Could this be a record?

[Bruno-Katz Fokkerpilot]

This is my battery which, as you can see by the date sticker on the side was manufactured in December 1996. I believe it was one of the first completely sealed Gel batteries.
Its been on my `97 Fatboy since new, it has never, ever let me down once and it`s still going strong today.
When it does finally pack up, i know whose make of battery i will replace it with. Its 12 years old dammit, thats just amazing!

[Kansas]

So what brand is it?  Is Gel a brand?.

[Princess Butt]

Since you're running an electric start, that would be a long, long time for a battery!

Is that terminal shown in the picture have a crack? If so, you're at the end of it's life.

If you have an analog voltmeter, I would hook it up and crank the motor. If it drops below 10 volts, you may want to look for a new one.

10 years is amazing. Gives me a little more faith in the gel batteries!

BnEUC

[Bruno-Katz Fokkerpilot]

Kansas, no, Gel is not a brand. The Battery is a Harley battery, as fitted to everyones bike when it leaves the factory. I don`t know who actually manufactures them for Harley but, they`re dam good at it. Gel is almost a solid state electrolyte that has replaced acid in most modern batteries, the battery is sealed for life, the gel cannot spill out and damage your bike as the old lead acid batteries used to.

[Bruno-Katz Fokkerpilot]

BNEultra, yep, thats a crack, the other terminal has one too! She`s still running strong tho and i won`t renew it until it won`t start anymore

I wonder if Harley will give me a new one free as this one has lasted so long!!!!!!! LOL 

[egstandard]

Ya gotta love it when things work in your favor sometimes. Glad to hear it.

[truck]

The battery pictured is not from the current manufacturer (East Penn Mfg. in Lyon Station PA). East Penn (DeKa) has been supplying AGM, not gel batteries since the 1999 or 2000 model year.
The date code label is not a Deka label, theirs have only a single letter and a single number.

[autoworker]

I wonder if it is a Yuasa?

[Sonny S.]

how many miles did ya get out of it?

[Evo1]

The terminal bolt on my battery loosened up and melted the terminal so that the bolt was released. As the battery was only a year old I formed a mold around what was left of the terminal poured an new terminal after inserting a nut and bolt. It wasn't pretty, but I got 3 more years of use from that battery. If it had not worked I had nothing to lose.

[Panzer]

Solder the cracks on the posts, but not with a torch, use a soldering gun, they're only lead posts.
Might last another 5 years. 
But, remember Murphy's law, especially with old stuff.
"Keeps on ticking". 
Just one German to another........kinda!

[02roadcling]

I wonder if Harley will give me a new one free as this one has lasted so long!!!!!!! LOL 

Aint that a hoot? They will charge you $450 to make up for the lost revenue. Dont tell them, lol.

[Ultrashovel]

My 2004 Ultra Harley Gel battery will be five years old in April. It's still going like a champ. They are not cheap but they last three times as long as a lead-acid battery and no ruined chrome or paint.

They made a real breakthrough with the Gel/AGM-type batteries inthe past ten years. I just keep mine on a tender when not riding and it starts up every time. What's not to like.

I'm not surprised that one lasted 12 years.

[Fugawee]

Must Be Nice...The longest I've ever gotten was 5 years on an FLHTC, and that was keeping it on a Battery Tender. On My other Bikes I average around 3 maybe 4 years. I'm with You; I wouldnt replace it till' it said Good-night.

[Juice]

I replaced mine in 02 with a Harley gel battery, Its still going strong. I would recomend them

[truck]

Come on guys! Get it right!
It is not a GEL battery....it is an AGM battery.
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/default.aspx?pageid=510
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/assets/base/0139.pdf

[Juice]

Guy at the parts counter called it a gel batt.. It feels solid,,I mean that there was no liquid moving around in it when you hold it or shake it.

[truck]

A gel battery won't last long in a mc. The vibrations will cause voids in the gel and render the battery useless.

[seattledyna]

"Guy at the parts counter called it a gel batt.. "

lol, yea, they are always right 

[Killer]

Now that is a great battery. I wonder if it was a local battery (England) or if it was made in China?
Maybe Truck can answer that…

[Ultrashovel]

Come on guys! Get it right!
It is not a GEL battery....it is an AGM battery.
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/default.aspx?pageid=510
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/assets/base/0139.pdf

AGM is absorbent glass mat. There is no liquid sloshing around. The differences are slight. I think AGM is better in any case.

[help-u2]

both my 03's have same stock batts.
buell and superglide.
Acid Glass Mat....AGM......

[04glide]

I have got 5 years and over 70,000 miles on my stock battery. It still seems real strong. I have had it out in some real cold weather here lately 32* and she still cranked right up.

[baldoldfxr]

I had to replace the original battery on my 86 fxr 2 years ago, alough it had not done a lot of miles before I got the bike, I was impressed , maybe it's the air here in England makes them last .

[Bruno-Katz Fokkerpilot]

Truck, thanks for the input, i read the links you posted, very interesting thanks, but you gotta admitt, it`s basically a Gel battery  lol !!
Killer, the battery came with the bike as new, our bikes are imported directly from the U.S. so they come with U.S. equipment as standard. Going by what Truck says, i`ve got one manufactured by the guys at East Penn Mfg.

I`m going to run it `till it doesn`t do wot its supposed to anymore then, donate it to the hall of fame lol.
Thanks for your interest guys.
      Bruno.   

[tdkkart]

 '01 Ultra, manufactured 11/00 still has the original battery. No idea when the battery was built, only been out of the bike once.
Sitting in the garage on the Tender now, ut never gets charged after I start riding in the spring.

[bericuda]

mid -usa powerhouse since 2001-never had a charger on it....still going strong in a northern state.

[hotham]

You are just warming up.  My Harley gel-mat battery was installed on March 1, 2000.  Just went out and started it.  Fired right up.  This is a hi compression, stroker motor.  It stays on the charger all the time.  Every year I think I should replace it, but a load test shows it is fine.  These gel batteries are amazing.  Last battery lasted 7 years.

[hotham]

Harley battery installed 3/1/2000.  Still starts a high compression stroker every time. AGM is the only way to go