New battery

[Grumpy Goat]

GG - Bringing this old thread up, I just ordered a Yuasa GYZ16H from Amazon at $121.  The vendor is Motorheadzone.  So I checked on their web site and the same battery is $180.  Strange, and I ordered via Amazon with free shipping.  My bike is 2017 so I have no complaints about the service life of the original battery.

Last fall I was having trouble starting the bike.  Sometimes nothing when pushing the start button.  Sometimes lights went dim. Sometimes started fine.  So it might not actually be the battery.  Might be poor contact in the start button, or other poor connection.  But I'll start with the battery since I really don't feel like playing with the wires.  Will update when I put this new battery into service.

Bob, I know you will be pleased with the Yuasa battery as I still am. Just make sure all your grounds are solid and I am sure the intermittent issues will be cured. In my mind as long as I get 4 years out of a battery I am satisfied ... more than that is gravy. With my original one I tended not to use a battery tender charger when not used for like 2 weeks or so during the winter and maybe that hastened the original battery's demise as I only got 3 years out of it. This one goes on the tender whenever I am not using it but am using the Tracer.

[BobAin'tStoppin']

Well my battery came in today. Shipped from Champlain NY via USPS. This thing is HEAVY. Good thing I have lost a couple of pounds lately. Voltage as received is 12.88, so should be all good to go. I think this weekend is battery install, and tire replacement. Perhaps also rear brake pads, which I have in stock. Will report after it's done.

[Grumpy Goat]

Well my battery came in today.  Shipped from Champlain NY via USPS.  This thing is HEAVY.  Good thing I have lost a couple of pounds lately.  Voltage as received is 12.88, so should be all good to go.  I think this weekend is battery install, and tire replacement.  Perhaps also rear brake pads, which I have in stock.  Will report after it's done.

Great. Yes it is not light but as I mentioned before, in my case before I spend money getting any sort of featherlight battery (or exhaust) I have to lose maybe 30# and gain a whole lot more riding skill. I think you'll be satisfied with this battery and the fact that your normal mattery charger / maintainer would be able to work with it. Have fun installing these new bits - battery and pads should be 1/2 hour ... tires ... that can be an adventure. 

[maxredline]

Yuasa AGM batteries, 3 to choose from on their site for the RS.
YTX14-BS, 10.1 lbs. Amps 1.4, CCA 200
YTX14H-BS, 10.6 lbs. Amps 1.2, CCA 240
GYZ16H, 12.4 lbs. Amps 1.6, CCA 240

[Grumpy Goat]

One consideration when buying is the dimensions of the battery and also electrode position and orientation. When buying mine I made sure I checked the OEM battery for these characteristics and then did my research based on that. Chose the best bang for the buck battery.

[BobAin'tStoppin']

OK, Battery installed today. This is the GYZ16H that GG is using. For the record, this battery is for the owner that wants to stuff in the biggest thing that will fit. It's a tight squeeze. My original battery had a one inch or so hard foam spacer under it. The new one replaces the spacer with more capacity. The battery is really solid and a tight fit, but it does go in. Of course, the BMW mounting arrangement doesn't make it easy and it took some effort to get the end cover back on there. I'm glad I shouldn't need to have any repeat performance!

The installed battery showed close to full charge. Pushing the start button was quite a shock. The bike fired up within the first revolution. Like instant! I don't think the original battery ever started the bike like this. Serious muscle. Thanks GG for your write up and recommendation. I hope to get my first ride this weekend if the weather will cooperate.

[Grumpy Goat]

OK, Battery installed today.  This is the GYZ16H that GG is using.  For the record, this battery is for the owner that wants to stuff in the biggest thing that will fit.  It's a tight squeeze.  My original battery had a one inch or so hard foam spacer under it.  The new one replaces the spacer with more capacity.  The battery is really solid and a tight fit, but it does go in.  Of course, the BMW mounting arrangement doesn't make it easy and it took some effort to get the end cover back on there.  I'm glad I shouldn't need to have any repeat performance!

The installed battery showed close to full charge.  Pushing the start button was quite a shock.  The bike fired up within the first revolution.  Like instant!  I don't think the original battery ever started the bike like this.  Serious muscle.  Thanks GG for your write up and recommendation.  I hope to get my first ride this weekend if the weather will cooperate.

You are most welcome. Indeed that battery is a tight fit, has nice cranking power and, especially with my winter fuel, it starts instantly seemingly on even a half press of the starter button. Not so in summer.

