs for the "new" K's & R's:
the male plug is John Deere #RE11344 $7.3
the female socket is JD #AL25073 $3.8"
http://www.batteriesplus.com/produc...63-Harley--Davidson/Softail-Deluxe-FLSTN.aspx
I think the guys pointing you toward Odyssey brand are doing you a favor, too. I haven't heard any complaints about them other than initial price.
Motorrad- General BMW and bike talk
Wouldn't do you much good.
"General (or unspecified model) BMW Parts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Deere accessory plugs for BMW accessory plugs
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:16:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: Steve Welsh <WELSH_S@dep.state.fl.us>
Accessory plugs for the "new" K's & R's:
the male plug is John Deere #RE11344 $7.3
the female socket is JD #AL25073 $3.8"
pglaves
#13338
I am not a battery expert but my answer is sort of yes and sort of no.
What the flyers that came with my Odyssey batteries say that seems most important is that proper charging needs a rate of at least 6 amps. So my little 1 amp or 1.5 amp smart chargers are not suitable. So for the Odyssey batteries I have (a couple) I use my "big" charger that has 2 amp, 6 amp and 12 amp settings. I use it on the 6 amp setting.
I don't use it as a maintenance charger - just attach it for a few hours if the bike has not been ridden for a month or so.
exgman
Active member
Optimate-4 With Odyssey PC680
I use the Optimate-4 to maintain the PC680 on my R1200RT. It's attached to the bike all winter, and whenever the bike's in the garage the rest of the year. On long trips I let the big RT alternator maintain the battery.
Latest PC680 installed in 7/2012. Doing just fine.
I use the Optimate-4 to maintain the PC680 on my R1200RT. It's attached to the bike all winter, and whenever the bike's in the garage the rest of the year. On long trips I let the big RT alternator maintain the battery.
Latest PC680 installed in 7/2012. Doing just fine.
Here is another vote for the Odyssey PC680 battery. I also use the Optimate charger.
I've used the PC680 in K75s, R11RS, various airheads, and most recently my Harley. [I added some foam padding around the PC680 as it was a bit smaller than the HD (and /6, /7, and K75S) battery box].
Works fine.
I have ordered the PC680 on-line from the link below (free shipping).
http://www.batterymart.com/p-odyssey-pc680-battery.html
I don't recall where I got the Optimate charger. Following are links -
http://www.amazon.com/Tecmate-Optim...1432160868&sr=1-4&keywords=optimate+4+charger
http://www.amazon.com/OptiMate-DUAL...1432160868&sr=1-1&keywords=optimate+4+charger
I've used the PC680 in K75s, R11RS, various airheads, and most recently my Harley. [I added some foam padding around the PC680 as it was a bit smaller than the HD (and /6, /7, and K75S) battery box].
Works fine.
I have ordered the PC680 on-line from the link below (free shipping).
http://www.batterymart.com/p-odyssey-pc680-battery.html
I don't recall where I got the Optimate charger. Following are links -
http://www.amazon.com/Tecmate-Optim...1432160868&sr=1-4&keywords=optimate+4+charger
http://www.amazon.com/OptiMate-DUAL...1432160868&sr=1-1&keywords=optimate+4+charger
Need a battery ?
The other day I took a battery out of my bike and went to the nearest automobile parts supplier. I took my rule to measure the replacement. The parts person looked up the bike model, went to the back and brought out a battery that was no larger and had the correct pole orientation (sometimes the connections may be verticle or horizontal and you need to decide if you can make it work).
It was maintenance free, had the correct Ah rating and was only $89 plus tax. I took it home and installed it and put it on a Battery Tender Jr. overnight and the next day I was back on the road.
I have done the same thing while on the road and by hitchhiking with a helmet, I was back on the road in not as much time as I thought it would be after hearing the battery sizzle and go dead with a puff of smoke.
If you don't take the old battery with you, they will sell you a battery that has poles reversed or doesn't fit. And you will go back with an attitude and the old battery.
I try to make it as simple as possible.
Charlie
The other day I took a battery out of my bike and went to the nearest automobile parts supplier. I took my rule to measure the replacement. The parts person looked up the bike model, went to the back and brought out a battery that was no larger and had the correct pole orientation (sometimes the connections may be verticle or horizontal and you need to decide if you can make it work).
It was maintenance free, had the correct Ah rating and was only $89 plus tax. I took it home and installed it and put it on a Battery Tender Jr. overnight and the next day I was back on the road.
I have done the same thing while on the road and by hitchhiking with a helmet, I was back on the road in not as much time as I thought it would be after hearing the battery sizzle and go dead with a puff of smoke.
If you don't take the old battery with you, they will sell you a battery that has poles reversed or doesn't fit. And you will go back with an attitude and the old battery.
I try to make it as simple as possible.
Charlie
Pyzyna all I can say is the factory battery on my 2004 FXDXI showed symptoms of failure on year 4, the symptoms being it stayed longer and longer on "charge" before switching to float and the starter just didn't spin the engine as fast. On a Harley forum I heard many that were using Deka batteries and they felt they were as good as what Harley was selling and much less expensive, so I bought one and saved something like $40. Five years later it showed the same symptoms so I replaced it with another Deka and it was still ok last year when I sold the bike. My 09 FLHT's original battery became weak at the beginning of the 4th year (Spring 2012) so I replaced it again with a Deka and saved something like $50. Bottom line? I can't tell the difference other than cost. When the battery fails on my 2015 Road King I'll just pick up another Deka. An Odyssey is probably better but the one that fits Harley's are pretty expensive, when I looked I think you can buy 2 Deka's for the price of one Odyssey.
I have had great luck with Deka batteries made by East Penn. They have an added benefit of being made in the 
One of the random thoughts on the batteries, a retailer can have batteries made to meet a certain specification including end-user retail cost.
Batteries made for Caterpillar are Deka but the specifications are special. You can tell if you have to lift one.
OM
http://eastpennmanufacturing.us/default.aspx?pageid=4
One of the random thoughts on the batteries, a retailer can have batteries made to meet a certain specification including end-user retail cost.
Batteries made for Caterpillar are Deka but the specifications are special. You can tell if you have to lift one.
OM
http://eastpennmanufacturing.us/default.aspx?pageid=4
It is hard to beat a Harley OEM battery. No matter who you get it from, stick with the glass-mat, sealed batteries. There are quite a few companies that advertise high capacity batteries, most of these claims are bogus. If you keep a battery tender on the battery when the bike is not in use, you can usually extend the life of your battery. Harley Davidson motorcycles are know for having accessories added that can cause a parasitic drain on the battery. Without a tender, your battery will suffer.
Pete
Pete
shakeybone
New member
I use my local Napa store about 5 miles from my house. Just picked up a battery for my Suzuki, it was under $50.
