AGM vs. Lithium?

[Monsignore]

It's time for a new battery in my '05 R1200GS. The current (cheap) one is dying after less than a year (you get what you pay for...). I've read various threads on the new lithium batteries and the "best agm battery" thread. I was just wondering if any of y'all have any real world experience with a LiFePo/Shorai battery in a GS, or have switched between an AGM & lithium.

Thanks.

[cueball]

Originally Posted by Monsignore

It's time for a new battery in my '05 R1200GS. The current (cheap) one is dying after less than a year (you get what you pay for...). I've read various threads on the new lithium batteries and the "best agm battery" thread. I was just wondering if any of y'all have any real world experience with a LiFePo/Shorai battery in a GS, or have switched between an AGM & lithium.

Thanks.

i have a shorai in my dakar--it's incredible. weighs next to nothing but has great power, even after sitting for a couple of weeks in a cold garage. the wierd thing is, they tell you to "warm" the battery by turning on the high beam for a minute or so when it has been sitting & it works!! i'm acquiring another oilhead gs soon & will buy shorai over my usual pc680 for it.

[simoneau]

Got the 18AH lithium-iron Shorai for my R1200 GSA and am very pleased. Cold starts are no problem.

[troyslegacy]

I upgraded to a 18AH Shorai from a 14AH. It's awesome, even on 8 degree CO mornings. Just today I accessed my storage unit where my CRF450X has been sitting untouched since last May. I pulled it out, ran some fuel into the carb, cranked it, cranked it, cranked it some more, and after about 15 tries it came to life. Hell of a battery and super weight savings.

[Capital E]

Where are you guys buying the Shorai's from?

[TuefelHunden]

Originally Posted by simoneau

Got the 18AH lithium-iron Shorai for my R1200 GSA and am very pleased. Cold starts are no problem.

Glad to hear that Randy. I bought one for my Triumph Tiger. Stock for a Tiger was 10aH, so I ordered a 14 because the Tiger battery was very under powered. 14 was out of stock for 2 months with none in site so I got an 18. On a cool morning (about 40 degrees) in WV it wouldn't crank. Went back to stock. Talked to Shorai rep at Charlotte MC Show. He said to call tech support. Apparently they had issues last June with substandard circuit boards. I now have a 21aH inbound with return shipping paid for on the old one.

[captstevens]

Originally Posted by Monsignore

It's time for a new battery in my '05 R1200GS. The current (cheap) one is dying after less than a year (you get what you pay for...). I've read various threads on the new lithium batteries and the "best agm battery" thread. I was just wondering if any of y'all have any real world experience with a LiFePo/Shorai battery in a GS, or have switched between an AGM & lithium.

Thanks.

I installed a Shorai LFX18 @$186.00USD in my '08 K1200GT after reading the article in MCN(Motorcycle Consumer News) this last year it weighs about 2Lbs (.9 KG) the cost is about the same as the OEM BMW AGM!! they claim it has a 5Yr service Life and will hold a CHARGE ON THE SHELF for up to a year without charging! it cranks my bike hot or cold NO PROBLEM it also is not susceptible to Sulfating like a lead/Acid Battery it is a LI/FE LIthium/Iron battery Not Lithium/ION, these Batteries are sensitve to Charging Voltage and Current, They claim a Deltran battery tender will work ok but being as conservative as I am I opted for their Charger which is specfically designed to use with this battery, it plugs directly into the battery so no external harness is required!!! a Win/Win situation all the way around if it lasts as long as they claim it does and you can afford the price we'll see!!! I plan on replacing the OEM AGM battery in my New 2012R1200 GS in the near Future!!!!!!!

[TuefelHunden]

Originally Posted by captstevens

--- it is a LI/FE LIthium/Iron battery Not Lithium/ION, these Batteries are sensitve to Charging Voltage and Current, They claim a Deltran battery tender will work ok but being as conservative as I am I opted for their Charger which is specfically designed to use with this battery,

This explains the chemistry of the battery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium...sphate_battery
All batteries have cathodes and anodes which mean cat ions and an ions, which means technically they all are ion devices. (wasted three hours a week for a quarter on an elector-chemistry course back in 1970). Shorai's site says the only thing to be careful with is if your tender has an automatic desulfation mode that can't be turned off. You can read that for yourself and believe it or not. http://www.shoraipower.com/t-faq.aspx

[Florida Lime]

Originally Posted by captstevens

I installed a Shorai LFX18 @$186.00USD in my '08 K1200GT ........I plan on replacing the OEM AGM battery in my New 2012R1200 GS in the near Future!!!!!!!

