2017 Best Motorcycle Lithium Battery? (And why it's not Shorai!)

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Model: WPS Featherweight Lithium Battery HJTZ14S-FP-IL
Motorcycle: 2008 Ducati 1098S

LIPH battery is one of the most tolerant class of batteries to use in your motor vehicle. With new technology rolling out, it is becoming safer to begin adopting this techonology and reap the significant benefits in the form of larger cranking amps and significantly less weight. It has become safe to the point that oem industries such as Ducati and Honda started adopting and selling motorcycles equipped with lithium batteries at the dealership.

If you go on to forums and ask which lithium battery brand to buy, I can bet you the majority would said Shorai. While Shorai has been around for almost as early as lithium batteries became available for motorcycles, there are several reasons why they are no longer the best choice and why OEM industries such as Ducati and Honda did not sign a contract with them to supply higher end model bikes with their lithium batteries. For a disposable commodity such as a motorcycle battery, you do not get the best value (and technology) with Shorai per dollar spent. Instead, Ducati and Honda have adopted lithium technology from Skyrich batteries which is owned by the parent company HangZhou HaiJu Holding Ltd. and the makers of other big name battery brands such as Deltran Battery, WPS, Shido, Magneti Marelli etc. All of these newer batteries incorporate an intergrated circuit and battery monitoring system (BMS) on board the battery so charge/discharge is monitored safely and ensures the cells are balanced. Shorai, on the other hand, still required a dedicated balance charger. With that said, however, all lithium batteries are still less robust to abuse and misuse compared to lead acid. Extra care must always be taken when using lithium phosphate batteries.

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[TheSagerider]

Just bought one of these for my 2007 Ducati 1098. :) I had bought a sealed lead acid battery and it came leaking acid. Got it replaced and it was leaking too. :( neither one would hold a charge even though they were on a battery tender. Ducati uses a security system that put a constant drain on the battery so for storage you need to have it connected to a tender and plugged in. A big problem with the 1098 is the bazillion small screws that need to be removed to get the bodywork off just to get to the battery. With the correct lithium charger I am hoping this one will last. Thanks for your video! :)

[psychhans]

Yes, OEM Cycles is great, bought a battery shipped to India, paid just $5 for shipping.

[HalfdeadRider]

I have the Oxford 601 trickle charger, are you sure that will be fine to charge these, I have the Shido LTX9-BS Sounds like you know what you're talking about, but sites like AFAM say these need a special charger, it's possible they have out of date information somehow I guess.

[coastalcleaningandmaintena]

I see was 3 years ago and was hard to find now. How did it last for you? Also can you get these for 50cc scoots I have prebug Zuma 50

[kitkeyser]

Update on my Shorai.

I sold the KTM and the new owner cooked it in less than a week.

Mine lasted forever but I knew how to care for it.

BMS definitely should be on a lithium battery.

The Shorai quality was killer though.

[richardballinger]

Just looking at a Bosch BLP9 & 14 for my bikes. They look exactly the same.

[charliedee]

Thanks for the video. I am ready to get a battery for my 1974 Harley Sportster, I went to electric from kick start only. I put a modern starter on it, 1.4kW that requires around 250cca, I have been looking at Anti Gravity and Shorei but I saw this video and now have to check it out. The fact it has a BMS onboard caught my attention, I mess with ebikes and am well familiar with how the BMS protects the battery.

[chrisphilhower]

I had a Western Lithium in a 2010 Yamaha Majesty. It worked Great. Even in the winter. Still in the bike when I traded.

[markkiger]

Wondering why no mention of Antigravity batteries. Seem to be the standard on most forums. Thanks.

[evstudios]

so how did it perform after 3 years? Still in the bike?

[selkie]

can't find any indication that these batteries have a battery management system. Does the voltage indicator on the battery indicate a battery monitoring system?

[calvinwalker]

I'm looking for a battery for my bike, wat would be the best with good quality for a 250cc? And will the voltage regulator kill it too quickly?

[zeroboyrick]

I've used Shorai for 10+ years with excellent service so I wouldn't use another brand. I have looked at other brands and the Shorai has a quality look and feel to it that others don't have. Yes, others look cheesy in comparison. Can't judge a book by its cover but it's a good sign. I also have the Shorai charger. It has a store mode that keeps the battery between 60-80% charge which prolongs battery life. For what it's worth, the plug on the Shorai charger has separate pins so it can balance the cells. This type of plug is very familiar as R/C batteries use this same type to balance the cells in battery packs. It's critical for peak performance, ask anybody with R/C battery experience. One last thing; common to lithium batteries is the wind up then the pitch. Turn on your ignition for 7-10 seconds before hitting your starter.

[SuzukyEN-A]

Hello 50 thousand, it is a good option, some people think that lithium batteries discharge quickly because they cannot withstand the heat of the motor, do you have any experience in this regard?, thanks for your good video.

[Jonathan-L]

I am pretty sure that SSB PowerSport lithium batteries are also made by Skyrich.

[jetsonparker]

Not sure you can compare a Lithium Polymer battery (WPS) to a Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery on the simple fact that a LiFePo4 will last a lot longer long term .... isn't it like 300 charge cycles to 2000 charge cycles? Not to mention the safety aspect and the non discharge/shut off?

[jacobhendrickson]

Active battery management electronics are the most important thing to have in a lithium motorcycle battery because it keeps the cells balanced. Many of the top brands do not have this.

[MrDrivesafe]

Very helpful video, thank you👍
I'd like to do as you did and find a wps battery that is the most powerful that will fit in the stock location. What website did you use to get the wps battery dimensions?

[tjj]

Okay, cheaper charger but what it makes it better than Shorai? Shorai makes 4 stacked cells for better cooling. Does is have circuit board for overchanging and dischaging the battery. What is the max voltage that it can take from a regulator. What Shorai, EarthX, AntiGravity makes smaller batteries that fit custom cafe racers and bobbers. Places where you cant fit a standard battery.

[Oblivionsurveyor]

The only thing that concerns me is that manufacturer mentions nothing that would even hint at an onboard BMS. I would be willing bet any circuitry you see under the cover is simply for the LED test light and does not actually have a BMS function. I have found a new brand called FLY POWER, I haven't tried it yet with no reviews but all the options you want are there. I think im going to get it, just hate being a guinea pig.