Maintenance Free Batteries

Oh, great learned ones I seek thine esteamed knowledge.

It's become apparent (even to me) that my battery of four years days are numbered.

So, is it worth my while to shell-out the extra 20 (or so) bux for a maintenance free battery? Or stay stuck-in-the-eighties with a regular battery? (I ride about 10km per year)

Thanks in advance for the use of your brains.






A friend will help you move, a real friend will help you move a body.

Definitely not a great learned one, otherwise I'd have figured out over the last 30 some-odd years how to maintain the battery without going through the hassle of removing it from the bike or just making a guess work mess of things amongst confines of the battery box and bracketry. So generally just let things go until its annual death and bought another. Was surprised to find a maintenance free version in stock at the local AutoZone, bought it, installed it in the Z1, and am living happily ever after (and with no drain tube either).

I'm assuming these are SLA batteries? They're nice..but there isn't really that much 'maintenance' to be done on a battery.

I don't think it's worth it to swap 'em out so that you don't have to check the electrolyte levels or trickle charge every now and then.

..Did you forget a couple of zeros on that

(I ride about 10km per year)

??

It depends which bike you have and how you ride. My 1979 KZ1000MKII is not that easy to get at the battery for maintenence and on long trips the battery would boil dry if not topped off every day, so on that motorcycle a maintenence free was a great addition. Didn't last any longer than a regular battery though, but great for a few years.

Batterymart.com and about 60.00 to your door ,, SLA battery , It was the only battery to turn over my 541 single honda with 10-1 piston in it , I have one in my 82 KZ750 twin too no problems at all

These maintenance-free "SLA" or "VRLA" batteries are good because they don't spill and you don't have to check the electrolyte. Remember though, that they do still vent gas if overcharged, and when venting this gas, it cannot be replaced.

This makes them particularly susceptible to charging system problems and heat issues. Where a regular battery will boil and lose water, the SLA battery loses permanent capacity. On the regular floodeds you would just fill them with some more water, top up the charge with a 1A charger, and keep going. On the SLA all you can do is wait for it to die and replace it.

If well cared for, both batteries should have the same lifespan, but given the conditions our bikes may be exposed to, I'd prefer the regular floodeds for the ability to DO the maintenance on them (and they tend to be about 30-40% cheaper to replace too).

I agree with inline, after returning from my rides I just plug in my battery tender and leave it. I check the water level every so often (easy on my 650) I opt for the cheaper of the two...

Thanks for the info.

I think I'll stay with a regular flooded battery and add a bit of water/acid when needed. The main reason is the posibility of overcharging (stated by inline79) killing the SLA.

BTW I have 83 GPz750

Thanks again.