LITHIUM BATTERY RECOMMENDATION

My GS, 701 and F750GS all have Lithium batteries now. They're VERY Light. On a super heavy bike like the R18, it won't make any difference in handling but if you're buying a new battery anyway, might as well go with the cutting edge stuff. I have not had issues with cold starts and lithium batteries and I ride down to 25 degreesF and colder when I'm only commuting to work.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/ is what I'm using. I'm going to PM you my contact there. I met a guy through ADVRider who works there and he helped me size a few batteries so far. He also offers a 15% discount to ADVrider members but I didn't order through him after he made a recommendation because Amazon had beat their price even with the discount.
 
If I were to guess, it's either this one - https://antigravitybatteries.com/products/starter-batteries/restart-oem/at12bs-hd-rs/ or this one - https://antigravitybatteries.com/products/starter-batteries/restart-oem/atx12-hd-rs/

The biggest PRO of the AntiGravity batteries is their RESTART technology. if you have an accessory you forget to turn off and wake up to a dead battery or take 6 months off from riding, no problem, just pull the battery cover, Press the big red button (hard to reach on the R18 but it's there if you need it) and you'll hear a PING sound. That's a connection between one of the cells and the rest of the battery charging the battery up to at least allow for you to start the bike. It's saved my butt in a pickle 3-4 times since I have too many bikes to ride all of them often enough.

You can use a battery tender but the restart button is nice to have. You can stop packing your jump starter box that takes up space in the luggage.


antigravitybatteries.com

Antigravity Foam Kit

High density, Adhesive-backed Foam Kit for installation of smaller batteries into larger battery tray areas. 3-piece kit. Helps reduce vibration too.
antigravitybatteries.com antigravitybatteries.com

Grab these to keep the battery from jostling around.
 
adamchandler said:
My GS, 701 and F750GS all have Lithium batteries now. They're VERY Light. On a super heavy bike like the R18, it won't make any difference in handling but if you're buying a new battery anyway, might as well go with the cutting edge stuff. I have not had issues with cold starts and lithium batteries and I ride down to 25 degreesF and colder when I'm only commuting to work.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/ is what I'm using. I'm going to PM you my contact there. I met a guy through ADVRider who works there and he helped me size a few batteries so far. He also offers a 15% discount to ADVrider members but I didn't order through him after he made a recommendation because Amazon had beat their price even with the discount.
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Thx for the info!
 
adamchandler said:
My GS, 701 and F750GS all have Lithium batteries now. They're VERY Light. On a super heavy bike like the R18, it won't make any difference in handling but if you're buying a new battery anyway, might as well go with the cutting edge stuff. I have not had issues with cold starts and lithium batteries and I ride down to 25 degreesF and colder when I'm only commuting to work.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/ is what I'm using. I'm going to PM you my contact there. I met a guy through ADVRider who works there and he helped me size a few batteries so far. He also offers a 15% discount to ADVrider members but I didn't order through him after he made a recommendation because Amazon had beat their price even with the discount.
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Which model Anti-Gravity battery are you using in your R18?
 
I'm running a Shorai on my 1200 GSA and ran one previously on a V-Rod. The one in the V-Rod was still working 8 years after I installed it. I've got 5 years on the one in my GS and it still works great. They are pricey up front but last longer than standard batteries.

Two caveats- first the Shorai batteries have a special charger that is required if you want to put them in "sleep" mode, where you plan not to use it for some time. Second, as was said earlier, I have to warm my battery up when it is below 45 degrees or so. This means I turn on my ignition a few minutes ahead of time to create some draw, then the bike starts just fine. If it's 40 degrees where the bike has been sitting and I turn on the ignition and try to start right away, it takes two or three cycles before the battery turns the bike over.
 
adamchandler said:
My GS, 701 and F750GS all have Lithium batteries now. They're VERY Light. On a super heavy bike like the R18, it won't make any difference in handling but if you're buying a new battery anyway, might as well go with the cutting edge stuff. I have not had issues with cold starts and lithium batteries and I ride down to 25 degreesF and colder when I'm only commuting to work.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/ is what I'm using. I'm going to PM you my contact there. I met a guy through ADVRider who works there and he helped me size a few batteries so far. He also offers a 15% discount to ADVrider members but I didn't order through him after he made a recommendation because Amazon had beat their price even with the discount.
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I 100% agree with Adam's Antigravity battery recommendation. I did a quick look at their motorcycle batteries and confirmed that they are using LiFePO4 chemistry with built-in BMS's (Battery Management Systems).

What does that mean to you? It won't explode if mishandled, unlike traditional LiON (think Tesla or laptop batteries).

If I was in the market (and didn't build my own LiFePO4 batteries ;)), I'd buy an Antigravity battery no problem!

Mike

Edit: Almost forgot. If you have an intelligent battery tender, make sure to switch it to Lithium mode after you have the new battery installed. If you don't have a smart tender, or simply one built for lead-acid, you'll need to get one that's designed for Lithium chemistry.
 
I don't get the appeal of a Li chemistry type battery for a motorcycle, unless weight is the goal; however, I totally get it if applied within an RV design or an EV.
 
