Harley Davidson Lithium Battery

[Deye76]

Anyone have experience with these? The price point and warranty have me interested. I've had excellent service from Antigravity but don't know if they make a "perfect fit" for my Lowrider S. Where batteries are located on M8 softails, and the difficult access, I'd rather not have to try and shim.

[-deuced-]

I've had one in for about six months. It was a bit shy of double the price of an HD AGM. I've only had harley batteries in the bike and used to get 2 to 3 years out of an AGM. The lithium came with five year warranty so if it lasts that long I'll only really break even. Apparently it's generation 2 after generation 1 flopped. It's my first lithium bike battery and at first I thought the parts guy had given me an empty box, it's that light. That's gotta be worth a tenth! I would've liked to try antigravity but they're about $1000 here. BTW, Harley promote these lithium batteries as made in USA but that's not what's written on the battery. That's more of a heads up than an actual critique of the battery. Physical dimensions are almost identical.

edit: forgot to mention it's in a tc softail. I think it's the same battery as used in m8 low rider.

[-deuced-]

Couple more pics. My scales only go up to 5lbs, not enough to weigh an agm.

[Hossamania]

It's my understanding the lithium battery requires a special charger?

[HogMike]

Our local dealer parts mgr talked me out of one.
He was tired of having to replace them under warranty.
My 2019 cvo has 70k mikes on the original battery still starting strong.

I don't see an advantage.
JMHO

[rigidthumper]

Our local dealer parts mgr talked me out of one.
He was tired of having to replace them under warranty.
My 2019 cvo has 70k mikes on the original battery still starting strong.

I don't see an advantage.
JMHO

Got a new one on order? (You may have just jinxed yourself)

[FloridaJim5]

It's my understanding the lithium battery requires a special charger?

Which makes me wonder how the same charging system on the engine is still ok to charge it while riding.   

[Ohio HD]

Which makes me wonder how the same charging system on the engine is still ok to charge it while riding.   

My understanding is you can use a standard battery charger with a lithium battery as long as charging rate set by the battery manufacturer is observed, as well as not over charging. That's a battery "charger".

A battery "tender" for an AGM doesn't work with a lithium as the lithium requires different "float" parameters. So they make a specific "tender" for a lithium battery. As far as I now these are best selected by what the lithium battery manufacture recommends.
 

[HogMike]

Our local dealer parts mgr talked me out of one.
He was tired of having to replace them under warranty.
My 2019 cvo has 70k mikes on the original battery still starting strong.

I don't see an advantage.
JMHO

Got a new one on order? (You may have just jinxed yourself)

I know, huh!
Got one on the shelf!
LOL

[FXDBI]

It's my understanding the lithium battery requires a special charger?

Which makes me wonder how the same charging system on the engine is still ok to charge it while riding.   

I have had a anti-gravity and "special charger" for about 10yrs now its been flawless. It was explained to me at the time a regular charger has a anti-sulphation cycle to clean the plates. This will ruin the lithium battery has there is no lead/acid plates. Quickest way to kill on is to run it dead below the level where it will take a charge.   Bob

[jmorton10]

I am on year 8 with my first antigravity battery with special charger in my 124" HC Roadking. I have accidentally run it dead a few times & it still  spins my bike like the plugs are out.

~John

[Deye76]

Thanks everyone, but I have used LI batteries for 5 years and know about charging/tending them. I just wanted know if the HD were any good. Because its a nightmare to get to the battery on a M8 Softail, I want one that has the correct dimensions. The Antigravity in my 113" FXR is great, but required  shimming which was easy, but would not be easy on a M8 softail without a lot of hassle.
Appears the HD are not very good.

[bump]

My 02 FLHTCI came with an AGM, it lasted 9 years. Got a new AGM from batteries plus and it has ben in bike since 2011 and stills turns motor over good. I don't see a need to get a more costly battery.

