Batteries

[dankatz]

After struggling to start my crf250L this morning at 15 degree weather (usually it is in my garage on a battery tender, but worked last night and had to go between hospitals), I am in need of a new battery. I cannot buy anything these days before spending 100 hours doing research
So, anybody had good experience with Noco Lithium batteries? At $80 seems like a good price from Amazon. The bike is one of many in the stable. I don't know if it is worth getting the OEM YUASA, a less expensive NOCO, a more expensive Shoari, or a cheap $40 battery....I know it is like bringing up Rotella for oils.....
Any experience with NOCO batteries on motorcycles?

[PurplePackage]

Anything LFP is going to outlast the lead acid by about a 4 decades. I would buy once, cry once.

[SRTie4k]

If you're having trouble starting your bike at 15F with a lead acid or AGM battery, you're not going to be too happy with a lithium. They save a shit load of weight, but they're not wonderful below freezing.

If you're dead set on a lithium, I'd say look at an Antigravity ATZ-7RS.

[PurplePackage]

Sodium 12v batteries are a good middle ground between LFP and lead acid/AGM.

[OreoGaborio]

I've had a few lithium batteries that were either too small or too warm blooded or both to work well in cold weather. I've found that putting a load on the battery gets the cells to start warming up so they can put out enough amps to turn the starter over and fire up the bike.

What I would do is turn the bike on with the key, thumb the starter for just second - just long enough to know for sure that it's not going to put enough amps out to turn the motor over - and then I'll put my jacket on, maybe my helmet... then thumb the starter again... then gloves... repeat.

Sometimes that's not enough, though. And it's a little bit of a balance. Too often or too little and you'll weaken the battery before it warms up enough.

After that I started getting larger batteries. I have Shorai in my race bike and Sylwia's Street Triple. Pretty sure the rest of the bikes all need new batteries though so I'm not far from being in the same boat as you (research & decision time). My first shorai lasted probably a decade. Treated me real well so I got another when it was time to replace the one in the race bike. But I've heard mixxed reviews.

[dankatz]

I had a very expensive Shorai fail on me on my VFR. Shorai gave me a coupon for 50% off (prorated), but I had to buy the battery at full price from their web site and pay another $18 for shipping. So, it was not very cheap and after that experience I was not enamored. Most people have excellent experiences with Shorai. Yuasa has been excellent to me. I suspect that the battery on the 2014 CRF250L is the original. The one in my VFR lasted 9 years. Both live in a garage and with a tender. Maybe, I will bite the bullet and just get another YUASA which is heavy and expensive. As for the Lithium, I am aware of the need to load them. Overall, they are supposed to last longer, be lighter and not really require a tender unless not used for months. I ride most of my bikes all year. Anyway, decisions decisions. Just not happy to spend $120 on a battery for a crf250l

[xrocket21]

I've had more a few lithium batteries that were either too small or too warm blooded or both to work well in cold weather. I've found that putting a load on the battery gets the cells to start warming up so they can put out enough amps to turn the starter over and fire up the bike.

What I would do is turn the bike on with the key, thumb the starter for just second - just long enough to know for sure that it's not going to put enough amps out to turn the motor over - and then I'll put my jacket on, maybe my helmet... then thumb the starter again... then gloves... repeat.

It's a little bit of a balance. Too often or too little and you'll weaken the battery before it warms up enough.

After that I started getting larger batteries. I have Shorai in my race bike and Sylwia's Street Triple. Pretty sure the rest of the bikes all need new batteries though so I'm not far from being in the same boat as you (research & decision time). My first shorai lasted probably a decade. Treated me real well so I got another when it was time to replace the one in the race bike. But I've heard mixxed reviews.

Starting the bikes at blizzard cross has always been an issue. All the bikes BARELY start. I do the same procedure as you, hit the starter a few times to warm up the battery, then actually start it. Kids bikes I try a heat gun on the case then kick, kick, kick some more.

edit: That was such a Randy answer lol. Back on topic, I also don't recommend lithium for the cold. Just get an AGM.

[OneCheekRider]

After trying just about everything, I just buy a cheap AGM off Amazon for the bikes. I bring the old batteries to AutoZone in exchange for a $5 gift card. On average, I'm getting about 7 years out of a battery assuming I don't sell the bike before I need a new battery. FWIW, most of my bikes are stored offsite with no battery tender.

Here's what I put in my WR250R after the OEM battery went out after 5 years: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W1YRGM1...title_1_0&th=1 looking at my order it'll be 4 years since purchase in June.

[boosten lebaron]

I use walmart agm and get about 4 years out of them. I take them out of the bikes for winter though and store them inside cause i dont have power to run a tender all winter long. I do the same with the lithiums i have which are just cheap amazon ones. Im at about 5 years with those before they start getting fussy. Im at the point where everything will get agm expect for the bikes that can actually benefit from lithium in some way like my track bike or the hawk where space is at a premium.

[whynot]

I'm done with lithium.

Now it's YUASA AGM only for me. I had a YUASA work for 9 years in a Ducati.

My batteries stay in the unheated garage over the winter, I put them on a battery tender every two weeks.

I get them from RevZilla.

[dankatz]

I'm done with lithium.

Now it's YUASA AGM only for me. I had a YUASA work for 9 years in a Ducati.

My batteries stay in the unheated garage over the winter, I put them on a battery tender every two weeks.

I get them from RevZilla.

For whatever it's worth, your comment convinced to just get another Yuasa
Thanks everyone for their help

[LuvDog]

I've just gone to Walmart AGM batteries for everything. It seems like just about all of them have the same lifespan anymore.

[RandyO]

Yuasa AGM in my powersports, NAPA Proformer in my truck

[zxme]

Yuasa is what I buy, still have my Original in the 18 DRZ.
Sled also has Yuasa and is a 2012 ( battery is 8 years old)

[PurplePackage]

Get yourself a battery tender that also sends pulse waves to desulfate the lead plates. I have an older one of these and it has saved a few name-brand YUASA batteries and even an Interstate car battery that froze. And it does fail to revive the cheap chinese batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/PulseTech-Xtr.../dp/B0C5TQ66FY

[RandyO]

Get yourself a battery tender that also sends pulse waves to desulfate the lead plates. I have an older one of these and it has saved a few name-brand YUASA batteries and even an Interstate car battery that froze. And it does fail to revive the cheap chinese batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/PulseTech-Xtr.../dp/B0C5TQ66FY

I have found that many times when a battery won't take a charge, give the battery & charger a "jump start" with a good battery

[dankatz]

Get yourself a battery tender that also sends pulse waves to desulfate the lead plates. I have an older one of these and it has saved a few name-brand YUASA batteries and even an Interstate car battery that froze. And it does fail to revive the cheap chinese batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/PulseTech-Xtr.../dp/B0C5TQ66FY

I have some of the better optimate battery tender/chargers, so I feel that's good enough. I checked over the weekend - I think my crf250L is on the original battery from 2014...I ordered an upgrade to it, the YUASA YTZ8V