My bike is doing the same thing right now, so I'm about to buy a battery. Somebody recommend a good/no too expensive one?

Also, has anybody tried one of those VW solar chargers? I don't have a garage, so it's hard to keep the battery topped up.

Craig

 

yeah the solar chargers work alright I use them on my boats to trickle
charge them in the summer ....as boats have auto bilge pumps which
can run a battery down easy.....the solar charger usually stops that.

Don't use it for the Hurricane though .....luckily I have a well kitted out
large garage (know as a barn in Maine ) so no need

 

Yeah, good reminder guys, I'll have to check mine too. I don't know about the rest of you but I have to pull mine right out to check the levels properly. Just can't see the levels properly otherwise. I've left mine at least a month before and it started second push of the button, no worries. I'll definately go a sealed gel one next as well..one less thing to worry about.

 

Craig, this is kind of like the tire debate a little bit.
Here are my thoughts....

I have a regular "non-sealed" diehard battery that I bought at k-mart for like $50. I've had it for about two years now, and I haven't had any issues with it at all. I check the electrolyte levels once in a while, but I still haven't had to add any.
I've had good luck with diehard batteries in my jeep and my lawnmower, but I don't necessarily think they are anything spectacular. They work.
They are convenient to get because I have a k-mart about 2miles from my house. That's it.

HOWEVER, I will definitely be going with a sealed AGM battery for my next one instead of a regular battery that I have to keep checking fluid levels in.
In fact, the particular battery that I'm gonna try is the "Motobatt".
I'm intrigued by it.
I want to buy it and try it right now, actually.... lol.
The reason I'm gonna get one is because it's AGM and it's well priced ($65 shipped). It also has 4 terminals, which will make it nice and easy to connect my accessories to.
It has been getting some good reviews, too.
Here is an interesting one...
Mind you, some of these batteries are pretty dam expensive. Much more than $65.

If I were you, I wouldn't get a total no-name battery that you've never heard of just because it's $25...
Believe me, I'm kind-of a cheap ***. I've considered getting the cheapest battery I could find, and even I have decided against it....simply because I wouldn't want to be stranded somewhere and I don't want to put too much stress on an already pretty weak stock charging system. Figured I'd pay in the end 10x over...

BTW, the Yuasa Replacement for our bikes is YTX14AHL-BS. (they are pretty expensive, I think. BUT good batteries. Everybody seems to agree they are good)
The Motobatt battery replacement is: MBTX14AU.
There are a ton of batteries that will fit and work, though. When I bought the diehard, I just walked into k-mart with the original battery and started taking all the diehards out of their boxes till I found one that was the same size...

 

ah ya know what grab one of the cheap chit walmart ones ..........good for 18months