Forum

[Presto]

Has anyone any experience of the Lithium Ion type batteries. I’d like to know how easy they are to charge, how well they hold charge and how they perform in general use on a bike that is not used all that often. Thanks

[Leon Novello]

Some types and their chargers tend to overheat and catch fire, most airlines refuse to carry them. Be careful.

[Presto]

Thanks Leon (!) I wasn't intending to fly the battery, I've got not worries about safety only want some info about use if possible.

[papasmurf]

Suggested reading:-

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/arti ... ith_li_ion

[Presto]

Thanks - but have any of our contributors actually used one - and got first-hand experience?

[jefrs]

Avoid cheap ones and knock-offs with a very long stick. We tested lithium and other rechargeables in the lab. Actually we were testing military equipment with these batteries after reports of poor performance. Extreme tests: some of the cheap ones overheated, expanded and exploded. Fire, smoke and flying shrapnel, scary. That was in a containment chamber, don't try it at home. Laptops, cameras and mobile phones use them and you can take those on aeroplanes. Compared to a lead-acid, Lithium-Ion will hold their charge for a very long time without maintenance. They can be re-charged very quickly with an appropriate charger. They will deliver their full power right up to the end of their stored charge. There is some difference in cell voltage compared to lead-acid 12.8V batteries and some electronics can be fussy although I don't think we have a problem on a bike. When my Fiamm (India) expires I intend to fit a Lithium.

[Presto]

Thanks jefrs - you can't beat first-hand experience, worth any amount of 'hearsay'

[Scalyback]

[center]
YES!

I have had three RE's and all of them were given Lithium-ion batteries. The promising points were,



If bike falls over, no acid to leak out and rot things.

Higher power delivery

Can be fitted anyway up

much smaller battery for same power output

Only a fraction of the weight of a wet battery
Less maintenance charging needed

when finally dies, the slats inside make good plant compost apparently.



In practice,

Don't get hot

don't go bang

don't leak acid

seems almost fully charged after being away for 2 months or so.





Nasty nasty big lumbering historical acid bottle






On it's side, in the bottom there, leaving room for a first aid kit on top! YAY!



My Bikes don't want to making no more acid trips... we're all lithium now!





So my EFI with leccy start that I hardly ever used worked great, Tornado my iron bullet runs well and Kevin, my Meteor Minor seems to run well on one so I have absolutely no complains other than they cost rather a bit, but, you fit and (almost) forget. Recommended.

[Valsp]

As always quality counts. My wife has used one for over three years now on her golf trolley. She plays a lot and used to get through 2 lead acid batteries a year due to their tendency to die when used on deep discharge cycles (she used the 2 alternately to reduce the strain on them).

Toyota now give a 10 year guarantee on hybrid car batteries provided you have an annual hybrid check (included in the service) so financially it makes sense if you are going to keep the bike

[Presto]

Thanks - I think I've been persuaded of their advantages.