How long did your last battery last?

How long did your last battery last?

  • Only a few days/weeks - manufacturing fault

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • less than 6 months

    Votes: 2 1.8%
  • 6 months to 1 year

    Votes: 9 8.0%
  • 1 year to 18 months

    Votes: 5 4.5%
  • 18 months to 2 years

    Votes: 4 3.6%
  • 2 - 2½ years

    Votes: 4 3.6%
  • 2½ - 3 years

    Votes: 7 6.3%
  • 3 - 3½ years

    Votes: 2 1.8%
  • 3½ - 4 years

    Votes: 14 12.5%
  • 4 - 5 years

    Votes: 15 13.4%
  • 5 - 7 years

    Votes: 26 23.2%
  • more than 7 years

    Votes: 23 20.5%

  • Total voters
    112

Greg Masters

'Don't mess with me' Member
Mod Squad
Moderator
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
25,120
Reaction score
350
Location
Middle England
OE BMW batteries are notoriously expensive and any weakness in their performance throws up ABS problems, especially at this time of year.

I use an Optimate every time the bike is parked up at home and, even though the battery is nearly 5 years old, it still performs like new.

How long did your last battery last?

Greg
 
Greg Masters said:
How long did your last battery last?

Greg

I got 8 FULL years out of my factory Mareg lead acid battery that sits for about 6 months with regular bi-monthly maintenance. Another that sees very little care, lasted 7 FULL years.

I've used a plain old 12V 1 Ah manual charger for as long as I can remember. Recently, I bought a YUASA Hot Shot, 12V 900 mA battery maintainer. I still prefer the old manual charger/DMM route to monitor what is happening to my batteries.

The Panasonic battery in the car just passed the 14 year mark.

Some good reading can be found on the YUASA Literature Page. Check out the Technical Manual.
 
Got a new battery under warranty this week from JOE DUFFYS while my new tyres were being fitted. The old one was only 16 months old. I use the bike every day and have 17,000 on it but the cold spell got the better of it. Best thing about BMW is two year warranty.
 
The original battery in my bike lasted almost exactly 5 years from when the bike was new.The replacement one has been in since then,2 years ago_On advice,I plug my bike into an Optimate and it always starts easily.
 
Still On Original

Also still on my original battery - Sept '01 1150 with 50K. Never any trouble so far - it's never seen any type of charger yet!!

Cheers................................Grizzly:beerjug:
 
2000 1150 still on original battery.

Needs topping up with an Optimate over winter.

ABS only active about 1 in 3 starts. I reckon I have the greedy starter motor thing rather than a dodgy battery.
 
2001 GS With heated grips and ABS...Still the original battery.
icon14.gif
 
About a week, then I bought a Hawker Odyssey which makes the bike start better, and without any of the ABS problems. Higher cranking amps and they will stand for long periods without needing "optimating".

Well worth the investment!
 
1994 just changed the battery this year. It was the bikes tenth birthday present. I am not using my optimate yet but the ABS won't work first time anymore until I've warmed the bike up....

So changing the battery with a normal one does not solve the ABS problem.....
 
BMW Batteries are....TUDOR batteries made in Portugal....with a sticker on top! You can buy this ones cheaper (don't know how much....i have the same battery since i bougth my gs in 2002).
But i'll check for you!

cheers
 
wessie said:
2000 1150 still on original battery.

Needs topping up with an Optimate over winter.

ABS only active about 1 in 3 starts. I reckon I have the greedy starter motor thing rather than a dodgy battery.

Update: Optimate can no longer recover the battery. Ho hum.
 
Non ABS model with small battery, 2 1/2 years despite being on an optimate at all times when not in use.Rip out the raiser plate in the bottom of the battery box and replace the battery with the deeper HAWKER PC680 no more problems.
 
I've just changed the original BMW battery on my Mar 02 Adv. It was laid up for 5 months when it was 8 months old (after a prang), crated for a month earlier this year, but otherwise has been in everyday use, year round. The bike had 86k miles on the clock when it failed. I've replaced it with a BMW Gel battery (£81).

Mike:)

ps No ABS, never used a charger or Optimate.
 
question to sciannini re hawker odessey

Schiannini,
did you have any trouble fitting this battery ? I'm planning to get one.
I see that Flaps found it too big to fit. I think this was due to his bike being non-abs/heated grips and therefore having a smaller original battery.
Cheers
 
Suggestion for another poll:

So how often do you check and top up the distilled water level of your (trad. lead/acid) battery?

1 Every week
2 Every month
3 Every 6 months
4 Every year
5 Never!

Score 5 automatically gets top marks from the battery suppliers federation. :D
 
My 1990 R100GS still has the original factory fitted battery on it, this winter has taken its toll and requires a charge after every outing.

Has anyone any experience of Odyssey batteries?
I have heard that they have super longevity and are maintenance free.
They are about £40 in the U.S.A but over £100 here. I have contacted them in the States via their website but have not received a reply.
 
slampo said:
So how often do you check and top up the distilled water level of your (trad. lead/acid) battery?

1 Every week
2 Every month
3 Every 6 months
4 Every year
5 Never!

Score 5 automatically gets top marks from the battery suppliers federation. :D

I top it up once a year with about half a centimeter of better than distilled water (get it in our labs).

No matter who makes it, if it isn't totally sealed, it will need topping up.
 
desertfox said:
BMW Batteries are....TUDOR batteries made in Portugal

FYI, the last BMW battery I bought was a MAREG made in Portugal. Same brand as my original 1990 R100 GS battery, but a different country of manufacture.
 
OEM seems best

Merc 420SEC...........7years
Porsche 911.............8years
Alfa Spider................4 years and still ok
Yam YZF750SP...........8+years and still ok
Ducati 916..................8years, just replaced.
Honda Blade...............4+years and still ok
BMW 12GS..................4+months and still ok

What a batting average!

All the above were oem post 1990 and all the "cheapo" replacements are universally shite only good for 2-3 years. The oem quality are hard to find but just as good, costing 30-50% more than the junk.

Sometimes I have been good with the charger, other times not. It seems not to matter too much if they are driven/riden and the battery has a reasonable charge.

Then they go downhill very fast and only exceptionally can they be saved(Ducati fully flushed out for at least an hour and refilled with acid and lasted another 3 years).

One thing I have found is that acid works reliably, funny jelly jobs do not like road service but are well regarded for competition and aircraft use, being lighter. Only rich fools(I tried being foolish and would like to try being rich)buy more than one for the road!!!!
 


Back
Top Bottom