Lithium Batteries

One for you @AirCon.

 

I have had one on my multi for 4 years without any problems , but after reading many posts on here I will replace with a normal battery,after all weight saving on a multi is a bit pointless and the only reason I put one on the bike was because my Panigale had a lithium on and I could share the charger on both bikes, remember you will require a specific lithium charger.

 

I fitted one to my 916 about a year ago and bought a CTEK lithium charger. Works fine but I find it struggles a bit when the weather is really cold even though fully charged.

 

My thoughts are why would you want to

 

There are many threads on this.....

Condensed layman's version.
Lithium "can go to sleep", put a quick load on it (back brake is easiest) several times over 30 seconds and it would be able to start the bike.
Lithium doesn't like the cold... especially on charging, so not best suited to a commuter bike parked on the street.
Lithium requires a different sort of charging circuit to Lead Acid. This means your bikes generator and bike tender (charger etc) should to be specially designed for Lithium and some Ducatis are.

This doesn't mean it won't work, but it does mean you may or may not have problems.
Based in what I've seen and measured the regulators can get very hot.
If they are designed by a Colin Chapman type then you may get a fire.
If Isambard Kingdom Brunel did the circuit then fine.

We will now have a dozen posts going all over the place from "I did mine, no problems" to "they wouldn't sell them if they were bad" to "a bloke down the pub once said" to "loose some weight ye fat bashtard"
The later is the best advice and as a 19.5 stone lardy I can think of 7 stones of argument on how to lighten the bikes.

I buy nearly every extra for my bikes and I love toys.
I've currently two racing type Dukes and two Mutleys.
These will never have a Lithium battery, as they were not designed to take them.

If you have a fire on the bike the insurer / inspecting engineer will almost definitely void any claim. Where is your bike stored. If it caught fire could it damage or hurt someone?

PS
I've attended/inspected a recent racing type Ducati that did have a fire that was 98% attributed to a Lithium Battery being fitted to a poorly matched charging circuit.
Not a man in the pub, not someone once told me, not I put one on my bike and it's been fine.... but a real fire where someone could have lost their life or the bike.

PPS
To be fair I can see why the man in the street would be attracted to them.

Huge punch and are able to deliver most of there capacity is a very short time (hence the fire potential).

I can't think of a quicker weight saving for a bolt on part.

A decent lead acid, with good quality earth and starter leads (clean contacts) and kept on a good quality bike tender would negate the need for this part.

PPPS
If your Ducati is designed for Lithium you should not fit a Lead acid battery in it's place (ye tight wad).

 

I thought so.
Steve

 

If your excuse for lithium is weight saving, then either have a good shit or stay away from Greggs will have the same effect

 

A 3kg turd would seriously dilate your rectum

 

You might know what childbirth feels like so you can empathise with your good lady too and earn browny points before your next bike related purchase.

 

The pharmaceutical combination that is prescribed following a serious RTA would make one of those seem quite small.

 

Browny points. Heh.

Yeah, I went there.

 

So after all that effort you are going to fit one anyway? ...........

 

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink

 

I fitted a Shorai lithium battery to my 996 the other year. As someone else said, the weight saving is noticeable. I saved exactly 4kg over the old battery. Not had any starting issues so far.

Im now getting a bit worried about all this talk of them catching fire, so may have to rethink things!

 

It is worth looking at other lead acid batteries. Sometimes, depending on what was OE, you can save a couple of kilos by fitting a different model. However, the newer bikes are fairly well optimized..... I think the Pani one is barely 2kg anyway (edit: on the Pani the standard is 2.5kg and Lithium 1.1kg. You can save 0.9kg by just removing the rear foot pegs, which definitely won’t result in any fires, and gives almost the same saving at zero cost!)

 

Wow.... now I know why I put so much effort to make an accurate, articulate informed response to these questions!

 

Don't be put off, the rest of us still appreciate the info and advice

 

Sorry I didn't know you were looking for shopping links...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/firechief-carbon-dioxide-fire-extinguisher-2kg/56985