Thread: {Review} SHORAI Battery Install 2006 R1

Like Jimmie, I know this guy who has a friend, who's cousin has a uncle, who's mothers gradnma's dads sisters girlfriend knew a hooker and got me this deal

Well it is my turn to do some winter maintenance, Brakes, Fluid and the rest are in the plan.

With my OEM battery about 4 years old and showing signs of old age, I figure it is time to move to green technology and put the R1 on a diet.

My initial gasp was how freaking light this battery is in comparison to the OEM. Savings claimed is 6.15 lbs. I will measure this on a scale to be exact. Size is amazingly small compared to the OEM. I will photo the two side by side in the Install Review. This shorai battery comes ion the #4 case style 148 mm in length Voltage 12v W/hr=60 A/r 14 CCA 210, with a total weight of 1.98 lbs.

The box comes cleanly wrapped and with enough extra padding to secure the battery in its original postion. A really nice size Sticker, but I would prefer to see a more condensed version and two of them.

The workmanship appears to be good, tightly built, no scuffs our stripped items and plenty of bolts washers and nuts to get the job done as well as a fairly clear Install guide.
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As noted this step is installation. Total time with taking photos 25 minutes, steps to install on the 06 R1 will be listed

Step 1,
removal of seat is a given, items removed tank bracket, two tank cowlings (To get to side bolts on tank). Lifted the tank just a 1/4 inch to wiggle the bracket out then the Battery just slid right out. Battery strap and removal of battery cables. a cinch


Side by Side view, I was surprised to see the case #4 of this SHORAI was equal to almost to the OEM. All I needed was one PRE-SIZED CUT foam pad that I added to the bottom of the Battery cradle to match height, no cut, not muss just slap it in.


Top view as you can see both cases are identical in size.


The Fit, All I added as mentioned was on Pre-Cut already in the box pad, it added the correct height to match the YUASA and it snapped right into place.


The final shot, all buttoned up, snug as a bug total time to install including photos 25 minutes, so I round it to 30 to add the decal and smile.


I personally did not review the install video prior to doing this. As I have worked on bikes since I was old enough to get yelled at by my dad for loosing his tools. I figured I would just apply the Just Do it, Read later technique. Installation was a no brainer, it took as I said 25 minutes and fit just like you would replace a OEM. My only reservation was going in the adding of and using the pads supplied by SHORAI in each box. I understand this may be different for other applications the R1 was simply a swap. I have a friend who installed this on his SV600 and had to use most to of the padding to secure the battery. So I will suggest when ordering ask for the FREE ADDITIONAL padding from who ever you order it from. If they charge you then your getting burned it is free with every order from SHORAI, you have to ask for it.

Final test, I hot the button, the R1 fired, with none of the normal cranking downward before a cold start. R1 owners will know this at least for me, the R1 when cold, spins up right away and then slows down a tad before it fires, this did not happen with the SHORAI, hot the button it spun up and fired. True test will come in one week as I do have a Scorpio alarm, these are noted to put some drain, I am not keeping it on the trickle for 5 days just to see what happens. I will post more on that in 5 days.

I did review the online video afterward, I have to say it is excellent, well done and easy to follow for the not so sure DIY'rs.

Yes, I sell the battery, like with AMSOIL, I was skeptical to buy the product. I did my research, I spoke eto users, I spoke to venders about the product and the company. All said and done, I am a dealer, I would not offer this or any product if I did not believe in it an use it myself. It also took 6 lbs off the R1 and thats a great thing

Originally Posted by Jimmie

Man your stock battery is tiny, why do they run such a small battery in the R1? My stock one for the SV was quite a bit bigger than the R1 one. Weird.

Jimmie

I thought the same thing, I was under the impression it was a tad larger. But when I pulled it out of the cradle I was pretty stunned to see it about the same size. I mean 1/4 inc height difference, 1 pad. I figured it is one reason the R1 weighs in around 428 lbs wet, now it weighs 422 lbs, maybe 420 since I do not have the rear passenger pegs on.

and probably a reason why the battery;s are problematic in the R1.

