Trying a new Battery... again.

[Megadan]

Yeah, time for what seems like my annual new battery. Some of it my fault, but some of it is just buying the cheap batteries from Amazon.

So, my plan is to buy a cheap LiFePO4 battery from Amazon with a built in BMS. :tup::crazy:

Trying a slightly different "same thing" to get a different result, because I'm insane.

240cca with 4ah capacity. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJC3H42G?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

The higher cranking amps will be welcome with the high compression 70mm bore setup on my bike, which definitely struggled a bit on the old one. I remember when I had the BTL14 lithium battery on my old Hawk, and how fast it cranked over, so hopefully this will do the same. For $60, it's a lot cheaper than that battery was as well. It does have a lower capacity, but not enough to concern me.

Then I just have to decide if I want to sell it this year or keep it longer.

[JerryHawk250]

I'd interested in seeing how long it will last. Funny thing is my 2022 KPX still has the factory battery and is still going strong. Might be because the Lifan bikes came with a decent battery. I've bought several cheap batteries for Amazon. Two years is about max on those. I'm tempted to try s lithium battery when ever I need to replace any of my batteries.

[Megadan]

I'd interested in seeing how long it will last. Funny thing is my 2022 KPX still has the factory battery and is still going strong. Might be because the Lifan bikes came with a decent battery. I've bought several cheap batteries for Amazon. Two years is about max on those. I'm tempted to try s lithium battery when ever I need to replace any of my batteries.

Just make sure it comes with a built in BMS since it will be replacing the battery on a bike that came with lead acid. Most charging systems can go too high on the charge voltage, so it helps prevent that potential hazard.

[China Rider 27]

Lithium is the way to go if you can afford it! The cheap lead acid always seem to die right on cue at exactly two years. The HAWK is a great bike! If it meets your needs keep it! I sold mine a year ago and will always miss it. With all the mods it was just a great bike and rode so smooth with the suspension modifications you had demonstrated in your posts. Alas; I have since progressed to other more powerful and expensive bikes and just did not ride it enough to justify the garage space. I have yet to ride a bike that rides as smooth and comfortable in the backroad! CG strong, ride hard!

[Megadan]

Lithium is the way to go if you can afford it! The cheap lead acid always seem to die right on cue at exactly two years. The HAWK is a great bike! If it meets your needs keep it! I sold mine a year ago and will always miss it. With all the mods it was just a great bike and rode so smooth with the suspension modifications you had demonstrated in your posts. Alas; I have since progressed to other more powerful and expensive bikes and just did not ride it enough to justify the garage space. I have yet to ride a bike that rides as smooth and comfortable in the backroad! CG strong, ride hard!

That's the issue with my Hawk these days. I put maybe 1k a year on it, tops. Life and priorities have changed, and I landed a new gig that pays the best I've ever been paid up to this point in my life, so my financials aren't as unstable and weak as they used to be.

It is a great bike. I love my Hawk, but I hate to see it sit. My Shotgun 650 gets the same fuel economy and has more than double the power, so it's more useable on the highway, which I mostly ride on. We will see though. If I try to sell it, I doubt I will get more than a grand for it simply due to it's age, lower miles or not. I'm not entirely decided at this point though, and maybe if I use it as my main commuter for the summer I can grow to love it again.

[slithica]

I went with this one.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CNT4Y6WV?ie=UTF8&psc=1


As neat as the battery gauge is you'll really never need it.


It is also a failure point. I've tried a few different lithium batteries. The weize ones were always good.


The cheap lead ones are/were only $25 each though. So I'll hope this one lasts at least 4 years.


Mine was the ytx9 size. The hawk size.


It appears that size isn't in stock right now. :/
I also tried one other brand that was ok, but that's not even for sale.


lol. Chinese brands come and go so quickly.

[Megadan]

I went with this one.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CNT4Y6WV?ie=UTF8&psc=1


As neat as the battery gauge is you'll really never need it.


It is also a failure point. I've tried a few different lithium batteries. The weize ones were always good.


The cheap lead ones are/were only $25 each though. So I'll hope this one lasts at least 4 years.


Mine was the ytx9 size. The hawk size.


It appears that size isn't in stock right now. :/
I also tried one other brand that was ok, but that's not even for sale.


lol. Chinese brands come and go so quickly.

I don't really care about the gauge part of it. It also has an on/off switch so I will just leave it off. If it lasts a couple of years, great. That's all I care about at the end of the day.

It did arrive today, and according to that built in gauge it's fully charged, so that's nice.

The Hawk battery size is technically a 9, but it's an odd style of 9 series battery that nobody really makes in the aftermarket, and all of the YTX9 batteries have the terminals swapped.

The perfect battery for the Hawk did already exist, and I had it in my first bike. That Battery Tender BTL14 series battery had quad posts, 240cca, and a higher capacity. It was almost the exact same size as the stock battery too. It's been discontinued or a while, and nobody makes anything remotely equivalent to it except one that I have found, and it is double the price of this cheap one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D841GMYL/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A3FE3Y2174BV9H&psc=1

Also, the thing has enough CCA to start 4 hawks simultaneously, which is hilarious. That's enough power to start most car engines.

[slithica]

Oh yeah, the lithium ones have 700+ cca when I tested them.

Way more than needed. It's cool though.


They also usually come with a ton of foam blocks so you can fit it in almost any motorcycle.



The hawks terminals are the reverse of YTX9 batteries?


That's odd. I never had trouble on the magician. Are they swapped between the two bikes?


I did make a custom tray eventually, but before then I never had trouble hooking up the ytx9s.

[Megadan]

Oh yeah, the lithium ones have 700+ cca when I tested them.

Way more than needed. It's cool though.


They also usually come with a ton of foam blocks so you can fit it in almost any motorcycle.



The hawks terminals are the reverse of YTX9 batteries?


That's odd. I never had trouble on the magician. Are they swapped between the two bikes?


I did make a custom tray eventually, but before then I never had trouble hooking up the ytx9s.

The Hawk battery positive is on the right, ground is on the left. That's why I run the ytx7 series battery. Just needs a 1 inch foam block on one side for the battery holder.