R.I.P. - GT14B-4

[Wildcat48]

My 2005 FJR's battery died quietly tonight, following a short illness. The GT14B-4 had provided 24 months of faithful service before passing, apparently from natural causes. Family and friends were shocked by the sudden demise of the battery. "She always started right up", said her owner, "and never gave any trouble; but I guess last Sunday's ride with all that Gerbing heated clothing was just more than she could bear and her heart just gave out."

In lieu of flowers, the owner's family is requesting information as to the best, fastest, and cheapest source for a replacement battery so that the owner can forget that sorry-*** OEM battery that has now cost him two days of riding.

Thanks,

Wildcat48

 

[Bike Effects]

R.I.P.

Resurrection is here:

WestCo sealed AGM Batteries at SportbikeEffects

Note discount info link below.

 

[vectervp1]

Definitely get your batter from sportbikeffects. Good guy, great customer service, and you get a discount. What more could you want! :drinks:

 

[Toecutter]

Definitely get your batter from sportbikeffects. Good guy, great customer service, and you get a discount. What more could you want! :drinks:

You forgot free shipping!

 

[SkooterG]

My condolences to the grieving family.

My 95k three and a half year old original battery from my 04 is just like the Energizer bunny and still going..........

Yet, I have had a brand new WestCo battery that I purchased from sportsbikeffects on a tricklecharger since last July just in case it comes to a sudden demise.

 

[Wildcat48]

R.I.P.
Resurrection is here:

WestCo sealed AGM Batteries at SportbikeEffects

Note discount info link below.

Thanks, See you in heaven! Wildcat48

 

[Warchild]

To keep the price down, Yamaha cut corners in a number of consumable areas when they built this bike. Spark plugs, for example, are bottom-end, garden-variety copper core. The GT14B-4 battery is another example.... it really is a POS battery that seems to give up the ghost at the most inopportune times.

 

[Toecutter]

The GT14B-4 battery is....a POS battery that seems to give up the ghost at the most inopportune times.

So is the Westco an upgrade in quality and reliability?

 

[teerex51]

Definitely get your batter from sportbikeffects. Good guy, great customer service, and you get a discount. What more could you want! :drinks:

You forgot free shipping!

What? No free installation?

Jeff, you call this good customer service?

Stef

 

[Warchild]

The GT14B-4 battery is....a POS battery that seems to give up the ghost at the most inopportune times.

So is the Westco an upgrade in quality and reliability?

Most every account I have read about them on the various forums over the past several years seem to indicate "yes", it is.

I've had a WestCo in my FJR and Blackbird for a couple years now.... these are AGM (Absorption Glass Mat) sealed batteries, very good stuff.

 

[Wildcat48]

To keep the price down, Yamaha cut corners in a number of consumable areas when they built this bike. Spark plugs, for example, are bottom-end, garden-variety copper core. The GT14B-4 battery is another example.... it really is a POS battery that seems to give up the ghost at the most inopportune times.

Warchild,

Agreed, and the kicker is "there are no substitutes", so I'm off to order a new POS!

Wildcat48

 

[Wildcat48]

Definitely get your batter from sportbikeffects. Good guy, great customer service, and you get a discount. What more could you want! :drinks:

Tanks, I ordered today, Wildcat48

 

[Bike Effects]

Definitely get your batter from sportbikeffects. Good guy, great customer service, and you get a discount. What more could you want! :drinks:

You forgot free shipping!

What? No free installation?

Jeff, you call this good customer service?

Stef

You buy the ticket, and I'll be there in a heart beat. Oh, I need to borrow an FJR as well.

 

[racer157]

Not high end but cheap. EBAY $49.95 plus shipping. Look on the FJR1300 listings, in parts.

 

[Wildcat48]

Many thanks to all for your thoughts and condolences on the passing of my GT14B-4. As recommended, I ordered on line, a new battery (12V14B-4) on Monday afternoon from Sportbike Effects. The battery arrived today, Wednesday! It was shipped UPS ground from Baltimore to my home in New Jersey. No compaints with that kind of service!

Interestingly, the new battery was made in Viet Nam, which should make my rice burner very happy.

Wildcat48

 

[Bounce]

To keep the price down, Yamaha cut corners in a number of consumable areas when they built this bike. Spark plugs, for example, are bottom-end, garden-variety copper core. The GT14B-4 battery is another example.... it really is a POS battery that seems to give up the ghost at the most inopportune times.

which is why, after all these years, i recently replaced my 2003 OEM battery with a Westco. It was working fine, but I didn't want to risk a failure with SFO coming up.

Which, compared to the last 3 bikes I've owned, is really very good longevity. Every Wing I've owned would pretty much tank a battery at 2 to 2.5 years.

 

[Opus]

Maybe its the horseshoes...

I got my unit out of the storage yesterday. Put it away in haste in early October without removing or even disconnecting the stock battery. Sure, it was in a frost-free shop for 6 months with no pre-winter service save for fuel preservative, but I anticipated having to buy a new battery.

Arrived at the shop for the first time since leaving it, yesterday, put the key in, and the console lit up.

Fired and ran smoothly in under 2 seconds.

I know this is a one-time divine-intervention, and wifey has caved regarding her previous reluctance to agree to replacing the dirt floor in the garage with concrete and running power there. (It's dark, cold, muddy or dusty 12 months, not really a good storage spot.) Next winter, the garage will be a shrine to this motorcycle.......that's if I can stay off of it long enough to see the project through....

Cheers

D

 

[FlyingLow]

R.I.P.
Resurrection is here:

WestCo sealed AGM Batteries at SportbikeEffects

Note discount info link below.

This particular battery, by sealed you mean it is shipped with the acid already in it? [possible dumb question]

Just put it in the bike and hit the button?

 

[jestal]

R.I.P.
Resurrection is here:

WestCo sealed AGM Batteries at SportbikeEffects

Note discount info link below.

This particular battery, by sealed you mean it is shipped with the acid already in it? [possible dumb question]

Just put it in the bike and hit the button?

Yes + yes...unless you want to refresh the charge a little first with the trickly charger.