PistolPeteSTL said:
I'm running a Shorai on my 1200 GSA and ran one previously on a V-Rod. The one in the V-Rod was still working 8 years after I installed it. I've got 5 years on the one in my GS and it still works great. They are pricey up front but last longer than standard batteries.

Two caveats- first the Shorai batteries have a special charger that is required if you want to put them in "sleep" mode, where you plan not to use it for some time. Second, as was said earlier, I have to warm my battery up when it is below 45 degrees or so. This means I turn on my ignition a few minutes ahead of time to create some draw, then the bike starts just fine. If it's 40 degrees where the bike has been sitting and I turn on the ignition and try to start right away, it takes two or three cycles before the battery turns the bike over.
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I did not know that about the Li batteries.
 
Scott Semone said:
I don't get the appeal of a Li chemistry type battery for a motorcycle, unless weight is the goal; however, I totally get it if applied within an RV design or an EV.
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Longevity is one reason- I rarely get more than 3 years out of conventional batteries and the Lithium battery I put in my V-Rod was still working after 8 years when I sold it. More cost up front but if you are going to keep a bike long term it saves hassle down the road.
 
PistolPeteSTL said:
Longevity is one reason- I rarely get more than 3 years out of conventional batteries and the Lithium battery I put in my V-Rod was still working after 8 years when I sold it. More cost up front but if you are going to keep a bike long term it saves hassle down the road.
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If the thread is about a "recommendation", I would most likely recommend purchasing the same battery & BMS charger that BMW uses on the GS platform (warranty wise). This is a chemistry that you don't want to go "El Cheapo" on; counterfeit and cheap knock-off Li batteries are a real problem fire-wise here in NYC's FDNY day-to-day jobs. Probably like most, the majority of bikes are parked in our garage; a failed or defective Li system that goes catastrophic will quickly spread fire to adjacent exposures.

In short, purchase a reputable manufactured Li battery and a matching charger with a Li Battery Management System (BMS).

I'll probably stay AGM lead acid for my bike; I only replaced my battery once on my 2008 GS Adventure, I'd expect to get between 5 to 8 yrs out of my AGM motorcycle battery; that's keeping it on a trickle charger when sitting in the garage over the Winter Season.
 
enzo5000 said:
Which model Anti-Gravity battery are you using in your R18?
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I linked to the one I'm going to buy but my R18 is only 9 months old. I'll probably go Lithium in the next year but like others said, you're not saving much weight on an R18 going lithium. It's a noticeable difference on a 2-stroke, less so on an R18 (percentage of total curb weight)
 
And, if anyone's in the market for a Lithium chemistry battery, make sure you're looking for "LiFePO4" chemistry, not LiPO or LiON. While LiFePO4 does cost a little more, the discharge cycles are considerably greater (6,000, vs 1,000). So, you're getting vastly more life for your buck (10+ years). Plus, my favorite part: They can FULLY DISCHARGE and recover like nothing happened! Try that with a typical lead-acid or LiON battery!

https://lithiumhub.com/lifepo4-batteries-what-they-are-and-why-theyre-the-best/

So, for the naysayers (*cough* Scott Semone *cough* 🤣), if you're looking for an "install and forget it" deal for the next decade, a quality LiFePO4 battery is that reason. I know we've discussed this elsewhere on this forum, but I have a 2003 r1150rt, where the battery is installed under the fuel tank. I don't know about you, but taking off the Tupperware is bad enough, but I certainly don't want to be messing with my battery every three-four years! A LiFePO4 battery is a no-brainer in those circumstances.

However, all that said, I'm keeping the existing lead-acid on Alcina for now, until her battery starts to go. Then I'll fabricate a custom LiFePO4 cell to fit in the old battery slot. I have the BMW battery tender doing its job in the meantime.

Mike
 
Keehn said:
And, if anyone's in the market for a Lithium chemistry battery, make sure you're looking for "LiFePO4" chemistry, not LiPO or LiON. While LiFePO4 does cost a little more, the discharge cycles are considerably greater (6,000, vs 1,000). So, you're getting vastly more life for your buck (10+ years). Plus, my favorite part: They can FULLY DISCHARGE and recover like nothing happened! Try that with a typical lead-acid or LiON battery!

https://lithiumhub.com/lifepo4-batteries-what-they-are-and-why-theyre-the-best/

So, for the naysayers (*cough* Scott Semone *cough* 🤣), if you're looking for an "install and forget it" deal for the next decade, a quality LiFePO4 battery is that reason. I know we've discussed this elsewhere on this forum, but I have a 2003 r1150rt, where the battery is installed under the fuel tank. I don't know about you, but taking off the Tupperware is bad enough, but I certainly don't want to be messing with my battery every three-four years! A LiFePO4 battery is a no-brainer in those circumstances.

However, all that said, I'm keeping the existing lead-acid on Alcina for now, until her battery starts to go. Then I'll fabricate a custom LiFePO4 cell to fit in the old battery slot. I have the BMW battery tender doing its job in the meantime.

Mike
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Platform Li chemistry

RV YES👍
EV Tesla etc. YES👍
Off Grid Home YES👍
Yacht (floating RV) YES 👍
Motorcycle. Phfff... NO...!!!👎👎
 
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