This Easy Upgrade Makes Every Motorcycle Better & Faster
“Simplify, and add lightness”, is a phrase often attributed to legendary Formula 1 race car designer Colin Chapman, and is a philosophy that benefits motorcycle enthusiasts more than most other forms of motorsport.
Shedding a few pounds from a 3500-pound sports car has far less of an impact than shedding the same amount from a motorcycle that weighs a tenth of that, and taking into account the dynamics of motorcycle handling, the advantages of removing weight from a bike are multiplied.
Today, there is an upgrade for your motorcycle that can shed weight, but also increase performance, increase reliability, and reduce costs over time. This may be shocking to hear, but Shorai’s LFX line of batteries for motorcycles, ATVs, and Jet Skis hold their charge longer, are lighter weight, last longer, recharge faster, and are safer than lead acid batteries.
The reason why Shorai is able to offer these benefits lies in its battery cell design, a proprietary technology from Japan that gives Shorai a significant advantage over any other motorcycle battery on the market today. Shorai’s lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells are a type of lithium-ion battery that is commonly used in electric vehicles, including many Teslas, due in part to their thermal and chemical stability, long cycle life, and low toxicity. These batteries contain no nickel or cobalt, both of which are in relatively short supply, and the phosphorus bond with oxygen in LiFePO4 cells is more stable than the cobalt-oxygen bond in other types of cells, reducing the chance of thermal runaway if damaged.
The advantages of Shorai’s LFX batteries include a longer service life of two to four times that of lead acid batteries, a quicker recharge rate, and since they do not sulfate when unused, LFX batteries retain their charge for up to a year or more. For riders with multiple bikes, limited riding seasons, or minimal riding time available overall, LFX batteries will hold their charge longer without needing to be recharged as often, and are not prone to leaking fluid or explosive gasses.
The icing on the cake is the light weight and compact size of the LFX batteries, as little as one-fifth the weight of an equivalent lead acid battery. Shorai LFX batteries average between 2 and 20 lbs (0.9 to 9 kg) lighter than the competition, depending on the application. Because they are smaller than conventional batteries, LFX batteries can fit in more bikes, with self-adhesive foam pads included for many applications to provide a customized fit and vibration reduction. Shorai offers numerous case shapes and sizes, right/left polarity options, and battery capacities for almost any motorcycle, ATV, watercraft, and more.
Because of the lack of toxic materials in their construction, Shorai LFX batteries are environmentally friendly, and easily disposed of at the end of their life by simply discharging and recycling them (where facilities exist).
Due to their primitive construction and materials, lead acid batteries remain a less expensive initial investment compared to the Shorai LFX, but the far better performance and significantly longer life of Shorai batteries reduces overall costs appreciably, making an LFX well worth the money. There are few, if any, motorcycle upgrades that can provide the benefits of lighter weight, better performance, reduced maintenance, and reduced costs, the way a Shorai LFX battery upgrade can. Visit shoraipower.com or your local Shorai dealer for more details.
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I just picked up an AGM for my Ninja as the original stock 2018 Yausa battery finally went bad. Based on price and ratings I bought an AGM at Battery Mart for $50. I was thinking Lithium at first until I saw the pricing starting at $140 on up.
I purchased my Shorai battery for $120 in 2012. It's been in my WR250R for more than 11 years. I just checked the voltage and it's still perfect. I've never trickle charged it. Never had to do any maintenance on it ever. Nothing. I just put it away for the winter, where it sits at -30C for days and weeks and months on end until I take it back out in the spring and start it up again. Out of curiosity, I just looked up the Yuasa lead-acid equivalent to see what it might cost, and it was actually only a few dollars cheaper than a new Shorai. Needless to say, I put Shorai batteries in my other bikes as well, with one of them going on 8 years - once again - with zero issues so far. So there's no reason to expect that it won't keep going. Will it ever give up the ghost? The only caveat here is that I see that there are many more lithium batteries available online now for considerably less. However, for the price that I paid, I think the investment was well worth it.