Battery Life...When to get a new one?????

[RSVECTORFREAK]

Well I still have my original battery in my '05 vector and I have yet to have any problems with it as far as performance goes but I am getting a little worried that it is going on 5 years old and it has never even seen a charger or maintainer. When do you guys actually replace the battery if it doesn't show signs of going bad??? I don't want to get left on the trail somewhere on a 200+ mile ride..

 

[Vectornut]

Good question Freak. I too have an 05 RS Vector ER and with the original battery. I do charge it monthly for a few hours but never leave the charger on it full time. Dealer checked it last spring and said it was good. However, I worry also with no string attached. I have 5,000 miles on the sled.

 

[thrasher]

Had to change mine after 2 years. My battery was struggling to turn it over at -30c, didn't want to get left out in the cold, so out with the old and in with the new. I would just monitor how well the motor turns over, when it starts turning over very slowly, especially on a mild day, time for a new battery.

 

[yamaman98]

x3
on the original battery in my 05 vector.

 

[gcr3903]

My 05 went out after 2 years WTF? I had it on a Battery Tender all summer! How are you getting that much life out of your batteries?

 

[RSVECTORFREAK]

I have never touched my battery as far as charging or maintaining. I just park the sled at the end of the year (late March) and don't start it until late November. I have never even seen the battery except while peeking under the airbox. I have been super impressed with the life of the stock one so I'll probably replace it with the same if possible.

 

[yamaman98]

Same as rsvectorfreak, put it away in the spring and start it in the fall, never has seen a charger. I do however put a battery tender on my motercycle for the winter, keeps it from freezing.

 

[ranger dave]

i also have an 05 vector with about 6,000 miles with orginal battery. i put mine on a battery tender when i'm done riding in the spring until i start riding the next winter. no problems so far

 

[Groomerdriver]

X4

7000+ miles but I use an Optimate 3 charger occasionally during the season, but maybe 1X over the summer.

I too am nervous, but mine shows no sign of weakness.

 

[MadMax]

I also have the 05 vector with 6,000 mile same battery. Hmmmmmmmm I keep it charged in the summer.. I'm afraid to change it. I've heard horror stories about the hoses coming from the air box..... If ya screw it up it's burn up the motor time. MM.

 

[twomorestrokes]

I have the original also. I have never had a charger on it and it has always started in the fall. However, since I didn't ride at all last winter it is dead this year. I could probably charge it but I think it's time to replace it and get it over with. Hope the replacement is as good as the original.

 

[Phantom]

My 05 Rage has the original battery at 13,000 miles sat all Summer and cranked right over last weekend when I started the sled and it had to crank for quite a while to get fuel to the carbs.

 

[cannondale27]

Just hook a voltmeter up to fully charged battery.Crank it over and watch voltmeter if it drops below 11volts while cranking its time for a new battery.Otherwise get a loadtest which is similar to what I described but with a meter which loads the battery.

 

[05 Rage]

mine lasted only 2 yrs on my 05 rage

 

[2006nytro]

my 06 nytro went after 1000 miles