Battery Recommendation for 2nd Gen VFR's

Which one of the 2nd gen guru's can recommend a newer style battery for our VFR's? Anyone using Lithium batteries yet?

Way back in 2009 I installed a Scorpion YB12C battery in my '86 VFR700 when I first attempted to pull this bike out of mothballs.. It was the only sealed battery that was recommended over the stock Yuasa. That Scorpion battery replaced a battery that went way back to 1968 or so on Honda street bikes. I kept this battery charged every 2-4 weeks until I recently made the bike roadworthy. There is absolutely no problem with this battery. In fact I am impressed with it. But it is now 6 years old.

If this battery starts to get weak, what would you replace it with? No conventional batteries are allowed. The previous owner, sometime before 1993 let the stock battery leak all over the swing arm as you can see from my first photo. I hope to somehow clean the swing arm up and make it look nice again. The second photo is of the Scorpion battery. It look well made also. Weight 9#. Lithium 2#.

This bike received a RM Stator brand MOSFET RR after it was running good also. I mounted it temporarily near the battery. It would not fit under the seat well. I may relocate it back under the seat later when the snow is flying. But, for now it works flawlessly and runs about 145F on a hot day. The battery 125F. The stock RR ran 225F+. I am not sure the insulation I added on the battery will do any good but it is there to help.

I actually sold a Corvette to buy a new VFR 800 or 1200 but after spending time with this 30 year old VFR, I could not be more impressed. It is absolutely flawless at everything it does even for a 30 year old motorcycle. In fact I am even more impressed at how well it works compared to today's bikes. But, this great bike in no way could rival the handling, looks, ride or power of a newer VFR's. I guess I am impressed at how much effort Honda put into this generation of VFR's at a time when the motorcycle industry was struggling. Way to go HONDA!!

 

So you're in LOVE ?? :congratulatory:

Riders who don't hook up the battery vent tube and ruin stuff may not deserve a Honda. :grey:

 

They HAD to get this one right; their previously snow white engineering reputation had taking a pasting with the previous generation VF750F which had an appetite for camchains and camshafts, and the competition was pushing out interesting new things like the lightweight GSX-R and the 20-valve FZ750. The 86 model was consequently very well engineered indeed, and restored many people's faith in the Honda brand (me included).

 

I knew I was smitten with VFR's when I saw the taillights of the Corvette going down the road to Utah. Even after 23 years I still get weak in the knees when I hear a VFR go past!!!! OK, I did get weak knees in August when I took a vacation to Evansville Indiana to visit racing friends. I went to a friends shop called Hot Rods. He had bought a 2012 1199 Ducati Panigale and she was naked. The fairing was out to the paint shop. Unbelievable!!! I took many pic and left..... My checkbook almost strayed that day. But I stayed faithful to my Honda.

 

Cadbury, What a save by Honda!! Look what this bike through the generations has turned into 30 years later. And the MotoGP bikes are still using this configuration!!! Honda says one of the most difficult parts of setting up these engines is getting the cam gear tolerance correct in the "Secrets Behind Their RC-V Series". Very fascinating. I am wondering if this is the reason they went to cam chains in recent years. Easier mass production.
I have scoured Ebay for old articles in mags about this bike and some like Motorcyclist in 11/86 were almost gushing like I have about this bike. This is such a great history about Honda and these bikes.

 

The switch to chain driven cams is probably cost saving although I suspect noise limitations were part of it as well. The gear drives are pretty noisy especially in the RC45 and 5th engines where the drive was moved out from between the cylinders (but I'm ok with that).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

There's no reason you can't at least fit an AGM battery. They don't need a vent tube.

 

I forgot to explain that this battery is already a AGM. It is a substitute for a wide range of old bikes that used a conventional battery in the past. Is there a better battery than this one that works like a specific Yuasa? The next gens 3,4 5th uses a YTX12-BS. It is too wide to fit in the battery box. These batteries can be installed at any angle though.

Is anyone using Lithium batteries in any year VFR yet? I have heard lithium batteries sometimes may not have enough cranking power at lower temperatures. What do you think? I also know a Yuasa can last for a decade if well maintained like my 2004 CRF250X Yuasa that was replaced a few weeks ago that lasted 12 years in that bike. It lays on its back under the seat.

 

There are maintenance free batteries that fit the 86. When I had mine I purchased one from batteries+ in person, I'm sorry I don't recall the number. But I remember the stock battery cross reference to the one on their site was the wrong size.

Maybe give these guys a try.

http://www.batterymart.com/p-mb12u-motobatt-agm-battery.html

 

Thanks V4.

That is a good start. The Yuasa website is Zero help. It only lists the conventional battery with no upgrade to AGM. Maybe this is where other manufacturers step in and fill in with upgrades. I want to get the very best battery I can find. Eddie

 

I put a maintenance free AGM in my 99 2 years ago. It's still going.

 

So has anyone had experience with Lithium batteries in any year bike yet? I am not liking what I am hearing about cold weather cranking power.

 

Have you all looked at the Odyssey dry cell batteries? I've been using them in my cars for the last 9 yrs. They make a battery for the RC30, may be worth looking into. Just a thought.

 

That looks like another alternative.