Battery Question.

[MonkOFox]

I have a battery on my bike. It sounded like it was dying just because the starter was cranking slow (only electric starts after warm). So I put a charger on it, sure enough it was almost dead. 5 and 1/2 hours later, green light! However, the battery was hissing. Also, when I plugged it back up the power was the same. I did notice that the bubbles weren't happening in each divider (evenly while charging). I'm guessing the battery cannot be saved?

[Flyingw]

Nope, its toast. If the battery is hissing, GET IT OFF THE CHARGER AND GET AWAY FROM IT!!! I once was charging a battery in this shop I worked at and it too was hissing. A few minutes later the battery blew up. Luckily nobody was near it when it did. On the small ATV batteries, don't ever charge it over the 2 amp setting. A larger amp setting trashes them. A new battery and you should be good to go.

[MonkOFox]

That's what I figured after looking online more and more, and then some more. I'll check with o'reilly's/autozone this evening to see if they have a match up. I wasn't aware that the gas emitted was Hydrogen. Could thing I don't smoke or accidentally sparked the clamps... I was wearing safety glasses though.

[Flyingw]

What trike?

[MonkOFox]

Oh no, this is on my '85 Kawasaki 185 Bayou. I just had a battery question in general.

[kb0nly]

Get a sealed AGM battery if you can that fits... Its going to cost a bit more, but then your not dealing with a flooded lead acid battery anymore. The AGM have better cranking power and last longer as well. I went through two old the traditional batteries before i bought the AGM i put in my 200ES, man was that a worthwhile upgrade!! I had the same problem as you, not enough cranking power after sitting and then it would be ok after it ran a while.

I hear now they are making Lithium Ion batteries for Motorcycles, the cranking power is amazing with them. If they ever make one close enough to the right size i will get one for my 200ES... I have Lithium batteries in just about everything now, what a world of difference, slow self discharge and super power output.