Battery Replacement for 4L0

[hudtm60]

Just creating this thread so when someone searches for it (like I did) something simple and effective comes up. 

One option to replace ye olde acid battery is a MotoBatt MB5.5U (I think Norbo has them). Non-acid, no water to top up...Pre-threaded posts (thank you!) and no breather pipe to try and thread thru bits of the frame. 

AND it fits perfect- don't have to pad out or anything. 

True I need to run it and see how it supplies power but they say it'll sit and keep it's charge for a year. Nice. 

of course I'll look a right t**t if you can't get them in the UK or Europe but....I'm used to that. 

and apologies if someone has already done this and i missed it. 

[JonW]

lots of us run these in our bikes, great batteries.

[dusty350]

Yep, I've had them - just about to buy 2 more for my bikes. Great battery, and no acid to spill over your chrome pipes and ruin them !!

Dusty

[headcoats]

Who is the best (cheapest) supplier of these yellow meanies !
Yellow battery for my yellow bike !

[lolly]

i got mine from Norbo , cheaper than ebay

[sp885]

I've had one in my LC for 2 years now👍

[steven]

Hi,
Do these motobatts need any special charger ? or can you still use your old lead acid type battery charger ?
I,ll be looking for a new battery before next year.
Thanks,
steven.

[dusty350]

Hi
Normal charger for these

Dusty

[mikee]

i had one on my ktm , it boiled itself
should be okay on the lc thouh

mike

[Tobyjugs]

Sept 28, 2017 9:26:14 GMT 1 mikee said:

i had one on my ktm , it boiled itself
should be okay on the lc thouh

mike

Why was that Mike?

[steven]

Sept 28, 2017 8:47:04 GMT 1 dusty350 said:

Hi
Normal charger for these

Dusty

Thanks Dusty,
cheers.

[earthman]

Sept 28, 2017 11:26:46 GMT 1 Tobyjugs said:

Sept 28, 2017 9:26:14 GMT 1 mikee said:

i had one on my ktm , it boiled itself
should be okay on the lc thouh

mike

Why was that Mike?

I'd like to know why too.

[looey]

I've heard bad things about these batteries in bigger bikes but I have several of these in different bikes (biggest in a 350LC) and they've been spot-on.

Always keep charge for a very long time and never had any problems

[shunter]

I have also heard of problems with these,a friend of mine had one just die on him when he was out a ride on his VFR800 and the battery was less than twelve months old.

[veg]

Had them on my Ducati 851 and 1000 monster great batteries

[mikee]

Sept 29, 2017 19:02:34 GMT 1 earthman said:

Sept 28, 2017 11:26:46 GMT 1 Tobyjugs said:

Why was that Mike?

I'd like to know why too.

I don’t really know , changed it for another one , however about 500 miles later the reg react gave up , so might have been related

Mike

[JonW]

reg/rect can boil or overcharges a battery and kill it, so that would make sense Mike.

[gci_scot]

Used these on a few bikes in recent years. Great batteries.

[beardy]

when the sealed battery on my work bike, cb250 twofifty, was`nt man enough to spin the starter motor anymore. it got a new lease of life in my lc and is a perfect fit.
and i`ve just remembered the swinging arm chain protector from my old/spare cb250 is now on the metmachek arm of my lc.
should i have posted this in the `hybrid` section? (:

[4l04ever]

I have used a few of these. They last longer than most batteries when left unused on the bike, but do still self discharge over time, and if left to go too low, will not charge back up and are scrap. Best to keep them topped up with an Optimate or similar.

[museumman]

Oct 10, 2017 9:39:35 GMT 1 4l04ever said:

I have used a few of these. They last longer than most batteries when left unused on the bike, but do still self discharge over time, and if left to go too low, will not charge back up and are scrap. Best to keep them topped up with an Optimate or similar.

+1
I bought these purely for that reason as had too many bikes . I've left one on a bike over 2 years (stuck in a lock up) and it was only down to 11volts and charged up ok. I did the same  on an electric-start bike leaving it in storage for a year but that one was a bit touch and go, it started to discharge more and needed riding or charging every couple of weeks, never went flat, just sounded weak on start up. 

[4l04ever]

Some modern bikes do draw a little power when switched off for the clock etc, so they will run down any battery if left a few months. Old LCs should not draw anything, so batteries should last longer on our old beasts :-)

[steven]

...I spoke to an auto electrician yesterday, I asked him if a gell battery can be charged with an old fashioned type, lead acid battery trickle charger, he said no, you need a special charger, what does everyone else use to charge these motobatts. ?
... just been on the motobatt site, and I see they are not gell batteries, but absorbed glass matt.... what ever that is.
I will read the site some more.
steven.

www.motobatt.com/index.php

[rigga]

Aldi trickle charger on the motobatt on the LC and my CCM, not an issue so far.

[4l04ever]

The AGM batteries have the cells filled with a sort of fibre glass matting that acts like a sponge and stops the acid swilling around while still keeping in contact with the plates. It works exactly the same was as a normal lead acid battery in terms of chemical performance etc, but can be fitted sideways etc. They should charge from most normal chargers. Optimate etc will list that they can charge AGM batteries. It is only Lithium batteries that need a special charger to avoid an explosion :-)

[4l04ever]

The slightly smaller Motobatt MB5U also works fine in an LC, but is a little cheaper. I have used a few of these.

[steven]

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