I'm using the one pictured below in my `21 R with great results. It saves about 4.9 pounds and is smaller than the OEM battery while having more capacity. I have used it in two other bikes with equally impressive results without any issues.
Lithium hate the cold They don't hold as much capacity as a AGM one They do have a higher CC rate (faster crank) But they do hold their charge better (in the summer) They need a dedicated lithium charger They are nice and light If their voltage drops too low, it isn't the end of the world, with the right charger they can be brought back to life
I mean, ive heard cases that batteries & wires caught fire because the lithium battery isn't fit for every bike.
Lithium motorcycle batteries typically have significantly MORE capacity than an equivalent AGM battery.
Lithium battery life is far greater than any acid based battery. Fire's might be caused by the greater capacity , in the case of any electrical issues , there is much greater Potential for Fire as there is much greater Amperage available and battery will sustain higher voltage as it Short's if that's what is occurring...
There's more than enough capacity in a fully charged AGM battery to cause a fire so I wouldn't be put of by the higher capacity of a LiOn battery. A battery designed as a direct replacement for a vehicle AGM or standard LA battery should have built in charging circuitry as they have different charging parameters. Given the cost difference, personally, I wouldn't bother fitting a Lithium battery to save a few pounds of unsprung weight on a road bike. I built a 12v 15ah battery from 4x Headway LiFePo4 battery cells, for portable radio use, and charge it with a Lithium specific charger as it must be balance charged to ensure all cells end up the same, unlike LA/AGM batteries which just require @14.4v to fully charge the thing as a whole.
Batteries are 'sprung' weight (sprung weight includes everything supported by the suspension) and batteries are located fairly high on the bike where weight reduction improves handling. That's important to some riders like me who live and ride among twisties. Cheers!
Sprung is what I meant! That sort of saving in unsprung weight, wheels, tyres, brakes etc certainly would be worth while and much more noticeable.
Every little bit counts especially when bike handling is prioritized over mere bike utility. In my case, the pounds saved by a lithium battery added to other parts weight savings totaled 12 pounds lost. And...the way I ride twisties, when combined with another 12 pounds saved by filling my gas tank 2 gallons short, that's 24 pounds saved. Yes, I can feel the absence of 24 pounds and even if I couldn't, physics does not lie, the bike handles, accelerates and stops better. Period!
I didn’t ask about all the other crap I defy anyone to tell the difference 2kg would make to the handling of a bike with rider weighing getting on for 250kg, and that’s being generous. As you’re so concerned about weight reduction can I suggest that to your list you add having a good dump before you ride?
The point is...even if I couldn't feel it, the bike handles, accelerates and stops better with 1 pound, 10 pound or 20 pound weight reductions. It's been wonderful conversing with your inspiring intellect...!
You are deliberately avoiding the specifics. We are talking about 2kg not 1 pound, 10 pound or 20 pound. Yes it will handle, accelerate and stops better. No you will not be able to detect it because the effect that a 2kg reduction has would be so infinitesimally small. As for my suggested addition to your list it was a serious suggestion that I have heard from more than one racer in the past. And thank you for your compliment.
I called my local battery retailer when I needed a battery last year, the Lithum Iion battery was about 50% more than a lead acid, be sure not to overpay. Online prices can be excessive. They don't regularly burst into flames any more than your phone batteries do. As for charging with an external charger, you need to be careful not to use a charger with a desulphurize mode, it will blast a high voltage square wave on the battery which may fry the electronics within the battery (the BMS). You will need to charge the when you receive it. I had a noco genius already, it can be switched to Lithium Ion mode. They are much lighter as mentioned above, and hopefully should last 10+ years.
Now, now, girls. Handbags away please. Lol Have to say I agree with you both. I'm sure someone like Marc Marquez could maybe feel the difference, tho I doubt it really. But any loss of weight has to be beneficial, that's why racers used to drill holes everywhere on their bikes. What's that saying, Every little helps.
On a lightweight race bike with premium suspension and race tyres on a nice smooth, grippy, well surfaced racetrack, maybe. On a road bike on road tyres on ordinary roads, I disagree. Curverider makes the point that, in theory, any weight reduction will make the bike perform better, "even if I couldn't feel it" which may be true but if you can't feel it, what's the point? My point was that I wouldn't pay a premium for a LiOn battery just to save a few pounds. I reckon my suited up riding weight will vary more than that depending on what gear I'm wearing.
Road riding and racing needs are massively different, every little advantage for racing needs to be embraced to even the playing field. As a racer, who I used to mechanic for said when I questioned the gains per £, "irrespective of the cost, if the others are using xyz carbs etc. then we need to upgrade!" Will 2kg make any difference on the roads... will it chuff, but, if it gives you the confidence edge then yes it certainly will
For a superb example look at Roy Napier’s thread on building his Weslake Triton. I think some one has already mentioned that the electrical infrastructure on your bike needs to be suited to one of these LiFePO4 batteries. Your charging voltage needs to be limited to 14.5 volts or less otherwise it’s an AGM battery. Pegscraper made a good point about weight of riding kit. I have no idea what it tots up to but I bet it easily weighs more than the battery on my bike which only weighs 3kg.
