The Amazing Ten-Year Motorcycle Battery
I replaced my motorcycle battery last week. It stopped holding a charge sometime this winter.
The amazing thing about this is that the battery was manufactured in 1997. That's right - ten years ago. It was the OEM YUASA YTX12-BS battery that was in the bike when I bought my Honda CBR1100XX new in 1998.
Complicating the situation: the UNGO motorcycle alarm that I had installed when I bought the motorcycle. During periods where the motorcycle was left unused, it could drain the battery fairly quickly, due to the standby current draw.
Extending Battery Life
How did I manage to squeeze ten years of reliable service out of a lowly OEM battery? Simple: keep it clean, keep it charged! I've alternated between the classic Battery Tender Battery Tender Plus 12-Volt 1.25 AMP Battery Charger
and, more recently, the modern CTEK MULTI US 3300 Battery Charger For 12-volt lead-acid batteries
In all, I'm amazed (and pleasantly surprised) at the extended service life I experienced.
R.I.P. YUASA YTX12-BS. I'll miss you.
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About the author
Author Name
Michael Curry
Author Bio
Michael has been riding street motorcycles since 1975. He's owned and ridden everything from Hondas to Harleys with a preference for spirited sport-touring riding.
Michael is a Roadcarvin.com co-founder and serves as chief editor, scribe, staff photographer, and other things.
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