Steve G. Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Hi Lads, Well it seems the battery is dieing, and Moto Guzzi will not replace it under warranty, much like tires,brake pads, etc. I want to get a battery with the highest cranking amp power available. Are there any one out there that has changed the stock battery? Ciao, Steve G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callison Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 The stock batteries have more than enough cranking power, it's inherent in the design if they're Hawker Odyssey or similar batteries. They do die though, I've cracked the cases on two, possibly from using the wrong type of charger. Originally, they Odyssey batteries ran $168, so at the current market price of $100 or thereabouts, they're at least reasonable (cheaper than an MGNA clutch lever or some other way over priced replacement part). Not necessarily cheap, but reasonable by comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrt Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 You can drop the cradle that holds the battery down slightly in the frame. Gives it a bit more room so it won't crack perhaps. The odyssy batteries are very nice. They've done good by me. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gary Cheek Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 When a battery design produces more cranking amps in a given case size it is usually done with thinner plates . Thinner plates will allow more surface area which is what develops the higher current. The trade off for the most part is a shorter service life since the thin plates break down faster than the more robust thicker plates. Shopping for higher cranking amps may not get you what you are lloking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 My battery died a few months ago. It seem Hawker doesn't make a battery for the Spine Frame. I wound up with a Wesco. With shipping, tax and all it was a little less than the $100 figure. So far so good with the battery but a few months isn't much of a test. I got mine from Westco. Based on jrt's post I pulled the battery to see if I could lower it as I was seeing light contact between the front of the battery and (Corbin) seat pan. I couldn't see any way to lower the front but I did figure out (FINALLY) why the rubber vibration mat under the battery never seemed to fit properly. The mat has ribs on the bottom that look like they intended to go around part of the battery box and hold the mat in place. Unfortunately, the ribs are do not work in the battery box Guzzi put in my 2001 V11 Sport. A few second with a pair of diagonal cutters removed about half the length of two of the ribs. Now the mat fits properly and my battery is about 1/8" (~3 MM) lower. I wonder if the cracked cases were from improper charging or the battery sitting higher than it should or both. This might be something for Spine Frame owners to check. Cheers, Lex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted May 2, 2004 Share Posted May 2, 2004 The front of the battery cage can be moved under the frame mount ( rather than on top). This requires rounding the front outside corners of the cage with a grinder or file. This moves the battery down about 1/4". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted May 2, 2004 Share Posted May 2, 2004 The front of the battery cage can be moved under the frame mount ( rather than on top). This requires rounding the front outside corners of the cage with a grinder or file. This moves the battery down about 1/4". Docc, thank for the post. On my bike the nuts that accept the battery box mounting bolts are welded to the frame. It looks like another case of Moto Guzzi consistency being an oxymoron. I wish I had the option to lower the battery this way, it looks like a good idea. That Moto Guzzi personality thing again. Cheers, Lex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_roethlisberger Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Not 100% sure, and I think another night on the Battery Tender will tell the tale.... but I think my stock battery is finally about to give up the ghost. So, what's the verdict on the OEM battery used by Guzzi, versus the Westco Lex mentions above, or others?? Thanks. al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Jaap Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John O'Sullivan Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Recently I've had bettery issues, the starter would barely crank then after a few minutes rest the starter would spin and the engine would fire up as usual. I took the bike to my usual car mechanic who tested the cranking amps available. The result was that the battery was putting out only 230 amps instead of its rated 545 amps. The cure is simple: cycle the battery twice. Drain the battery fully by leaving the lights on with the kill switch on, when the battery is flat it won't even light the warning lights. Charge using a low ampage charger with a good battery to start the charge (I used my lawnmower battery) for about 36 hours. The cranking ampage of the battery has risen but I've not bothered the mechanic to get a digital readout of the result. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Minnaert Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 I just replaced the battery on the daytona, that is a 9Ah yuasha ytx9-bs A size smaller than the v11 thing, but this one lived 9, yes nine years. It wasn't dead but was getting weak. It's a gel type. They were used in yamaha 600cc 4cyl, what they call hare a "diversion" here, but is known with another name in other country's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikkanen Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Hi Lads, Well it seems the battery is dieing, and Moto Guzzi will not replace it under warranty, much like tires,brake pads, etc. I want to get a battery with the highest cranking amp power available. Are there any one out there that has changed the stock battery? Ciao, Steve G. Hi Steve, They are running an ad in the Danish Guzzi club magazine for a battery called "Genesis". According to the ad (haven't got any info whether it's a load of or it's really true) the battery is a closed, sealed type with enough power to replace a 32 amp with a 16 amp , requires no service at all, can be mounted vertically or horizontally and what have you. Anybody out there who has tried this eight wonder?? Søren Tikkanen, Denmark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaing Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 I think Genesis is a model of Hawker brand batteries: You might try Hawker G13EP (13Ah) Part number 0770-2007 Length 6.910 (175.51) Height 3.282 (83.36) Width 5.113 (129.87) Tip courtesy of Martin Sanders on the MGCL Hawker Odysey battery PC925 is recommended for many other Guzzis, but I am not sure if it will fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jerroldt Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 I just bought a new sealed battery for my Electraglide (a huge battery compared to the one in my Le Mans) for $70 shipped at motorcyclebatteriesusa.com. The first thing that I noticed about the new battery is that it is heavier than the lead acid original. Maybe more plate area. I think that this web store can supply a sealed battery for most any any type motorcycle or atv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Just FYI: I originally ordered my battery for the V11 from motorcyclebatteriesusa.com. They let me order it without telling me they were out of stock and then didn't exactly rush to tell me what was going on when I asked directly. I wound up not having the battery a week later with only vague promises of when it would arrive. I canceled and reordered from Westco and my bike was back on the road in three days. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day but motorcyclebatteriesusa.com would not be my first choice for any future battery needs. I just ordered a battery from Westco for my K1200 and it also arrived quickly. YMMV, Lex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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