RT1100 which battery

[man1nvan]

I need a new battery mine doesn't hold a charge any more.  The choice has put me in a bit of a spin.

does anyone know what the oem battery's amp hours and cranking amps were.

will greater cranking amps damage the starter? i suppose the more amp hours the better.

and thirdly  just to save me pulling  off the tupperware again!  what is the max dimensions for a battery

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, man1nvan said:

I need a new battery mine doesn't hold a charge any more.  The choice has put me in a bit of a spin.

does anyone know what the oem battery's amp hours and cranking amps were.

will greater cranking amps damage the starter? i suppose the more amp hours the better.

and thirdly  just to save me pulling  off the tupperware again!  what is the max dimensions for a battery

Afternoon man1nvan

 

The present 1100RT battery being serviced by BMW is   7-1/8" (181mm) x  3" (78mm) x 6-3/4" (170mm),   the rating is  19AH   170Amps.

 

Higher amp battery will not damage anything but higher amp or amp-hour rating is not always better (unless you just want to keep your parking lights on longer). As the amp-hour rating is not figured at engine cranking loading. It is more of a long term low load measurement. 

 

What you really need on the BMW 1100 to keep the ABS from defaulting on startup is a battery with a high CCA (Cold Cranking Amp) rating but unfortunately most motorcycle batteries do not have an easy to find CCA rating. 

[Joe Coastie]

Take a look at the West co batteries that beemer bone yard sells, I've never heard a bad thing about them.

Plus they're good people to do business with.

[man1nvan]

Thanks both  the dimensions,  meant i actually rode the bike today instead of pulling plastic off!

 

Dos higher cold cranking amps value increase the speed with which the starter would spin?

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, man1nvan said:

Thanks both  the dimensions,  meant i actually rode the bike today instead of pulling plastic off!

 

Dos higher cold cranking amps value increase the speed with which the starter would spin?

Afternoon man1nvan

 

Does higher cold cranking amps value increase the speed with which the starter would spin?-- It can, depending on the engine loading on the starter (such as cold cranking) or in cold weather. It won't necessarily increase the free spin (no load) speed of the starter.   

[JamesW]

Look no further than YUASA.

[Lowndes]

Dirtrider,  won't the "choke Lever", aka the throttle advance lever, reduce the intake vacuum load on the starter on the R1100 and give man1nvan a faster spin on cranking??

 

 

[dirtrider]

13 hours ago, Lowndes said:

Dirtrider,  won't the "choke Lever", aka the throttle advance lever, reduce the intake vacuum load on the starter on the R1100 and give man1nvan a faster spin on cranking??

 

 

Morning  Lowndes

 

In theory yes, in actuality no, or at least not enough to feel the difference. But it will probably start quicker so as soon as it starts firing off that will assist. 

[Paul De]

I have had over 15 years of success with a generic AGM battery that is used for wheel chairs and emergency lighting.  Universal UB12220 (12v 22ah) fits in an Oilhead bike like it was made for it.  You do need to ream the post holes slightly to fit the standard bolts, but because the posts are flat plates rather than large lugs it is not a hard job.  Also, because the battery is an AGM type and the OEM voltage regulator is meant for an old school flooded battery you should keep the bike on an AGM compatible battery tender to be sure the battery gets to full charge.  They used to be $55 shipped to your door, but now run about $65 to your door and at that price I change out for a new one at about 5 years even though they are still going strong.  A bonus is with this battery the ABS computer fault out on start up issue never happens.

[Brodiepunker18]

Currently I have the odyssey pc680 in my r1100rt. But it’s pretty old so I’m replacing it with a Motobatt MB51814. 
 

https://www.motobatt.us/MB51814-Motobatt-12V-Battery

 

has quad post and has more Cranking amps than stock battery.

 

[jacksdad63]

On 2/19/2023 at 12:15 AM, Paul De said:

I have had over 15 years of success with a generic AGM battery that is used for wheel chairs and emergency lighting.  Universal UB12220 (12v 22ah) fits in an Oilhead bike like it was made for it.  You do need to ream the post holes slightly to fit the standard bolts, but because the posts are flat plates rather than large lugs it is not a hard job.  Also, because the battery is an AGM type and the OEM voltage regulator is meant for an old school flooded battery you should keep the bike on an AGM compatible battery tender to be sure the battery gets to full charge.  They used to be $55 shipped to your door, but now run about $65 to your door and at that price I change out for a new one at about 5 years even though they are still going strong.  A bonus is with this battery the ABS computer fault out on start up issue never happens.

