lithium motorcycle battery

[richard100t]

I found a lithium motorcycle battery that weighs just 700grams or 1.6 lbs. It has the standard terminals like a conventional battery and looks like a conventional battery too. Its $250 and I wonder if anyone here has bought one yet, or has an opinion on them. Its from full spectrum power and the battery is called the Pulse P2

Thats almost the same weight savings as switching to c/f exhaust cans for a lot less money.

Well...its wintertime and I love to read, so I would love to hear any and all thoughts on the lithium battery for motorcycle use. They DO claim that these batteries will not catch fire like the old laptop batteries did. So if theres no chance of fire do you think its a worthwile investment?

[GuzziMoto]

But the carbon cans look cool, sound cool, and will last for a very long time (as long as you don't break them they should last the life of the bike).

It is not a bad idea (the light weight battery) in my opinion, but it is a trade off. You get a battery that weighs less but it is only 4.6 ah. They claim a lot of starting power, but until I see it I won't believe it. And in my experience batteries like that lose more power over their life span then conventional batteries. So while it may have plenty of power when new, after a year or so it may not have as much. Think about a laptop battery....

Those batteries should be okay but I would think they trade off life span and power for lightweight. I actually went the other way with the battery in my supermoto. I had too many issues with the small stock battery so I replaced it with a larger battery. A lighter battery doesn't help much when you are pushing the bike. Okay, maybe it helps a little, but not much.

But if I was to buy a battery to save weight that is the one I would buy. I think it is one of the best out there. If you buy one let me know what you think. If I get one (more likely for the supermoto) I'll let you know.

 

I gotta admit, though. It makes me nervous when they sell special chargers for the batteries. If it really needs a special charger then what chance does it have of surviving the Guzzi's charging system?

I think total loss systems may be better suited to this technology. Or atleast until motorcycles have charging systems designed for LiFePo batteries.

[Cliff]

I added a lithium battery to my Sport, not one of these tidier packaged ones.

The bike has been sitting for most of the time since I got it but the bike has never started better.

 

My original posting was here

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=31183.msg604697#msg604697

[luhbo]

here is a link to a german product, for instance. It seems as if this technology has become quite popular in the meantime, although it's not an easy one.

What is not a good thing is the fact, that in most cases at least 3 cells are in parallel. In this case two third's of the cells can't be balanced what then very quickly can lead to dead cells, means 2/3 loss of capacity. A starter battery most of the time gets charged, so that might not be a real killer argument. On the other hand: why do people so often complain about discharged batteries then?

 

hubert

[gstallons]

I found a lithium motorcycle battery that weighs just 700grams or 1.6 lbs. It has the standard terminals like a conventional battery and looks like a conventional battery too. Its $250 and I wonder if anyone here has bought one yet, or has an opinion on them. Its from full spectrum power and the battery is called the Pulse P2

Thats almost the same weight savings as switching to c/f exhaust cans for a lot less money.

Well...its wintertime and I love to read, so I would love to hear any and all thoughts on the lithium battery for motorcycle use. They DO claim that these batteries will not catch fire like the old laptop batteries did. So if theres no chance of fire do you think its a worthwile investment?

 

 

This is looks good. My Bmeer needs a battery. I think I will swap batteries round n put one on my bike.

[jrt]

This is a LiPoFe battery? They are all the rage amongst some Ducatisti... That in itself says something, although I am not sure what.

I dunno, I'm not convinced 1-200 g is going to save me much on my V11 but I'm running non-CF mistral exhaust. They sound great.

 

If the technology is anything like laptop batteries, then they need to be duty cycled to get the most lifespan. I've killed a couple of laptop batteries by leaving them plugged in all the time. Surprised me, I have to admit.

 

Anyhow, Richard, you should be able to do a search on LiPoFe (or maybe LiFePo?) and get a bunch of hits. As for my bike, I'm sticking with the gel/mat battery because they seem to last for a long, long time. Well, that and I'm slow....and cheap.

 

[edit] wiki has a webpage, if you want to believe it. Has some manufacturing links at the bottom. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery

[docc]

Hard to imagine the PC545 weighs 5 Kg or 11 pounds. But, so they say.

 

Swapping my stock LaFranconi cans to the Mistral cf rounds did cast off ten pounds.

[richard100t]

This is a LiPoFe battery? They are all the rage amongst some Ducatisti... That in itself says something, although I am not sure what.

I dunno, I'm not convinced 1-200 g is going to save me much on my V11 but I'm running non-CF mistral exhaust. They sound great.

 

If the technology is anything like laptop batteries, then they need to be duty cycled to get the most lifespan. I've killed a couple of laptop batteries by leaving them plugged in all the time. Surprised me, I have to admit.

 

Anyhow, Richard, you should be able to do a search on LiPoFe (or maybe LiFePo?) and get a bunch of hits. As for my bike, I'm sticking with the gel/mat battery because they seem to last for a long, long time. Well, that and I'm slow....and cheap.

 

[edit] wiki has a webpage, if you want to believe it. Has some manufacturing links at the bottom. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery

My main point is everyone will be replacing their battery at some point. These new batteries are 7 or 8 pounds lighter than what we currently use, and roughly $100 more expensive. I cant think of many cheaper ways to take that much weight out of the bike.

I like that we can get a discussion about this going because I'm really curious to see if the 8lb diet makes a noticeable difference. I know the c/f cans made a difference on my bike, not a huge difference but still there.

I've ditched the airbox, charcoal cans, rear fender/lights as well. Every little bit adds up, before you know it you've shed 35lbs without spending three grand on rims.

