| Author | Message | ||
     Jayvee |
After not riding for a while, tried to ride to work. M2 won't start, just clicks like crickets, won't turn over at all. The AGM battery was only 4.5 years old, made in USA, on a Battery Tender most of its life, due to the pandemic and wildfire smoke. Reading some old posts on here suggested it could either be the solenoid plunger, or the battery. Took out the plunger and ran fine sandpaper then steel wool around the plunger contact ring and the two ring contact bits on the solenoid body. Clicks still but sounds different. Tried charging the battery with a regular charger that had a 'repair' mode, then 10-amp, then 2-amp. Still just clicks. I checked what batteries are in stock within 50 miles, nothing but made in China, even the Harley dealer in Pacheco. Ok, I give up, need it now. There's a Batteries Plus right on the way home from work, I got a Lithium Iron Phosphate made in China battery, called X2Power. It weighs 3 lbs, instead of 15 (feels weightless by comparison) and has 420 CCA instead of 280. When I put it in, as soon as I touch the start button, it started so fast I didn't hear the engine crank, it just leaped into life. Amazing. I've ridden a few times now, and only one time I did hear it crank even a couple of rotations, half a second at most, before it started. So that's impressive. It has a 3 year full-replacement warranty (non-prorated) we'll see how it goes. LiFePo4 supposed to not have the the fire danger of Lithium-Ion. I'm glad I cleaned up the solenoid plunger, the contacts were kind of blackened and I didn't even know they ever needed maintenance, but I'm glad I didn't buy the $60 solenoid plunger repair kit, it looks like I probably didn't need it,at least not yet. All I can say is  | ||
| Bsanorton |
Would like to hear the long term review. The Guzzi's guys go nutty over their MotoBatt's. I swapped mine out to a AGM battery and haven't looked back, but that's all I use. Maybe is was due to the fact you need a charger that will provide the proper charging for a lithium battery and the 'process' for bringing one back to life that my life more complicated, LOL! Good luck! | ||
| Icantdrive55 |
I've heard all the arguments for and against lith-ion batteries. The one I never understood was that you need a "special" charger to keep it healthy. So...how does that work with the 90s tech of the Sportster motor? Or for that matter, any American or metric bike that came OEM with a lead-acid battery? | ||
| Jayvee |
This brand says you shouldn't ever need any external charger, for up to a year of non-use. It's Lithium Iron Phosphate, not Lithium Ion. Supposedly it holds it's charge at least a year, absent any parasitic drain on the bike. Just riding a few times a year should keep it charged and ready, so they say.. Anyway the special charger's not even as much $ as my Battery Tender Jr that I bought when the original Battery Tender finally gave up the ghost. | ||
| Stonemaster |
Lithium sux in cold weather |
