Replacement Battery

[MotoG5]

Looks like I will need a replacement battery for my 02' V11 Sport this spring. Any one have any tips on what the best deal on the market is these days? Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[savagehenry]

The Hawker Odyssey PC545 is a popular choice for both price and it sure looks just like the stock MG offering. I would also offer this. IF you can afford the difference in price, TRY to support your local dealer, especially in times like this. I think I paid about $20.00 more at my dealer, didn't have to wait for shipping, and I just like to hang there anyway . I keep mine on a "Battery Doc" and the first one was 4 years old at replacement. That's all I got, good hunting, S.H.

[Greg Field]

I'd echo what the Savage one has said.

[Mikuzzi]

Under the heading - live and learn <_>

Had a very ordinary experience when I replaced my battery a couple of months ago (with a yuasa equivalent) by buying over the 'net

It took around 4 weeks to get the battery including having to send back one that was damaged in transit due to poor packing and care-less transport.

 

I doubt that this was typical but next time i'll a support dealer that cares a bit more and spend the extra AUD$25.

 

On the plus side, the Yuasa works well!

[GuzziMoto]

I tried, at the suggestion of my local dealer, a BikeMaster brand battery. It looked like a Yuasa, but was a lot less expensive. Not only did it not last long enough, but it failed suddenly and as we were leaving for our bike trip out to Indy for MotoGP. I had to get a replacement battery to fit at the last minute. I'll never try that again.

[GraeV11]

Right have my new odyssey PC545 installed and everything is fine. I was reading the instructions a day later (as you do) and it says "Special Notice ! If your V twin motorcycle is equipped with a standard 32amp single phase stator/alternator, the appropriate Odyssey battery may run out of charger (sic) after about 150 miles of riding . . . . . blah blah blah (buy our other product to keep it charging) blah blah blah. . . or install a 3 phase 40 amp or higher stator/alternator, especially in new bikes".

 

What does the V11 alternator put out ? (I don't speak electronics). Thanks chaps.

[Trevini]

I have an Odyssey pc545 on my V11 and a Yuasa on my other bike.  Both are fine, but if I had to replace either I'd probably go for a Yuasa on the basis of being cheaper and the current one I own has given zero problems in 4 years and never sees a battery minder even if left for a couple of months at a time.  I'm not convinced that the Odyssey is worth the extra cash and I've heard reports that the Odyssey batteries don't like battery minders (might just be hearsay).  Perhaps someone can shed some light on that?

[mznyc]

Original MG battery in Scura but a new Hawker awaits on the shelf the last couple of seasons

[GuzziMoto]

I have not had an issue with the Odyssey batteries I have. The original battery in the V11 is of the same quality as the Odyssey, if not from the same factory.

I have had issues with Yuasa and other lesser batteries. This is not to say that YOU should not use a Yuasa battery, just my experiences. As a result of said experiences I found myself in a bind for my Griso. The original battery had expired, as had the "quality" one that replaced it. At that point I got tired of throwing money away on "quality" batteries. Odyssey does not make one that fits the Griso. I own an Odyssey that would run the Griso fine but it is fractionally too big. So I bought a Shorai. It began to have issues withing the first month but I persevered under the guise that there are electrical issues I could correct that would allow the Shorai to work. Finally I gave up and replaced the Shorai with a Ballistic 16 cell. It is too early to say but so far so good.

My experiences with the Odyssey batteries are they are very forgiving with regard to treatment. The sell their own trickle charger so clearly it is ok to use with a trickle charger but I don't think I have ever done so as the hold their charge so well. I have on occasion put it on a standard charger if the voltage was allowed to drop over a long period of time. The only issue with trickle chargers I am aware of is if an Odyssey battery is allowed to become discharged a trickle charger does not have enough power to properly re-charge it. A real charger is required for that.

 

The V11 alternator is not exactly high output but it puts out enough as long as you do not have issues with the voltage sensing connection of the R/R.

My Daytona puts out less voltage and it is ok with the Odyssey battery.

Put a volt meter on it and measure. The voltage should get over 13.5 volts (hopefully over 14 volts) when you bring up the rpms.

[Guzzirider]

PC545 is the way to go. The one in the Quota I have just sold was dated 2004 and still going strong.

[John in Leeds]

Still running the original in my 04 registered (03) RC

[luhbo]

PC545 is the way to go. ...

 

It's a good battery and it fits perfectly, nevertheless it seems as if the new Lithium based cells are the upcoming thing. Small, ultra light weight and incredibly strong. Around here more and more of my buddies are using them and they sing marvellous stories about them.

Hubert

[GuzziMoto]

As mentioned, the Shorai Lithium battery I tried in my Griso did not work out so well.

Very nice looking battery at a reasonable price considering.... The Shorai I put in my DRZ 400 SM SuperMoto was still working strong when I sold it. So far I have not heard from the new owner of any issues with it. The Shorai just did not seem to have enough CCA to start the Griso. Part of that my be down to the ECU aborting the start attempt if it senses too low a voltage. The Ballistic 16 cell does seem to have more CCA power. But it is nearly twice the price. The weight savings seem unimportant on a bike as heavy as a Guzzi. All I really want is a battery that fits and always starts the bike. The Odyssey batteries seem to be that battery. The LiPo batteries are cool and they do mostly work, but in a straight up contest between an Odyssey battery the LiPo battery would lose in my experience, as long as weight was not part of the criteria (just power).

[Fred in the shed]

I bought an Odyssey had it just over 2 years and it packed up they give 3 year warranty in US and 2 in Europe! didnt get replaced under warranty so in my book 

Junk wouldnt buy another

[AndyH]

Small, ultra light weight and incredibly strong

 

Given the overall weight of the V11, how much difference is the battery weight going to make?

 

On the other hand, I let the bike get past the tipping point when backing it round in the drive the week before last, just had to let it go down and snapped the clutch lever as a result.  It's one heavy mutha in those circumstances!

 

A lighter battery might have made just that little difference...?