I always had the stock battery last up to 4 to 5 years on a battery tender. Any batteries (OEM or aftermarket) after that, would not last as long.

 

Last week I just knew I had a catastrophic battery failure.

I ride my EVO Springer everyday but only about 10 or 12 miles. I'm also a believer in amber spot lamps

I had noticed that my engine wasn't firing off on the first jab of the starter like it used to. It would just roll over slowly requiring me to hit the button a second time.

So in my mind I'm thinking the battery is on the way out. Then it happened. It wouldn't start so it's time for a new battery.

I pulled the battery and took it to my local NAPA auto parts store. Their available choices for a replacement battery were another AGM or a lithium ion battery for nearly 250 bucks.

I had the cash in my pocket because I had convinced myself that I needed a new one

The lithium was really cool. Smaller, lighter, and more powerful.

My salesperson is a biker. Instead of putting a hard sell on me....we talked. He asked me to describe my riding pattern. When he heard that I put less than 20 miles a day, day after day he offered to put my 1 1/2 year old AGM battery on the charger so he could put it on their tester fully charged.

That charge was all I needed!
He told me that my bike was trying to tell me something. That slow roll over was my signal that it was time for me to take a nice long ride....more often.

I don't use a battery tender. Never have.

 

I still have my OEM battery, it's in new condition sitting on my garage floor.
I replaced it when the bike was new with a lithium one.

 

My '17 RGS battery failed in less than 2 years, I know because I had it replaced under warranty just before it ran out. It actually had been going for months, when trying to start the bike everything would die for a second, and after a second or 2 it would crank. Got worse and worse and barely started the day I took it to the dealer for replacement. My new battery is 3.5 years old, but started doing the same thing after only 6 moths or so. It always gets the bike started, but has to try very hard. I did switch from an older battery tender to a NOCO tender that can do AGM batteries, but only after the second battery started acting up. I'll be getting a new battery in the spring when I wake her up from her winter's nap.

 

what brand is the replacement? Do you have any engine work that increased the compression and dont have releases? I've had good luck with my battery from batterymart.com great price and I'm going into my fourth season with it. I only put it on the tender over the winter and if for some reason I won't be riding for 3 or more days during the season. I'll definitely get it tested again before the season starts but it tested perfectly right before we rode to laconia this year. Very interested to hear what brand you have though.

 

i have never got more than 3 years out of them. when i bought this fatboy the battery was dead i told them they had to replace the battery. they replaced it and gave me a warranty for life on my battery, and the paperwork to go with it. i dont see me buying another bike, so i will take them up on the warranty for sure. it really doesn't matter. 100 dollar battery for 3 years that is very doable. when a battery goes you are just sitting there, so i dont mind changing it every 3 years. cheap insurance

 

Harley (Deka) batteries used to last 5-7 years. Both my 2014 RK and my 2015 RG, the batteries were shot at 2 years. When not riding, my bikes are on a tender. The replacement batteries (Yuasa, more cranking amps than Harley and $50 less money, better warranty) for both bikes are still going. My FXR has a AntiGravity litium iron, it's 3 years old, gobs of power super light. The Lowrider S and baggers will get one when the AGM are done.

 

I replaced the original with a freshly made Deka. Supposedly the same battery as the original. I don't keep it connected to a battery tender. But do use a battery tender during the off season about every 7 to 10 days. Same as I have always done.

 

Nearly 3 years on my OEM battery so far.

 

I let my batteries cool down after a ride, but other than that they are kept full time on a charger/tender. Going on three years now, and no signs of failure from any of them. Done all my past batteries like this and gotten multi-year use from them.