Where's the best place to buy a battery in NYC?

[Razzo Bolognese]

Anyone have a shop they like?  Or a website?  Of course I like Yuasa because that's what came in my bike but is there a better brand?  Are there brands you folks prefer?

-Dan

[EvilSteve]

Ducati NY - call to make sure they have the battery you want & that it's charged (call a few days in advance).

Camrod may have the battery you need too, same routine.

[Howie]

http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/shop/catalog/ducati/elec.html
Yuasa YT12B-BS AGM battery     2001+ Ducatis     YT12B-BS     $116.00
Or you can go to the Yuasa site and find a local dealer
http://www.yuasabatteries.com/dealer_search.php

Are you looking in Connecticut or New York?

[Razzo Bolognese]

I'm looking wherever the battery is cheapest.  I have access to a car this week.  Do all the non-Yuasa batteries suck?  I've noticed how much cheaper they are.

-Dan

[Howie]

I'm looking wherever the battery is cheapest.  I have access to a car this week.  Do all the non-Yuasa batteries suck?  I've noticed how much cheaper they are.

-Dan

No, some may even be re branded Yuasas.  Do make sure whatever you buy is an AGM battery.  If you buy another brand, compare to the specs on the Yuasa site:
http://www.yuasabatteries.com/vehicle_search.php?action=showListing

One nice thing about the Yuasa YT12B-BS is it is shipped dry, so it's life starts out the day you activated it, not the day it was manufactured.  The battery in my bike is 5 years old and still like day one.

[Bones]

I have found Advance Auto Parts has a surprisingly large selection of bike batteries at reasonable prices. 

[He Man]

yea i tried buying a battery at duc soho once. its pretty expensive so unless you are in a hurry, i would stay away from there.

Advance auto parts, auto zone, pepboys all carry the battery for our bike. Ive purchase thier off shelf wetcells and it was fine. you have to pour the liquid (acid or water not sure, i think its distilled water though) and let it sit while it charges itself then it should be good.

If you need a drycell then make sure you cehck the date of manufacture on it. If its 2-3 years old thats fine so as long as its brand new and never used before, otherwise forget about it.

Knowing your location would help though.

[Razzo Bolognese]

I just called Ducati Soho.  ONE HUNDRED SIXTY CLAMS!!!!  It's only $130 at Cycle Therapy.

I'm looking at C.C.A. numbers and wetness of cells.     OK, I know C.C.A. is cold cranking amps, and I know the Yuasa is good for 125 of 'em.  The Yuasa is also 1.2 lbs. lighter.  The Scorpion says it has 160 C.C.A.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[Pakhan]

I don't really see CCA as being an issue for any motor unless you start in the cold often or don't start the motor often.  All it essentially means is how long it can sustain voltage for a start.  I think.

[Howie]

As far as I am concerned, CCA is more a marketing ploy than anything else. There is a prescribed measuring system for measuring CCA, but manufacturers are pretty much on the honor system.   IMO, the two important measurements are amp hours and reserve capacity.  A battery’s amp-hour rating indicates the total amount of energy it will deliver at a constant rate of discharge over a period of 20 hours before it reaches a voltage at which it is stone dead, in other words, 10 AH 12V battery will run a 5 amp motor or bulb for 20 hours, sorta, since you would have a continually slower running motor or dimmer light as voltage drops.  The test is actually done with resisters.  Reserve capacity is the time required to reduce battery voltage to 10.2 volts with a constant 25 amp draw at  80^oF, in other words, an indication of how far you can go if your charging system fails.  CCA is the ammount of current a battery can deliver for 30 seconds at 0^o and still maintain 7.2 volts. in other words, the battery's ability to deliver a short burst of power.  I know of one manufacturer who uses a Midtronic battery tester for CCA which reads way optimistic on AGM batteries.  This tester says my 125 CCA Yuasa puts out 220 CCA! Amp hours are the same, the power should be the same.

Yeah, I know, I didn't answer your question   More power in the same case is a good thing.  I am not familiar with the brand name Scorpion.  Me, I would get the Yuasa for $125.  You could get the Scorpion and be our guinea pig.  If you do get the Scorpion i would get this too, just in case it is like the puking GS batteries from a few years ago.

http://www.batterymart.com/p-battery-mat.html

[Razzo Bolognese]

Howie, amigo, all's you ever had to say was "I'd run the Yuasa" and that's enough for me.  I shall choose peace of mind over the fine Scorpion brand.

-Dan