Battery recommendation, stock or Shorai?

[Speed 3 Pilot]

Think I'm in the market for a new battery as the bike has been cranking longer as of late before firing up, even right off the battery tender.

This morning leaving JJ it was slow to start, then at Dillingham it took two stabs at the starter button and a prayer before it fired.  I feel like I dodged a bullet on that one, 'cause everytime we go out to Dillingham I remember MadDuck's no-start fiasco...68 year old me pushing him on the 848 up and down the road for a bump start, eventually he had to call the tow truck...

Anyways, any recommendations on replacement battery?

[DRKWNG]

Shorai is all win!! Well, unless you're trying to install one on a SuperDuke that is...

[MadDuck]

Think I'm in the market for a new battery as the bike has been cranking longer as of late before firing up, even right off the battery tender.

This morning leaving JJ it was slow to start, then at Dillingham it took two stabs at the starter button and a prayer before it fired.  I feel like I dodged a bullet on that one, 'cause everytime we go out to Dillingham I remember MadDuck's no-start fiasco...68 year old me pushing him on the 848 up and down the road for a bump start, eventually he had to call the tow truck...

Anyways, any recommendations on replacement battery?

I noticed that and had those same thoughts.  Shorai if you want lighter weight but I think it takes it's own special charger.

[DRKWNG]

They do require a dedicated charger, but the SD hasn't needed one in the what, eight months that I've had it on.  Bike gets fired up once, maybe twice a week and never hesitates.  You'd probably be fine with the year round summer temps...

[Thermite]

So the monster has been going thru electrical throes.  I did all of the tests and found the vr bad.  Ordered a new one and when I took out the old one it actually had its guts blown out the bottom.  When the new one was in I did all of the tests again.  Problem solved.  NOT!

Wouldn't start two weeks ago after a ride and hike on the windward side.  This time the stator tests failed.  64, 63.7 and 6.3 volts.  Replaced the stator and on the follow-up testing the VR tested bad again.

I have a new VR and a Shorai battery on the way.  When they are in the whole charging system will be spanky new.

Question is:  the Shorai site says I can use any charger as long as it doesn't have a de-sulfating (refresh) function.  Does anyone here have any FHE otherwise?

[DRKWNG]

I've got a Shorai in the KTM. One thing I've noticed with the battery, other than the extremely low weight, is the fact that it hasn't seemed to need any sort of charging system. Shorai claims that the battery only discharges minimal amounts, even when sitting for prolonged periods of time. This seems to be accurate, as the KTM sat through two winters without a trickle charger, and has fired up without hesitation any time I wanted it to. Ymmv of course, but...

[Thermite]

Okay good to know.  I had hoped you would chime in.

Do they come juiced from the factory enough  that you don't have to charge before use?  I will be doing the charging diagnostics again which requires several start/stop cycles.

[DRKWNG]

Not sure if it was fully charged or not, but it fired up right away in first try.

[Thermite]

Got my new battery today.  First impression:

Holy Crap!  It's like getting an empty box. 

The new voltage regulator weighs almost as much as the battery.

[DRKWNG]

Got my new battery today.  First impression:

Holy Crap!  It's like getting an empty box. 

That's exactly what I thought when mine arrived.