Looking at these batteries on UK eBay, you can 2x 12V 22Ah deep cycle AGM for a tad under £72...for a pair, and free delivery   

 

[gmcjetpilot]

I am very happy with Full Throttle FT230 AGM. It has more cranking power and Amp-hours than the PC680 Odyssey. I paid about $136 free shipping, no tax.  I have not been happy with Odyssey PC680's for awhile now. They were good but I think quality and life span have gone down. They charge more because of the brand name, around $170.  It is not the price, but quality. They use to last. Seem to die within a year or two. I think a battery if well maintained (not letting it full discharge and not over charging) should last at least 5 yrs. 

.

If you want to go gold plated Lithium Ion.  EarthX. It cost 2 x of Odyseey PC680 and 2.5 the cost of an AMG FT230. https://earthxbatteries.com/product/etx680/

 

Motorcycle (power sport) batteries are abused or I should say disused.  Don't let them discharge and don't over charge them. Constant charging even if trickle is not great either. I like to try and keep the battery around 80% to 90%. If not ridding in winter then set charger on timer or smart charger and keep tabs on it.

[dirtrider]

13 hours ago, jacksdad63 said:

Looking at these batteries on UK eBay, you can 2x 12V 22Ah deep cycle AGM for a tad under £72...for a pair, and free delivery   

 

Morning  jacksdad63

 

A deep cycle AGM is not an actual vehicle starting battery, those are more for continuous use at lower output (like power supplies, or electric trolling motors, etc).  Some deep cycle AGM (like the Odyssey 680) are a dual purpose (power sport and deep cycle). 

 

Not a big deal if you have an easy starting engine & don't ride (actually start)  in a very cold climate. 

 

That 22Ah part is the rating for how long it will run your parking lights or headlights without the engine running (continuous but at a lower output rating). 22 Ah doesn't mean much for vehicle use if the last 4 Ah is output at under 10 volts.  

 

What you really need to look at in a vehicle-starting-battery is the CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) as that is the burst power available for starting a cold sluggish engine while maintaining enough output voltage to run the fueling computer, ignition system, &  fuel injection. (22 Ah battery at 9 volts cold cranking won't start a fuel injected BMW boxer, 18 Ah battery at 11.5 volts cold cranking will start it with ease)

 

I'm not saying that the battery that you are looking at is bad but just something to keep in mind when looking for a vehicle starting battery. 

 

You also need to look at the battery construction as a lot of cheaper deep cycle AGM are meant for back-up power supplies, wheel chairs, etc so have thinner cases, poor plate isolation, small fragile thin battery posts.  Those can work in a motorcycle that sees smooth roads, low vibration, light riding use but they are not very robust for hard usage.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jacksdad63]

Thanks dirtrider, I just spotted these on ebay and wondered if they are of any use to anyone: I'm going to get a Li-ion battery when the time comes. My bike has an Exide 20Ah one fitted, I've only owned the bike a few weeks so no idea how old it is, there's no date on it.

I own a very modified Isuzu Trooper 4x4, 3.0 turbo diesel and have uprated both batteries to huge 120 Ah 980 cca beasties! I go on driving days and often use the winch to rescue others (and myself sometimes!). The engine often takes a lot of cranking when its been stood a while, hence the need for the huge output.

My bikes are also used just for fun these days, I fitted a Li-ion battery to my ZZR1200 and it really spins the motor now, it fires instantly every time, even after being stood for w few weeks. The size and weight of Li-ions is staggering as well, a quarter of the original, the ZZR one came with plastic spacers to pack up the gaps in the box!

[Luky]

My 3rd PC680 is about dead from sitting too much.  After about 5 years it gave me ABS faults on Saturday after riding up to local home depot even after I charged it overnight.  Looking for a replacement as these are now ~$160 (my current one was only $115 according to my records when I replaced it 1/27/2018; under 3k miles added in that time).

 

Anyone have experience with a LiFePO4 type battery or a Mighty Max Gel battery for $60 like this one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JNZ1CF4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A33N703ELCFX8U&psc=1

 

Size looks comparable to a PC680 and has several good reviews from BMW R11xx owners...  Any thoughts?  $60 seems reasonable for my hanger queen with only occasional rides...

 

I see the WestCo 12V20P Classic  is available for $88 with free shipping in Commifornia from Sierra BMW...

 

https://www.shopbmwmotorcycle.com/products/westco-12v20p-classic-agm-battery-for-bmw-motorcycles?variant=12733909663803

[Jim Moore]

I've always had good luck with WestCo and PC-680 batteries. I did not like the Lithium Ion battery I tried on my R1100S. It struggled to start the bike if it was the slightest bit cold. I might try one if I lived in South Florida, but it was a problem even her in North Florida.

[9Mary7]

probably ought to invest in a maintainer as well.......

[John Ranalletta]

9 hours ago, Luky said:

My 3rd PC680 is about dead from sitting too much.  After about 5 years it gave me ABS faults on Saturday after riding up to local home depot even after I charged it overnight.  Looking for a replacement as these are now ~$160 (my current one was only $115 according to my records when I replaced it 1/27/2018; under 3k miles added in that time).