[-deuced-]

Thanks everyone, but I have used LI batteries for 5 years and know about charging/tending them. I just wanted know if the HD were any good. Because its a nightmare to get to the battery on a M8 Softail, I want one that has the correct dimensions. The Antigravity in my 113" FXR is great, but required  shimming which was easy, but would not be easy on a M8 softail without a lot of hassle.
Appears the HD are not very good.

These new generation harley batteries have only been available for about a year. I haven't had it that long but so far I'm happy with it. Dimensions were a concern to me as well but it fits perfectly. I haven't started the bike for about a week and it still shows 13.3V. I've never used a battery tender. I'm running 10.5:1 in 95" and absolutely no problems with starting. I do use mcr's.

Lots of bad reports of the first generation harley batteries. They're easy to identify. They're orange.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do but I don't want you misunderstanding my first post. I like the new harley battery.

[IronButt70]

It's my understanding the lithium battery requires a special charger?

As long as you don't use one that desulfates you should be fine. I've been using an old maintainer that doesn't have that option and have had no issues. FWIW I ride several times a week and don't use the maintainer unless it sits for more than 5 days. Bike fires right up every time like there are no spark plugs in it. Mine is a Shorai that I bought brand new from a neighbor that accidentally ordered 2. They are $350 on Amazon and they don't allow returns on them.

[Deye76]

Thanks deuced. 

[smoserx1]

I have noticed that Harley says their touring battery "fits" 04 and later touring models, but their AGM battery works with models older than that.  Anybody know why this is?

[jmorton10]

I have noticed that Harley says their touring battery "fits" 04 and later touring models, but their AGM battery works with models older than that.  Anybody know why this is?

it's probably smaller.

~John

[Ironheadmike]

They are too unstable for my comfort. We had to build a blast proof building to store them. Like a dynamite shack.

[cheech]

I have noticed that Harley says their touring battery "fits" 04 and later touring models, but their AGM battery works with models older than that.  Anybody know why this is?

Good question.
Same AGM battery fits 1997 on up.
Below is specs on the 2. The Lithium from the Harley service sheet for that battery.
I have a Deka (East Penn) spec sheet, which the claim is who makes the Harley AGM.
Physical dimensions nearly identical.
Way different electrical specs.

DEKA	HD 66000303
L 6.625"	6.89"
W 5.1875"	4.96"
H 6.875"	6.89"
400 CCA	700 Starting Current
26 AH	7.8 AH

(Note: The Lithium tech sheet list Starting current instead of CCA.)
(Also the tech sheet for the Harley brand AGM doesn't list specs but has a charging chart and classifies the AGM as 28AH)

[boooby1744]

I have noticed that Harley says their touring battery "fits" 04 and later touring models, but their AGM battery works with models older than that.  Anybody know why this is?

it's probably smaller.

~John

Charging system?

[Ironheadmike]

A lithium battery,on a bike, just exploded and killed two people . They are too unstable .

[Hossamania]

A lithium battery,on a bike, just exploded and killed two people . They are too unstable .

Can you post a link to the story?

[TUCCI]

When I bought my new to me FX the battery (AGM) was dead on the showroom. They jumped it and I gave it a full charge when I got it home. It's been firing up fine since then. I would have thought they ruined the battery by letting it discharge that bad but, AGMs are quit resilient.
When I was in Colorado flooded batteries used to drop like flies but the AGMs hung in there for months at a time without needing attention. Now that I'm retired and working part-time at a auto parts store I turn people on to the resilience of AGMs all the time especially now that the Arizona heat is well on its way...

[smoserx1]

Charging system?

That is what I was thinking too.  I look at Ronnie's a lot to compare part #s and illustrations, and it looks like the stator was updated in 02 and the voltage reg in 04.  I am pretty sure I have the newer stator and don't really know about the VR (the VR was the first to go, stator lasted many years after that), but it looks like 3 phase didn't come stock on baggers till 06.  Anyway I'm not planning on buying a lithium battery anytime soon, and it won't be the first time Harley has excluded my model year for something that supposedly "fits" other years and it turned out to fit my bike just fine.  I was just curious.