Magnasport Batteries

[whitestream]

Hi all,

 

Has anyone used magnasport batteries for their fj-09?

https://www.magnacharge.com/part/Magnasport/Vehicle+Battery/YTZ10S/

How are they compared to yausa ones?

https://fortnine.ca/en/yuasa-factory-activated-maintenance-free-battery-yuam7210a-ytz10s

 

Yausa is more expensive so I am looking for cheaper options if possible. 

 

Thx

 

[daboo]

Batteries are "commodity" items.  In other words, there's no rocket science involved here.  Look for things like the CCA on the OEM battery and then find alternatives that have the same model number (YTX10S) and same capacity (CCA).

I bought my last battery that way.  When I found one that looked good, I then checked the customer ratings.  If they have 10 customer reviews, they might be falsified.  But if you're looking at hundreds and hundreds of ratings and virtually all are 4 or 5 star ratings, then you can pretty much be assured that the battery you get will also work just fine.

I paid $48 for my last battery.  Prices have gone up in the past year, but still, I'd buy from them again.  BatteryMart.com has a YTZ10S for $85.  Same specs it appeared as the OEM battery.

Chris

[PhotoAl]

Yes they are pretty much commodity items.  When I rode every day to work my batteries lasted a very long time.  IMO letting a battery get low or too hot are both detrimental to longevity.  The scooter batteries I've bought have come from the local Batteries Plus and have done OK.  Don't know how competitive they are on price.

A couple of days ago a friend was telling me about how much he was having to pay for a car battery.  I was surprised, know they have gone up but seems like what was $100 to $150 is now $100 more!  Know the shortages in inventory have made sales fewer but there are also some steep price increases on some items.

Here is some trivia for you.  I have a Chevy Bolt which is an EV.  In addition to the big battery it also has a conventional lead acid 12V battery.  When the battery goes bad it bricks the car and it has to be jump started to get it to go LOL.  It will also throw all sorts of computer codes as well.  Lights the dash up like a Christmas tree I hear.  Not something unique but common to the other EVs as well.  My old Chevy Volt would do the same thing - LOL handed that risk off to my son-in-law.  That battery is in the trunk and is 7 years old and going strong.  

[roadrash83]

They are made in China, That is all I need to know. I would spend the extra money and buy a Yuasa.

[whitestream]

I guess this is one of those topics which does not have a right or wrong answer. I guess I have to pick one and experience the results   

[PhotoAl]

Yup, as @KellyL said pay more and get a Yuasa and get more but there are other choices which may work well for you.  

Now if you use Castrol motor oil and a Yuasa battery your bike will last forever ......    just kidding!

[Eventhorizon]

Oh yea this is one of those topics that can go on and on. Here is my experience.

I have had a Yuasa from a factory last 8 years no problem and kept on a Battery Tender Jr over the winter and every so often during the summer. I only swapped it out because I figured 8 years was good enough and Just wanted to get another one.

I bought a bike that had a Walmart AGM battery put into it before I took ownership of the bike and it lasted a year under similar circumstances as the previously noted Yuasa. I knew it was dying when starting the bike started to sound like a struggle. That bike then got a Motobatt battery.

I then had a bike that had a MotoBatt battery that was kept on a tender most of the time and that lasted 7 years before I sold the bike. It was still going strong.

Pretty much cheap batteries are cheap for a reason as well as expensive ones are for their reasons, well expensive. The gotcha is that some of the expensive ones are expensive because of the name but not because of top quality (good quality but not best).

If I had to pick dont go cheap but you should go towards more expensive but not the top of the line if your looking for expected reliability of the battery. Checking the battery ratings and reviews can help flesh out the duds from the good ones.

So Yuasa batteries are made in Japan and are on the higher end, but maybe hard to find (other than on line) and I think have a one year warranty
Motobatt (Place made unknown) are a few dollars cheaper and state that they have a little more capacity because they have a way to use "wasted" space in the battery for a little more plates. You can buy direct off their site and their shipping is pretty quick.

Just make sure that you do not buy a Yuasa from Amazon (they are not an authorized reseller and will not cover the battery for warranty). If you get a Yuasa make sure you get it from a reputable dealer.

I depend on my bike as a daily during the 3 seasons that don't have snow and for the sake of knowing my bike will start and that I wont damage my charging system dont go with a cheap battery.

[bwringer]

Are you in the US or Canada? Or somewhere else? That will affect the recommendations of products and sources.

That Magnasport is a generic Chinese AGM battery sold under dozens or hundreds of brand names (note the terminal shape and design). It's cheap and it'll work fine for a while, probably two years at least, but it won't last as long as a better brand. The cheapies serve a purpose, but they're not a good long-term investment.

I realize I am the exception, but I have never had a good experience with a Yuasa AGM battery. Maybe I'm just unlucky.

I have been VERY impressed with Motobatt batteries, and these are my go-to recommendation. I've never been let down. I think I'm up to six years on my oldest Motobatt. Plus they're a groovy yellow, and have those extra terminals. I think they are made in China, but they are very high quality next-level batteries.

My other recommendation is a battery made by Deka. These are sold under several different brand names; "Big Crank" is one. You can recognize them by their light gray case and distinctive solid block lead terminals. However, I don't think they make a battery in an FJ-09 size. Not sure about that.

 

If you are in the US and just want a Chinese AGM cheap that will do the job for a while, then Chrome Battery just outside of Indianapolis is a good source: https://www.chromebattery.com/

Batterymart is another great US vendor. They stock the cheapies as well as Yuasa, Deka and Motobatt:
https://www.batterymart.com/c-yamaha-fj-09-850cc-motorcycle-battery-2015.html

(When you're looking for batteries, remember that the FJ-09 engine is actually categorized as 850cc.)

 

On another note, it is possible to remove the foam spacer and install a bigger battery. This is what I plan to do when it's time to replace mine. Reports are that YTZ12-S and/or YTZ14-S can work, and you get more CCA capacity. I will verify these measurements when the time comes, but it's worth checking into.

Edited February 22, 2022 by bwringer