 

Anyone have experience with a LiFePO4 type battery or a Mighty Max Gel battery for $60 like this one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JNZ1CF4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A33N703ELCFX8U&psc=1

 

Size looks comparable to a PC680 and has several good reviews from BMW R11xx owners...  Any thoughts?  $60 seems reasonable for my hanger queen with only occasional rides...

 

I see the WestCo 12V20P Classic  is available for $88 with free shipping in Commifornia from Sierra BMW...

 

https://www.shopbmwmotorcycle.com/products/westco-12v20p-classic-agm-battery-for-bmw-motorcycles?variant=12733909663803

 

Recently bought this on Ebay.  Lowest priced PC680 I found.

 

Here's a post i made about it.

 

Good luck.

[Luky]

13 hours ago, Jim Moore said:

I've always had good luck with WestCo and PC-680 batteries. I did not like the Lithium Ion battery I tried on my R1100S. It struggled to start the bike if it was the slightest bit cold. I might try one if I lived in South Florida, but it was a problem even her in North Florida.

Hi Jim, long time no talk...  I'm still in San Diego so CCA not really a concern for me.  Thanks for the input.

 

I am thinking I will get the WestCo as it just seems the safer and more economical option. 

 

@9Mary7 I used to keep it on a low power motorcycle battery charger plugged into my Acc port on my dash with an adapter I had made, but it is no longer working (may have toasted the socket or wiring?  Have not had the motivation to dig into it.) 

 

Removing the seat is a PITA and keeping an extension cord stretched  across the garage to set up a charger is a nuisance. I try to run it to op temp (2-3 bars) once every month or two, and just charge it overnight when it doesn't want to crank or I am planning to go for a ride.  Been a long time since my Bun Burner days and my back is not what it used to be 20+ years ago when I got the RT, so mainly fair weather rides of only an hour or two for me now or an occasional trip around the neighborhood to the store... 

 

@John Ranalletta Thanks for the input and link. (I'm a Heinlein fan too!)

 

Be well and keep the shiny side up!

[Lowndes]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:40 AM, John Ranalletta said:

 

Recently bought this on Ebay.  Lowest priced PC680 I found.

 

Here's a post i made about it.

 

Good luck.

John,

 

Your post caught my attention.  I enlarged the ebay pic and saw "Genesis" so I googled genesis and found this:

 

https://www.enersys.com/en/

 

Under PRODUCTS < BATTERIES, I saw this:

 

 

And I always thought that Oerlikon made 20mm cannons.

 

 

Now, whether they are identical batteries, I can't tell.  When I search for "PC680- ODYSSEY" on the site this pops up:

 

 

I didn't know there were two flavors of ODYSSEY and neither shows a PC680, but somehow found this under the Technical Specifications for the Extreme battery:

 

 

There is some overlap here (above and below) and the cols don't line up, but it's the same page:

 

 

 

While on the Genesis XE, they show this for TECHNICAL SPECS:

 

 

I dunno.  

 

So, tell us how it works out in the real world, please.

 

Lowndes

 

B

[John Ranalletta]

3 hours ago, Lowndes said:

John,

 

Your post caught my attention.  I enlarged the ebay pic and saw "Genesis" so I googled genesis and found this:

 

https://www.enersys.com/en/

 

Under PRODUCTS < BATTERIES, I saw this:

 

 

And I always thought that Oerlikon made 20mm cannons.

 

 

Now, whether they are identical batteries, I can't tell.  When I search for "PC680- ODYSSEY" on the site this pops up:

 

 

I didn't know there were two flavors of ODYSSEY and neither shows a PC680, but somehow found this under the Technical Specifications for the Extreme battery:

 

 

There is some overlap here (above and below) and the cols don't line up, but it's the same page:

 

 

 

While on the Genesis XE, they show this for TECHNICAL SPECS:

 

 

I dunno.  

 

So, tell us how it works out in the real world, please.

 

Lowndes

 

B

Thanks, @Lowndes.  It's only been installed for a month or so but so far, so good.  The Ebay seller said it was the very same as the PC680.  If placed next to each other, visually, they are identical except for label.

[rabitoblanco]

On 5/18/2023 at 2:18 PM, John Ranalletta said:

Thanks, @Lowndes.  It's only been installed for a month or so but so far, so good.  The Ebay seller said it was the very same as the PC680.  If placed next to each other, visually, they are identical except for label.

How's your battery going so far? Do you have the ABS lights on?

[John Ranalletta]

Working perfectly. No problem under operating conditions and holds a charge in storage when I forget to connect the tender. 

 

Replaced the ABS module recently.  The lights cycle as intended.  The "brake failure light" comes on with ignition but goes off when a few feet underway.  No other warnings, etc.