Lithium Battery - A Good Alternative?

I wonder about the charging of these batteries. When you fit one do you need to change the bikes charging system from a standard lead acid alternator to a Li-Ion alternator?

 

bite

 

valid point I guess but I wouldnt leave one on charge unatended, as in go to bed whilst its charging or go out the house and leave it on charge but thats probably just me as ive been a dumb arse in the past and almost burnt the house down (old dogs CAN learn new tricks, see)

 

actually there might be something in this, the super B manual says it will have full charge after just 5 mins of riding . . . . . . .

 

And the SP is still heavier than my 848 SBK. As I said just ride the bike, any model you want, and then add 3 litres of fuel (about 2.5kg), if you can feel the difference then it is worth changing the battery for one that is 2.5kgs lighter.
I will be the first to admit that I will not feel any difference, but there again I am not a super racing mad type biker who is so in tune with his bike that I could feel the weight of a dead fly on my windscreen, I am sure that there are some who profess to be able to do this.

 

That's it, I'm going to get one. My reasoning is that if I tell the wife that it could catch fire and burn the garage with all the other bikes, including hers, then she will let me keep the red Ducati in the lounge!

 

Sadly I'm in the class of rider that may not notice a whole 848 on the windscreen!

 

Also something to be aware of when charging is that the desulfication mode in chargers for regular batteries can damage a Lion battery, as it applies short bursts of high voltage. I'm using them in two bikes, neither have alarms but they seem to handle being left unattended for long periods.

When it's cold they may need to be warmed up by letting some current be draw (ie lights on) before trying to start them.

 

I work in industrial electronics. If you saw the regs on Lithium Batteries you would not put it in your house let alone on your bike.

 

Yep, NASA experimented with Lithium for a while as a rocket fuel but it was too unstable. Mixed with Air and water it is explosive. These batteries are designed to be used little and often, they need a good steady trickle charge and do not like heat.

 

There is a really long thread here which may shed more light on the pro's and con's. It's been summarised in the first page.
Motorcycle Batteries .. AGM, GEL, Wet, Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) | Adventure Rider

 

Strange that Ducati should fit one as standard to the super expensive Panigale Superlegerra then....

 

If they were as dangerous as some people suggest I doubt very much they'd be even on sale in the US...?

 

It's well hidden within that ADV Rider thread, but it depends on the chemistry of the battery, many different combinations are commonly called Lion. The ones used most commonly for motorcycles are Lithium Iron phosphate and are stable and unlikely to catch fire under charge. However due to the way they can deliver power a dead short might cause a fire.

 

I'm going to get one of these Li battery's to save a few lbs for sure , will concentrate on shedding 3 stone off my fat belly another time........