I just got off the phone with SHORAI, I wanted clarification on the charger/tender information on the website. I am glad I called as the info is a tad outdated. What I now know is like my Opimate 3 Desulficating Charger, it is not recommended to be on the battery for any length of time. LET ME CLARIFY as SHORAI put it. It is not recommended to place any ACID/DESULFICATING/TENDER/CHARGER for any length of time "ACCEPT" when necessary to place a charge onto the battery to bring it back to a proper Starting AMP. No Longer than 12 hours.

They will also be updating the Website to include tested Tenders that will work and not cause harm. The Harm is a unbalanced charge to each cell in the SHORAI battery. If you remember the lithium batteries of old, if they did not fully discharge you can damage them as to when improperly charged they would only hold half a charge. Glad the tech has improved.

They garuntee the battery to hold a charge for 1 year, so if you set you bike in the garage, turn the key off, store the bike properly, one year later, turn the key on the bile will start or turn over at least.

I wont test that

Have to say I am a little disappointed, not surprised but disappointed.

The R1 traditionally cold is a bit of a AMP hog and spins up rather slow pulling or drawing on the battery to get the beast spark to life. Once fired and its bones warm the normality of hitting the button to hear its growl is always an exciting event.

before I begin, I have on my R1 a Scorpio i500 Alarm with perimeter sensor. Though it is not active (Alarm) all the time, it does come with a slight drain on the battery to keep its settings and vitals. The Draw is sginificant enough for Scorpio to have redesigned this and implant a low battery sensory which would shut or should shut the alarm off if the battery drops below 11.x volts.

OK, The R1 however is a temperamental beast as it likes its juice, even the manual stats clearly a drop below 11.x would be enough to cause what would be seen as a dead battery. It is not dead, but lakes the cranking power to turn the mighty 4 over. The Scorpio would if left unchecked 7 to 10 days would drain the battery to a point the R1 would just say: "Fshhht WTF is this" and you would hear under the velocity stacks a low laughter intimidating you even further.

Well Atropos, the R1 acted just as it would with the OEM this morning (Thus Disappointment) I did not have the charger on, but I also did not flip the Micro Bypass switch I installed to remove the Scorpio from the battery term, thus removing the drain. I will test that in the morning tomorrow.

I hit the button, normal growl, spin, spin (Normally it fires) nope not this time, I hit the button again, spin, spin, slowing, slowing... I hit the button again, this time, just a tweak to the throttle, nope it slows, slows then I hear it, the alarm sounding LOW BATTERY. At this stage I know the R1 will not fire up from the Hot Button, its a bump start or I plug in into the charger.

I plug in the charger hit the button and it fires to life as expected. I have called SHORAI, they are interested in seeing my setup and will have a chance to look at it tomorrow. So this is why I say, not surprised but disappointed. I did buy the SHORAI charger, I will pick that up tomorrow.

More to come.

Well test two is in the works, as I have the alarm turned off (MicroSwitch) and there is no drain or pull from that.

I did notice that the battery seemed to have come to life after a couple of attempt. Thanks for posting this Jimmie, damn I should know more about my own products

I was in a hurry and my morning started out not so good. I went to put on a new man pad and discovered I was all out, Damn, so I had to wait for store to open. No harm, I got my daughters meds to boot.

Lets see what happens at 7:30 am tomorrow and I will get that battery all hot and bothered

I should worry about shrinkage, oh wait, we are talking about batteries..

I knew the battery had a huge CCA this is like 220 or something. Being new tech, I should had read more. But also the tech I spoke with at SHORAI, Humm did not say anything either, we spoke more about the Alarm hook up...

Maybe I derailed it as I am used the acid behavior, That did not sound right either. Ok Old style behavior

Originally Posted by Jimmie

John, the stock battery for a new Honda EU3000is generator is a YTZ 10S, it is only like 9 ah A 6.5hp single, and they put the same battery in your R1 Hmmmm oops sorry

Uh ok, gee thanks Jimmie, now I feel like, puny I have a battery on a poopy bike, man I feel so violated. I am going to go get a honda rebel and name it dyke