Shorai now recommends the LTX21A6-BS12 for the 1200 BMWs. Not sure when that change began, but since my battery is almost 2 years old, I'm doing the research.

[fivetimeson129]

These are from China right?

[Jazz62]

Allow me to be the first naysayer on this thread. Installed the more expensive Shorai variety, (forget what they call it, "extended" maybe) in my recently sold '07 Multistrada. During the Summer months it was fantastic, spun up those big jugs in a hurry. As soon as the weather turned cold it was a different story. If I went more than two weeks without riding I would put it on a tender overnight then take it off the next morning. It would still start the bike but it struggled. It finally let me down completely just before I put the bike up for sale. The bike had just been ridden on a 40 mile highway ride two weeks prior.
Several other folks on the Multistrada forum have also experienced similar problems. I contacted Shorai more than three weeks ago asking how to proceed with getting a refund and they have not responded. Your results may vary.

[DDT Rider]

Originally Posted by Jazz62

Allow me to be the first naysayer on this thread. Installed the more expensive variety, (forget what they call it, "extended" maybe) in my recently sold '07 Multistrada. During the Summer months it was fantastic, spun up those big jugs in a hurry. As soon as the weather turned cold it was a different story. If I went more than two weeks without riding I would put it on a tender overnight then take it off the next morning. It would still start the bike but it struggled. It finally let me down completely just before I put the bike up for sale. The bike had just been ridden on a 40 mile highway ride two weeks prior.
Several other folks on the Multistrada forum have also experienced similar problems. I contacted Shorai more than three weeks ago asking how to proceed with getting a refund and they have not responded. Your results may vary.

Thanks for the data...

More details:
- how old was the battery at "final failure"
- what size battery was it (seems Shorai has upped their recommended battery size during this learning curve)
- were you allowing the batt to warm up at all before starting/between attempts? (lights/grip heaters on, etc)
- what temps were giving problems?
- any other helpful details...

Cheers!

Jim

[Florida Lime]

Originally Posted by fivetimeson129

These are from China right?

Wrong.


Japan.

[Anorak]

I have a 4.6 amp/hour 1.8 lb. Lightning Nano in my car right now. Yes, car. It started my bike fine and the battery company founder said it would work in a car so I figured I'd see what happens. Can an 18 amp hour equivalent Shorai do that?

[Jazz62]

Originally Posted by DDT Rider

Thanks for the data...

More details:
- how old was the battery at "final failure"
- what size battery was it (seems Shorai has upped their recommended battery size during this learning curve)
- were you allowing the batt to warm up at all before starting/between attempts? (lights/grip heaters on, etc)
- what temps were giving problems?
- any other helpful details...

Cheers!

Jim

Approximately 7.5 months but was having trouble at approximately 5 months.
The battery model is: LFX181-BS12 (Ah 18) (CCA 270) - this was the more expensive/powerful option of the two models for the 1100 Multistrada.
I was not aware of any warming up procedure before starting/between attempts but I would leave the key in the run position because the Multistrada's headlight turns off automatically after one minute.
First problems (sluggish starting) started with temps in the mid-30's. Day of full failure was similar but followed a couple of days in the teens and 20's. The last day the bike was ridden it was in the upper 40's. We've had a very mild winter and the bike was ridden quite a bit. In fact this was the first time in 23 years of riding that I did not put a bike into winter storage mode.

Other details: Though the bike would not start - the bike's headlight and the accessory Motolights (35 watt halogens) seemed to be at full intensity, much unlike a traditional lead acid battery that is nearly dead.

I sat on the fence with this new battery technology for a few years waiting for the kinks to be worked out. Guess I didn't wait long enough. It's an expensive lesson to learn in this case.