From: Spike Jones
Reply-To: Cavalcade_USA
To: Cavalcade_USA
Subject: Re: [Cavalcade_USA] New battery
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 22:18:14 -0700
Bob,
Cavalcade batteries have that extra hole for the water level sensor. That can be
defeated while letting you still keep the other functions, the gear indicator, etc.
That allows you to use a cheaper battery, however there's another thing you can do: add a
battery isolator switch.
The Cade battery is a pain in the butt to get to, so I went to Kragens, bought a battery
switch, put it on the positive line, mounted it inside the right side fairing compartment.
You need to make sure you take that clock wire and run it thru the switch as well,
since that clock/computer unit pulls almost 5 milliamps all by itself, which will run your
battery down in about 7 weeks all by itself. Then of course you need to set the clock
again every time you start up, because it will come up showing 1:00 AM.
Otherwise, Cavalcades eat batteries for lunch.
While I was at it, I ran a wire from the positive terminal into that fairing compartment,
so now I can attach a trickle charger without taking out several screws, just open the
cover with the key. I rigged a trickle charger to the light bulb socket in the garage
door opener so my battery gets about a 4 minute charge twice a day. That cheapy
battery I bought has lasted like a champ since I made these mods.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From: "Robert G" (TeamGRacing)
Reply-To: Cavalcade_USA
To: <Cavalcade_USA
Subject: Re: [Cavalcade_USA] New battery
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 21:30:06 -0400
Hey Gang,
As I've been through a battery or two, I asked about battery maintenance at the Yuasa factory when I went on a plant tour (near Reading PA.)
Of course, they had an axe to grind, but made a lot of sense. Their main point was
that, if it's a motorcycle battery and made in the US, it's Yuasa (no matter who
it's sold by, or badged as.) The cheap ones originate in places like Taiwan
or Mexico using local (read: inferior) materials. Yuasa's advice (and my
experience bears it out) was that you can nurse 2 good years of touring use out of a cheap import battery (I'm sure somebody on this list
has gotten more, sorry...) But you can keep a Yuasa alive for twice that long with
normal maintenance and a lot less worry. So, the economics work out pretty
much even; it's just a matter of whether you're lazy like me and don't want to baby sit
a battery that's hard to get to.
Bob G
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Jones
To: Cavalcade_USA
Date: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 8:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Cavalcade_USA] New battery
I bought a Champion battery at PEP Boys (east coast auto parts chain) for about $45
2 years ago.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
brog@xxx.xxx wrote:
Hey Bob:
When I went for a new battery, I went to my dealer and Sears - both wanted about
$80 - however Sears needed to order it...
Some others claim to have good luck at their local Wal-Mart (no luck at ours) for
about half that. Had to drop the $80 at my dealer...
Brian
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hello All,
My dealer has just informed me that I need a new battery. My experience
with dealers is that they will charge twice as much for a battery as
what you would spend somewhere else. Any suggestions?
Bob Morse