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R27 Battery Question

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Slash2
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R27 Battery Question

Post by Slash2 »

Hello all. I'm looking for a gel or lithium battery for my 1966 R27. I saw in the "for sale" section a member who had sourced a Blitz gel but can't find a source here in the states. I currently have the standard "Power Patrol" in my R60/2 and a Shorai Lithium in my R69US. Both batteries perform flawlessly, the lithium however seems to hold a charge forever but it's also more than 3x the cost. I have used the acid type in my single for several years but they only seem to last a season and I'm sick of the constant replacement and fear of acid.

I'm sure Shorai has an option but I'm not sure which and I also can't confirm which Power Patrol might be small enough to fit as the standard for my twin is too large. I'm sure there are members who have solved this dilemma, if so, please let me know.

Thanks!

Chris
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butch housman
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Cant help u out on the

Post by butch housman »

Cant help u out on the battery issue except that acid batteries ruin paint which u already know but I'd love to hear more abt ur R69US

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johnpst
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Aloha, I wouldn't use a

Post by johnpst »

Aloha,

I wouldn't use a lithium battery unless you change the voltage regulator. A quick look at the periodic table of elements shows the lithium is on the very reactive side it. Whatever you use to charge LiFePo4 (or other Li-x mixtures) should be very controllable. Your R27 VR is not.

The Shorai LFX18L2-BS06 and LFX18A2-BS06 are workable LiPo batteries for your application. Mostly because you can stuff them into a faux Blitz case making it look like the original battery.

I've attached a photo of the voltage regulator that tends to get the best reviews. Sorry, I have not fully tested to see if it's compatible with LiPo.

I keep the original (melt-able) rubber battery strap, have quick disconnects on the battery leads, and have my pump quickly available as a dead-man stick to prevent roasting my nuts in case something goes wrong. I will change that strategy after fully testing my voltage regulator. Safety first. The good news is the R27 doesn't go fast enough to get hurt if you have to bail out over enemy territory.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

John

p.s. Don't jump off a moving motorcycle. Just joking about that.

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John
55 - R50, 06-R1200RT, 74 Ducati 750GT, 57 - R69, 78 - R100S

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Slash2
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1968 R69US

Post by Slash2 »

Cant help u out on the battery issue except that acid batteries ruin paint which u already know but I'd love to hear more abt ur R69US

She's an amazing bike. I found her in Northeastern Alabama several years ago and brought her back to Pennsylvania where incidentally she had originally been sold back in the end of the 60's. I found her with 20k miles on the clock, original cravens, wide bench, large tank, euro bars, and a brown side stand. She ran perfectly. Pulled hard and has been an absolute joy to own. I've put about 5k miles on her in several years without any real issues of any kind. I didn't think I would, but I've loved the US front end and find the bike to be comfortable and enjoyable to sit on for hours. I'll never forget the first ride after bringing her home. At that time I had been riding a 1964 R60/2 and also a 1966 R27. Of course there's no real comparing the R27 but the R69US felt like the perfect bigger brother to my /2. I still love riding the /2. There's something so distinct and different about a /2 with Earles front end when compared to an R69US. Both are incredible machines and it would be hard to pick a favorite.

At least back when I found the R69US, they seemed to be less popular/desirable when compared to their Earles fork sisters and commanded a smaller price tag. When considering the production numbers of these bikes and the incredible performance of the US front end, I can't quite understand this, but looking back, I'm glad that in my search for an R69S, I ended up with the US bike instead of the traditional Earles.
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KillerTux
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Gel Battery

Post by KillerTux »

Please see the Gel battery below for R26 & R27. They are in North Carolina.

http://www.boxer2valve.com/motorcycle/6121045.html


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Slash2
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Perfect!

Post by Slash2 »

Thank you very much!

For all interested the battery looks period perfect, $84.95 + an $8.00 flat rate shipping. I'll update with a photo once the battery arrives and is installed.

Chris
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schrader7032
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I'm on my third battery on my

Post by schrader7032 »

I'm on my third battery on my R25/2. When I got the bike in late 2009, I bought a Blitz battery from Vech once I got the bike up and running. In less than 4 years, the battery failed on me. I went back to Vech but he said he no longer supported these type of batteries for the single cylinder bikes because they vibrated too much. Their experience was the gel/sealed batteries were just too delicate inside and the vibration just shook things apart. I then purchased a basic 3-cell lead-acid battery from Vech. For the next three years, I struggled with battery acid being ejected through the breathable caps on the battery. Frequent calls to Vech's shop and attempts to minimize acid splash were to no avail. I had read on the German singles forum that someone was running a 4.5aH 6v battery on their bike for years...it was a Panasonic. I decided to go to Batteries+ and see what they had. I bought a Duracell 5aH 6V battery and have rigged up a new cabling system in order to preserve the standard ring terminals on the harness in order to mate with the blade type connections on the battery. I haven't spent a lot of time "prettying up" the installation...I just wanted something secure. That was around 3 years ago and so far so good.

Not sure if the R26/R27 is better on vibration...I suspect the later R27 is. But the singles aren't "nice" to sealed batteries. I hope my future experience goes well.
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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Slash2
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Hmm

Post by Slash2 »

Kurt,

Well I suppose 4 years is better than the 1 year I seem to be getting out of the cheap acid variety I've found locally. Perhaps the rubber mounted engine on my '66 provides a bit better dampening to the motor. That doesn't keep my exhaust nut from backing itself off the head but that may be due to both my reluctance to really torque it down and also by the increased leverage caused by the accessory finned collar. I've wondered if removing this collar might solve that issue. Vech apparently has solved this by drilling a small hole in a fin of the head and running a small wire to lock it in place. I'd rather not go drilling holes in my head but this can be a rather pesky issue when encountered along the road as the copper gasket has a tendency to disappear in the process.

Either way, I'll see how it goes and report back on this Blitz battery. I just can't justify using acid batteries anymore. They're like time bombs.
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butch housman
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Hard for me to imagine ur

Post by butch housman »

Hard for me to imagine ur single vibrates more than my Harley
No problem with mat glass batts in it

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Slash2
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Vibration

Post by Slash2 »

I notice that my R27 has a fair vibration at idle but as soon as I crack the throttle she smooths out nicely. Can't speak for the 25 or 26 though.
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