[GuzziMoto]

This is a LiPoFe battery? They are all the rage amongst some Ducatisti... That in itself says something, although I am not sure what.

I dunno, I'm not convinced 1-200 g is going to save me much on my V11 but I'm running non-CF mistral exhaust. They sound great.

 

If the technology is anything like laptop batteries, then they need to be duty cycled to get the most lifespan. I've killed a couple of laptop batteries by leaving them plugged in all the time. Surprised me, I have to admit.

 

Anyhow, Richard, you should be able to do a search on LiPoFe (or maybe LiFePo?) and get a bunch of hits. As for my bike, I'm sticking with the gel/mat battery because they seem to last for a long, long time. Well, that and I'm slow....and cheap.

 

[edit] wiki has a webpage, if you want to believe it. Has some manufacturing links at the bottom. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery

That is my fear as well.... I deal with laptop batteries and they do not have a long life span. And that life span is made all that much shorter when they are not drained and recharged on a regular basis. Not saying it won't work, just that I would have to see it to believe it.

You could by a PC310 for $150 and save about 6 lbs and at least have a 8ah battery rated for more cca then the lightweight one. That is half the weight savings of the trick battery with out the risk.

But if saving 10 lbs over a heavy duty battery and 8 lbs over a normal battery is worth the price, I say do it. It is not worth it to me on a 500 lb motorcycle but it is something I would consider on a 300 lb motorcycle. But to each his own.

And the 3 grand on rims would likely make a bigger difference as it is unsprung rotating weight.

[emry]

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=276051

 

Related discussion from the WERA forums and the use of said batteries. Something that needs to be mentioned is that Cold Cranking Amps is the rating that is important for starting, Amp Hours rating is important for keeping the headlight on when the bike is not.

[jrt]

 

My main point is everyone will be replacing their battery at some point. These new batteries are 7 or 8 pounds lighter than what we currently use, and roughly $100 more expensive. I cant think of many cheaper ways to take that much weight out of the bike.

I like that we can get a discussion about this going because I'm really curious to see if the 8lb diet makes a noticeable difference. I know the c/f cans made a difference on my bike, not a huge difference but still there.

I've ditched the airbox, charcoal cans, rear fender/lights as well. Every little bit adds up, before you know it you've shed 35lbs without spending three grand on rims.

 

True. I understand your point about replacing the battery anyway and I appreciate the opportunity to discuss it also. I'm always up for learning something new.

For now, I'm sticking to the PC545 for two reasons- one is that it has a long life (which is backed up by some data). The other is just expense which I can't justify based on my riding characteristics. I did get rid of the stock mufflers, airbox, recovery system, rear hugger and a few other bits. Then I load it up with saddlebags and go camping

One good reason to consider these lighter batteries is that the V11 battery sits up higher than the center of gravity. It could make a difference in handling, though I won't wager how much.

[luhbo]

...Something that needs to be mentioned is that Cold Cranking Amps is the rating that is important for starting....

 

Somewhere on their pages they reccommend sort of quick-lock connectors which make it easier to keep the battery inside the house during cold nights. At least for the smaller types.

 

About the center of gravity mentioned by JRT: a low COG is helpful for pushing around the bike in the garage. Onroad you want it remarkably higher for quick steerability and stability.

 

Anyway, having the Hawkers as strong, realiable, not too expensive and relatively small type of energy stores the rational reasons for switching to such a vulnerable system the LiX cells are, are only a few, if any at all. But, the motorcycle being for most owners just some sort of luxury toy (in Italy for instance people had to pay a luxury tax) a gimmick like these "new" batteries should come rather welcome. I think many would happily pay 250 or more for an overnight weight loss of 3 or 4 kilos without anything else to bother. If it were rational reasons only then all of us would have a 250 Honda only. OK, a 500 then, we're adults after all.

 

hubert

[GuzziMoto]

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=276051

 

Related discussion from the WERA forums and the use of said batteries. Something that needs to be mentioned is that Cold Cranking Amps is the rating that is important for starting, Amp Hours rating is important for keeping the headlight on when the bike is not.

The ah rating also tends to reflect how many attempts to start the bike you will get before the battery can't start the bike. A battery with a higher ah rating will tend to give you more attempts at starting the bike than a battery with a lower rating. It also reflects how likely the battery is to start the bike after you have screwed up and left the ignition on while the motor is off.

But in both cases, CCA and ah rating, the lightweight batteries have less capacity then the Hawkers.

It is a trade off, less weight but less power. And possibly less life. But if that seems like a good idea to you then go for it. I just can't imagine I would be able to feel the difference on a 500 lb motorcycle.

[richard100t]

I just came across a new lithium battery for motorcycles thats getting some good reviews. Its called a Shorai, it has an ah rating of 18 and is just under $190 and weighs 2.1 pounds.

$190 is a lot closer in price to a standard high quality lead acid battery. I think this is going to be standard equipment for bikes in the next 5 years or so. If you google Shorai you'll find lots of other bike forums are talking about them now.

[mznyc]

The LiPoFe's are getting a lot of attention on the Triumph forum,

http://www.triumphrat.net/sprint-forum/163424-shorai-lifepo-battery.html

Someone bought a 18ah model for $165. Comparable to a PC 545 in price but much less weight.Longevity will be the big question until they're in the real world for several years.

http://www.triumphrat.net/sprint-forum/163424-shorai-lifepo-battery.html

I was having problems starting and bought a PC 545,found out it was starter solenoid related issue and the Odyssey sits on the shelf while the original Spark 500 still starts every time with the help of a trickle charger.