Time for a new battery
 

My stock battery has been working well since 1999 - yes, it's 11 years old [I use a Battery tender religiously]. Anyway, it finally gave up the ghost, so I went shopping for a new one, and lookie what I found. Normally a 14 series battery is too tall to fit in our battery box, but I seem to have found a loophole I just found a great replacement battery, that is cheaper than stock, and better in every way

Stock: 12 Volt, 6.5 Ah, 60 CCA
ETX14: 12 Volt, 12 Ah, 200 CCA <=== and fits in the stock battery tray!!!!

Local purchase:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...GRPBATTAM2____

Cheaper:
http://www.abatterystore.com/commerc...d=442686900082

Even though it says it's a 14 series battery which is nominally taller than a 12, it fits even under the stock battery cover. It is about 1mm taller than the stock battery with the same width and depth and the box includes black plastic spacers to make it fit in 14 sized applications. AND ITS AGM...It's essentially a motorcycle sized Optima. The only catch is you have to bend one of the tabs on the factory battery connectors because the new one is shaped slightly different.

I went to walmart and got mine. Still working but i was stupid and not read the instruction on how to install it and it blew acid on my frame which suck hahaha but good battery i just snap the battery lid off and fit it in.

Whoah, where do I start.. Dude follow the links, I found an AGM battery that fits, installed it, and liked it.

I got one from Battery Warehouse that fits, had to get three batteries today. Superhawk, Magna and Supra (1986.5 Toyota with no accelerator problems)

that's cool. and I guess you can use your battery tender to maintain charge unlike the gell type. I have a 98 SH and mine went last year and the battery tender went shortly thereafter, must have been married, huh. I was happy with 10 years+, so I repalced it with the Yuasa and bought a Battery Minder, which is supposd to desulfate as well as charge.

It will be interesting to see how it works out for you. Was it lighter, heavier or same weight?

isn't the CCA requirement for the SH supposed to be 210?

Shop manual says 12V - 10 Ah. so it seems that the "sealed" battery that Battery specialists offers would not meet the spec. The AGM version does and the ETX-14 give 2 mor amps

Actually the Yuasa factory battery for the 97-01 is the YTX-12BS which is 12V/10Ah/180CCA and the 01-> is the YTZ-12S which is 12V/11Ah/210CCA...

Which ever works... Putting the newer in the older bike is a bit snug with the battery tray lid, but a bit of convincing makes the lid close...

Yeah, y'all are right about the spec thing, I posted a link without really reading it. Anyway, my *real* point is that the one I bought was a 12 sized battery that had spacers to fit in a 14 hole. Plus the fact that there was no acid to muck about with...

What are some other batteries that will work in an 02 other than the yuasa. The yuasa is really expensive for a battery. I need to buy one now but dont want to drop $175 on one.

I just put a Motocross Brand in. It's advertised as a Yuasa private lable house brand. It looks identical to the Yuasa I had. Hopefully it will last as long but for what I paid I don't care.



http://www.tristatebattery.com/produ...roducts_id=767
Tri-state batteries is local to me so I payed $45 picked up.

Very cool thank you for the response.

wow! that is too high. I bought a Yuasa for 77.00 from our local dealer a year back. A google search for prices, you will definitiely find em for less. Also there are different brands cheaper, but as far as quality, I can't attest to.

Bought 2 batteries today. One for the SH. 60$ at advanceauto. Works great!

I hope you charged it acc to the instructions with the battery?

Umm, yeah Barry, on your advice I bought the battery from abatterystore.com... I'd like to know how you made this "nominally taller" battery fit the stock box, because unless I build a whole new box there is NO WAY IN HECK that it fits in my '02... that's the only reason I can think of as to why it fits your '99 and not my bike... was there a huge difference in battery dimensions from 99-01's to the later years? I know they spec different batteries, but really??? This THINGS HUGE! I can hardly begin to close the battery lid!

Yep... The battery on the early years is a good bit taller, about 10-15mm i believe... So you will have a hard time getting the lid on there... Either cut it off or if you can still return the battery...

I'm curious - does anyone know why Honda changed the battery size?

Well, apparently they changed the battery type to reduce weigth/size and improve long term performance... So a reasonable excuse to mee...;)

Oooh, Sorry, I guess I was under the mistaken impression that all of the battery boxes would be the same.

In mine, it was hella tight, and a heatgun would have helped, but it fit. Are you sure you took off the 2 plastic spacers on the bottom of the battery? They are on there pretty good.

So far I removed the two spacers on the bottom of the tray, and the two that are tucked up under the lid.. STILL won't fit. I will fab something with a sheet of ABS and maybe a black felt gasket, or something. I don't think it will be that hard. It still sits below the two lid-closure tab holes, so I can design something that will work. The things so tall the bottom of the seat pan prolly'll hold it down!

The spacers that they send with the battery almost look like I can make something out of them... and I will save the lid and just make a new hinge when I re-up the next time... Don't feel like paying for the return shipping and restocking fee... It's all good!

cycle gear gives lifetime guarantees on their best battery. I think I originally paid about $90 five years or so ago. Once the battery will no longer take a charge, just take it in, hand it over, and walk out with a new one, no hassles. That's a great deal.