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piddling battery capacity....

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:34 pm
by fatboy
Is it possible to squeeze a larger capacity battery in the limited space of a falco battery compartment ?
Sorry if this has been covered but I didnt find anything relevant using the search facility.
As a standard battery is a pityful 12ah, that really is a big ask from a tiny battery trying to start a hefty lump with a bucketfull of electrickery that is reqd to make it bark :smt017

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:02 pm
by D-Rider
Hmm

The capacity isn't really that bad - a greater capacity just allows you to have more goes at trying to start it.

What you are probably after is a battery with a bit more oomph (technical term :smt002 ) so that it starts well in the first place - in other words, one with a higher CCA.

Something like the Yuasa YTZ14S (that's what I've got) is a pretty good option (though physically a little smaller requiring a couple of bits of wood to stop it rattling about in the battery tray).

Also make sure your starter circuit is in good nick - contacts clean on all cables (including the earth return and that the starter relay has not got any oxide build up on the contacts and is adding resistance (the original ones are prone to this)

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:03 pm
by fatboy
hanks D, starter relay/ soleniod replaced with 150 amp item, wiring been fettled, all seems to be good.
whats not so good, bike in mates garage,everyone walking in and saying 'Lets hear this badboy fire up' killing batteries and battery being left in pancaked state.... nuff said.
Have ordered STD YTX 14BS but don expect a long lifespan....
Now continue sidestand search, found tons of Blade stands, know I should be looking @ 2004/7 but Im seeing part nunbers :smt017
Changing tack, should I be looking at flat or tubular stand ?
Sorry, bit tangential

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:58 pm
by D-Rider
Sorry I've got a gixer stand on mine so have never taken much of an interest in the honda alternatives.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:24 am
by Sleepyboy
fatboy wrote: Now continue sidestand search, found tons of Blade stands, know I should be looking @ 2004/7 but Im seeing part nunbers :smt017
Changing tack, should I be looking at flat or tubular stand ?
Sorry, bit tangential
I bought a 2006 Blade stand for mine and it fitted directly onto the original Aprilia bracket, using the Aprilia switch and the Honda spring. Just needed some light filing to the excess weld on the bracket.

Could possibly do with being 10mm shorter and the sticky out thing you push with your boot is a little short but a massive improvement on the ridiculous original. Part no: 50530-MEL-000

Be careful buying from the states as you will get charged ridiculous import duty and admin.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:25 am
by back_marker
Repleced the Yuasa on mine a few months ago. In the past I have deliberately bought Yuasa thinking them, to be a reputable and higher quality item and therefore should last a bit longer.

This time a tried a Motobatt. These claim higher capacity and CCA than conventional alternatives without the extortionate cost of buying gel type batteries. If you search around you can get them for around £50 - mine has not let me down yet despite having an alarm fitted and no way of connecting a maintenance charger, onlike the supposedly higher quality ones I have had in the past.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:32 am
by wayno
Back marker, if you have no power in your garage get yourself a solariser, oxford solar charger.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 2:56 pm
by randomsquid
I've got a Motobatt one on the kwak and it's been golden. Had a Dynavolt gel one before that and it was great but it just stopped working after about 3 years with no warning at all. The Falco has a Dynavolt one on but I'm going to change it after the winter for a Motobatt one. It'll be a couple of years old then.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 3:17 pm
by back_marker
Motobatt available here for less than 50 quid delivered

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motobatt-MBTX ... 3f1bbdf72a[/img]

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:04 pm
by fatboy
Thanks for the info dudes, thanks back_marker for the link, now waiting for payday, again.
Im not the only one that thinks Yuasa are overpriced and over rated then !

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:33 pm
by D-Rider
Got my Yuasa for about £50 - which I don't think was too bad - and I've always been impressed by their quality.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:46 pm
by fatboy
I managed to kill my last Yuasa with only mild mal treatment meaning it faired no better than brand X but at nearly twice the price. The guy in the bike shop did sing and dance about Yuasa quality.. but I killed it..........
maybe should have sent it back under warranty but it died at the start of my legal woes with DVLA so it got overlooked

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:24 pm
by randomsquid
The Yuasa on the kwak was marginal from the off when the weather got cold and shagged within two years. Wasn't impressed to be honest.
I miss the Guzzi, you could wedge a reliant/escort battery in. Get them anywhere for no money.

The Motobatt I bought was shorter than the standard one but came with a clip on spacer to make it normal sized.