A word about Odyssey batteries

[wingandaprayer]

In a recent post I described a charging system issue our 1200 has. What I didn't say was the Odyssey battery I installed last fall powered the bike by itself for somewhere around 2 hours of riding, including at least 3 engine starts - 1 cold and 2 hot before discharging enough that the ignition shut down at an intersection stop sign. As soon as the bike was recovered and dropped off at our camp (say maybe 2 hours), I charged the battery and it is holding volts and happy. We don't run any electrics besides stock lighting and ignition, but this is still pretty good capacity from this small battery.

[neoracer]

next time you have to ride in a charging system problem,pull the headlight fuse and ride in the middle of the pack,that would get you a little closer to camp before a problem of low voltage occaurs

[CrystalPistol]

I put an Odyssey battery in our 1997 GL1500 SE / Lehman Trike in August 2004 and I suffered a rotor failure in my Comp-u-fire in 2006 in heavy rain and fog on the Blue Ridge Parkway while with a group. I noticed a problem when I looked down and saw the volt meter on the high side of 11 as we pulled into Orchard Gap. 73 long miles remained to the motel at Park Vista. Sent most of the group ahead and one other trike and a member driving his car due to a broken lag traveled behind me, I'ld drive until volts were under 9 and pull over at first spot and shut down and we'ld use cables from car to boost it back at fast idle and when up to over 13 on the volt meter, I'ld start her and pull cable and we'ld go again. After 5 or so stops (I kept lights on and was pulling a trailer as it was very inclement) we pulled into Park Vista with under 8 volts reading and she died in front of my room (I knew which I was in) and next AM I swapped in a stock spare another member had along and was going to swap batteries but just for the kicks, I tried starting it with the Odyssey that had shown under 8 the evening before and which had not been charged since. Set choke and hit button .... she fired up after a slow turn. Color me "impressed". Got alternator fixed when I got home, that Odyssey is still turning her over with great authority. 8-1/2 years + old.

Odyssey is what is going in my 1200 next as well.

[wingandaprayer]

next time you have to ride in a charging system problem,pull the headlight fuse and ride in the middle of the pack,that would get you a little closer to camp before a problem of low voltage occaurs

That's good advice neoracer.

Our plucky steed decided to have it's failure at a stop sign on the Main Street in Julian, CA, 25 downhill paddle steps from a parking spot, which was 67 steps to an apple pie and coffee place, which sufficed while the completely professional motorcycle specific recovery truck (SoCal Motorcycle Towing) came to fetch us back to camp, courtesy of our Good Sam Roadside Assistance... so we did not suffer too bad for my foolishness (I have a Poorboy kit on the shelf in the garage... ) - plus there was a spare Triumph back at camp so we didn't actually lose any riding opportunity...

[SIR tricky]

They are a super battery which can be relied on.

[wingandaprayer]

I put an Odyssey battery in our 1997 GL1500 SE / Lehman Trike in August 2004 and I suffered a rotor failure in my Comp-u-fire in 2006 in heavy rain and fog on the Blue Ridge Parkway while with a group. I noticed a problem when I looked down and saw the volt meter on the high side of 11 as we pulled into Orchard Gap. 73 long miles remained to the motel at Park Vista. Sent most of the group ahead and one other trike and a member driving his car due to a broken lag traveled behind me, I'ld drive until volts were under 9 and pull over at first spot and shut down and we'ld use cables from car to boost it back at fast idle and when up to over 13 on the volt meter, I'ld start her and pull cable and we'ld go again. After 5 or so stops (I kept lights on and was pulling a trailer as it was very inclement) we pulled into Park Vista with under 8 volts reading and she died in front of my room (I knew which I was in) and next AM I swapped in a stock spare another member had along and was going to swap batteries but just for the kicks, I tried starting it with the Odyssey that had shown under 8 the evening before and which had not been charged since. Set choke and hit button .... she fired up after a slow turn. Color me "impressed". Got alternator fixed when I got home, that Odyssey is still turning her over with great authority. 8-1/2 years + old.

Odyssey is what is going in my 1200 next as well.

A great feature of the Odyssey technology is if you do have a charging issue, and are externally charging the battery they take a charge in short order... I recharged ours from around 11.5 volts to full charge in 2 hrs maybe - using a small 10 amp charger...

Odyssey instructions warn agains leaving them on "trickle chargers" or "maintainers" that are not on the Odyssey approved list... but a recharge and then disconnect the charger is ok

[CrystalPistol]

And as of March 29, 2014 ..... that Odyssey is still starting the '97 GL1500SE / Lehman trike. Come August, she'll have 10 years under her belt, .... err plates .... err mats ..... or whatever!

[admin]

In a recent post I described a charging system issue our 1200 has. What I didn't say was the Odyssey battery I installed last fall powered the bike by itself for somewhere around 2 hours of riding, including at least 3 engine starts - 1 cold and 2 hot before discharging enough that the ignition shut down at an intersection stop sign. As soon as the bike was recovered and dropped off at our camp (say maybe 2 hours), I charged the battery and it is holding volts and happy. We don't run any electrics besides stock lighting and ignition, but this is still pretty good capacity from this small battery.

If you pull the fuse from the headlight circuit and shut off the headlight you can get almost 3.5 hours of riding time (if you push start only even more time) out of the Odyssey with no charging system. It's the best battery I have ever owned.

[detdrbuzzard]

me and my niece were down in logansport, in a couple years ago when the stator went out on the 1200 wing. we forgot about it until we got on the road the next day. the odyssey in the 1200 gave up 40 miles outside of bowling green, oh where we switched batterys ( the 1500 has an odyssey too )

[CrystalPistol]

Maybe I'm pushing it .... but not intentionally. That Odyssey PC680 that was installed in the Trike that I spoke of above ..... is now 11 years and 4 months on the job and showing no sign of giving up.

[SIR tricky]

nice to hear