I recently replaced my stock 5 year old HD battery. I considered a Lithium one but after factoring its considerable increased cost and the need to buy a different battery maintainer it just didn't make financial sense. Instead, I bought a YUASA brand AGM battery (GYZ32HL) for only $127.97 with free shipping (from Chaparral). I could have bought 3 of them for the price of one Lithium battery. As others have said, the weight savings difference means nothing to me given the full weight of my Ultra Limited.

 

Must laugh at those touting an 8 pound weight saving on a close to 1200 pound sled and rider "assembly". Perhaps for those with arthritic fingers and wrists, the lithium battery is easier to install and remove. Otherwise, this seems like a new development not quite ready for prime time yet.

 

Yes. The information is even on Harley-Davidsons website if you know where to look under the battery specs.
The lithium battery has 8a/h (amp hours) of reserve power.
The lead acid AGM battery has 30a/h (amp hours) of reserve power.

Just an FYI, the Yuasa lead acid AGM replacement battery mentioned in this thread is a great battery.(GYZ32HL)
500cca and 32a/h of reserve, shop around and can be shipped to your house under $150.00

Be aware all these lithium battery sellers including Harley-Davidson use misleading specifications when it comes to cold cranking amps on lithium batteries.
Cold cranking amps are the industry specification for batteries however since lithium batteries are usually poor in this regard they use the word cranking amps which is nothing more then a squirrelly and deceptive way of misleading the public into thinking the battery is more powerful than it is.
If you can't find the industry-standard of cold cranking amps stamped on the battery or an official specification sheet for that battery model number run away.

Cranking amps is not cold cranking amps!!

 

My Road King is over 10 years old, it has gone through the original and as of last week a second Deka battery. The bike has always cranked well and the batteries have warned me when they have reached the end of their service life. I will admit to using a tender all the time which for me is a none issue. Perhaps one day the AGM may be phased out as the old lead acid was, progress is a good thing, however I will stick to the current technology due to price and satisfactory performance. Read this Forum and you will be well educated on your personal decision.
Mike

 

That's funny! Every 2 or 3 years? My bike is an '08 FLHT, and I now have a touch over 121,000 miles on it, and I'm on my second battery. Replaced the stator this year, and the regulator. The bike starts great, and stays charged nicely. As for the engine, stage one, with true duals, nothing else. All LED lights except turn signals, and they'll be coming soon. Then again, I ride it most every day it isn't raining or snowing, so maybe that makes a difference. It never sits long without being ran.

 

I used to spend a lot of money reducing weight and increasing HP to be more competitive on the track. Twenty years and a few pounds later, I just want to stay under the GVWR and keep up with the young whippersnappers around me.

HD advertises a 17.6 lbs reduction in weight for touring bikes. That sounds pretty good. And, I don't ride in freezing temps. I just don't know if I can justify the the additional $170 in cost. I guess I'll wait and see where where the prices are when this battery dies.

 

laugh if you wish, but the op isn't doing anything wrong. down here in la, i'm lucky to get more than 2-1/2 to 3 years out of a bike battery. the heat just kills them, and it is hot here for more than half the year. the good news is that a new battery (non hd brand) is a little over $100. divide that by 2 and you're looking at $50 a year or less. i can live with that. at least i get to ride year round.

 

The shade tree wisdom passed on as good operating practice suggests that a dying battery can take out both the voltage regulator and stator. If you can save enough by stretching batteries to the last possible moment before replacement to pay for a new stator and VR on every other battery change, you must work the math differently than I do. The money is only part of it, the nuisance and time lost in the teardown for stator replacement makes it an even worse bargain for ME. Obviously, your experience and priorities are different.

 

I do agree that HEAT more than COLD beats up batteries.

 

Exactly,
Most people from cooler more temperate areas of the country do not understand, HEAT kills batteries, Cold preserves batteries
I didnt know this either until I moved down south 13 years ago.

Besides all that, even up north, I pretty much replace batteries every 4 years or so and my boats, Always every 3 Max.
Batteries are cheap, rather just replace them once and know I am good to go.

Again, here in the south doesn't matter, boat, car, truck, bike, Try to make it 4 years on a battery and it would be very likely you end up stuck someplace. )

Also, you really cant compare how long someones battery lasts in a bike, for the reason you mentioned, heat and riding conditions. I dont mind the heat, we will ride even when the daytime highs hit 100+ (many parts of the country do not see those temps nor would people ride in them) sometimes on the way to the beach where it will get cooler by up to 10 degrees you still can sit in traffic and let me tell you at that point, it does get very hot, just think about that battery cooking away. So there is no such thing as someones battery lasting longer then the other, its someones riding conditions are different then the other.