Mine was a tight fit as you mentioned, but there is still some room at the top of the battery, and I did not have any issues getting the cover back on. I don't even remember a foam spacer ... maybe I should go watch my video ... that's what its there for ...

[BobAin'tStoppin']

GG. I think the various model years had different batteries. My original, is a Yuasa YTZ14S and 3-3/8 inches tall. So the spacer made up the height difference.

[Grumpy Goat]

GG.  I think the various model years had different batteries.  My original, is a Yuasa YTZ14S and 3-3/8 inches tall.  So the spacer made up the height difference.

I think you are absolutely right. I have heard other similar reports as well.

Information like this is not found anywhere but on Forums which is why I encourage people to join if interested in actually getting the real-world information on any product of importance.

[Lee]

BMW started to use a larger battery in the 1200 sometime in 2018 and removed the spacer. When both of our batteries were replaced in 2018 under warrany the service manager mentioned the change and installed the bigger batteries .
Bob does your bike have the rubber strap to hold the battery in place or the plastic holder.
For anyone with with the plastic part, here's a video.
https://youtu.be/TjQLTDUkJUM

[Grumpy Goat]

BMW started to use a larger battery in the 1200 sometime in 2018 and removed the spacer. When both of our batteries were replaced in 2018 under warrany the service manager mentioned the change and installed the bigger batteries .
Bob does your bike have the rubber strap to hold the battery in place or the plastic holder.
For anyone with with the plastic part, here's a video.
https://youtu.be/TjQLTDUkJUM

Hmmmm .... my 2016 has both the rubber strap and the larger battery ...

[Lee]

BMW started to use a larger battery in the 1200 sometime in 2018 and removed the spacer. When both of our batteries were replaced in 2018 under warrany the service manager mentioned the change and installed the bigger batteries .
Bob does your bike have the rubber strap to hold the battery in place or the plastic holder.
For anyone with with the plastic part, here's a video.
https://youtu.be/TjQLTDUkJUM

Hmmmm .... my 2016 has both the rubber strap and the larger battery ...

Are you saying your 2016 came from the factory with the taller battery?

[Lee]

I found a video on changing the battery on a R1200GS, which has the same battery placement.
The original smaller battery had a foam sleeve around the battery, not under the battery like I remembered.

[Grumpy Goat]

Are you saying your 2016 came from the factory with the taller battery?

Pretty sure it did. Don't recall there being any spacer and the space at the top was always tight and a PITA to get the positive terminal wire over to the remote terminal on the side of the bike. I'd have to actually go have a look at the old battery I took out ... I think I still have it in the garage.

I bought the Yuasa based on the size of the battery in the MAX BMW parts fiche and the Yuasa was a shade taller. All the sizes are in the Description of my video.

[Lee]

I found a video on changing the battery on a R1200GS, which has the same battery placement.
The original smaller battery had a foam sleeve around the battery, not under the battery like I remembered.

Guess my memory is ok
I found several posts on the other RS forum talking about the small size of the battery in the earlier years of the RS and the foam spacer under the small battery was mentioned.
Looking at my pictures I see I still had the grey foam sleeve that slips around the battery in place after getting the new larger battery.

   

[BobAin'tStoppin']

Lee, My bike has the plastic cover and the rubber strap just like shown in the video. Also has the foam sleeve around the battery as mentioned by you. All these are in place with my new battery, but it was a tight fit.

[Lee]

Lee,  My bike has the plastic cover and the rubber strap just like shown in the video.  Also has the foam sleeve around the battery as mentioned by you.  All these are in place with my new battery, but it was a tight fit.

[Grumpy Goat]

Lee,  My bike has the plastic cover and the rubber strap just like shown in the video.  Also has the foam sleeve around the battery as mentioned by you.  All these are in place with my new battery, but it was a tight fit.

Mine too ... plastic "bikini" cover and rubber strap. Can't recall the foam sleeve ... 

Thanks to this thread I may have to take the cover off and have a look and also try and dig out that nether park of my junky garage to find the old original battery ...

... or maybe go for a ride ... 

[runnerhiker]

My 2016 RS was an early model, I bought it in 2015. It came with the smaller battery and in 2020 the BMW replacement battery was larger and the foam spacer was removed.

[Grumpy Goat]

Darn it ... I know I was forgetting something last weekend .... I was supposed to check for my old battery. Just created a reminder on my phone.

Now I am starting to wonder what it was that I pulled out of the RS ... Pretty sure it was a large Exide ...