DIY..... its cheaper

Li-Ion ones are about £300+ for the equivalent amp/hr I think... :eek: the odyesey gel ones are a bit smaller than MF or traditional ones, but have the advantage of being able to be mounted on their side etc... I'll try and find out what the blokes i know who raced the Guzzi at the manx last year used, as they kept the starter etc.. looking at it another way, is there not a starter that could be used from a more modern Ducati or similar as i presume thats what needs the large amp/hr rating ?
 
£50 and will start a Lorry.
Mind you it needs a Lorry to carry it around.
Compact it is not...

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Yea , technology has moved on 35 years but batteries seem to be of a size or made of gold. I notice that ones 28AH and the recommended back in the day was 35AH. I wonder what the lowest AH would be practical and still get a few seconds of starter motor.
 
Current Ducati's use batteries like the Yuasa YT12B-BS which only has a 10Ah capacity and has a 210A cold cranking current available.
The Y60-N24L-A specified for the electric start bevels are 28Ah with a 300A CCA so can put out a higher current for much longer. But does it need to?
You want a battery with a reasonably CCA but if the bike is in good tune and starts easily you should be able to get away with a much smaller capacity.

Lithium Ion-Phosphate batteries, on the face of it, have a much smaller capacity but because the way the chemistry works they can be operate to a much more discharged state than a lead acid battery.

From Shorai's website :
Q. How does the LFX "PBeq AHr" capacity rating compare to lead-acid Ahr ratings?

A. First, we need to understand that the primary job of a starter battery is to flow a large current (amperage) for a short time, in order to start a vehicle. In order to do that efficiently, the battery must have low internal resistance. Holding all other considerations equal, the larger the battery is in capacity the lower the resistance, and the better able it is to crank a vehicle under high loads.

Lead-acid makers have therefore used AHr(capacity) ratings as shorthand to indicate cranking ability, rather than a real usable capacity. The lead-acid capacity rating itself is based on a complete discharge at a low discharge rate. Under actual cranking conditions they will deliver considerably less than spec capacity. And because lead-acid batteries begin sulfating when only a small percentage of the capacity has been used, and their internal resistance rises as they are discharged, the actual capacity which can be USED may be as little as 20% of the mfg. rating. Discharge in excess will not only damage the lead-acid battery, it may not allow proper starting as voltage sags.

Shorai LFX are based on a completely different chemistry. Not only do they have less than 1/3 the internal resistance per capacity than do lead-acid, they are also the ultimate "deep-cycle" battery. The internal "completely discharged" capacity of a Shorai LFX is 1/3 the rated "PBeq" capacity. For example, the LFX18 12V series have 6Ah cells internally. But the cells are capable of 80% discharge without damage and while retaining more cranking ability. As such, the USABLE capacity(or "reserve capacity") of an LFX18 12V battery is on or very near par with 18AHr-rated lead acid batteries, while providing superior cranking performance and a vast reduction in weight. The Shorai PBeq AHr (lead-acid equivalent) rating system therefore allows users to compare a very different technology from lead-acid, but on a close apples-to-apples basis when making a choice.

I hope that helps
 
This is old Smokey............ 5 mins of running today and a smog descended over Cambridgeshire........and me and Smokey are in Surrey. :)Landed in surrey in the van but does actually have an MOT.....god knows how :)





About half of it i will not need......like footrests, levers ,tank ,seat, mudguards , silencers and pipes clocks instrument cluster and so on.

do i really want to do this again ? its always the same come spring.........DOH
 
That's a really nice bike.

Why would someone sell that? :scratchhead: :fou: I promote that we start an equivalent of a Donkey farm for Ducati's except they all get better and I get to keep them! :idea: :kiss:

I understand why you provide the service but you are breaking bikes I dreamt of owning when I was a lad :cry::hissy: :mmph: :mad2::tantrum:.

I really wouldn't mind owning them now :hug:.
 
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The fact is that every time i break a bike it probably keeps another half dozen on the road and enables countless people to do their restorations. :) some people complain at my "rip off prices" :) but if they knew what i have to pay for stock they might understand. A lot of stuff is beyond saving but think of it as while smokey has been saved, his mates have given their lives so others may live :(
this is why you all have to clear out your junk and let me re home it .......lol
 
As it happens the seat is split, the front mudguard has a ding, all 4 indicators have chrome issues the rear light is broken, the rev counter does not work. Most of the idiot lights have blown, the seat hump is scuffed so are the side panels, the exhaust is good but the chrome has been polished away to yellow, it smokes like 100 a day man..........and that is just at a first look. :-)

Not really sure why i do this ........lol :)
 
that was on ebay wasnt it? I seem to remember the paintjob and the description saying something about it smoking a bit ;) its got a twin-pull throttle on it though :)
 
if its a standard switch on the other side then you'll have to keep an eye out for a dead Suzuki :lol2:
 
That's a nice smart bike Paddy - exactly like my neighbour Pat's. I'd better let him know to have a look as he might want to pick over the carcass.
Pity to break it, but I'm interested to see what you create.
 
Good Darmah destruction day on Sat





Engine is showing dry and dusty front pot exhaust and a dripping wet oily rear pot exhaust so i know where to look first :) everything else looks good. as i know the bottom end is good i am tempted to leave it but on the other hand i am also tempted to put a kick start shaft in. oh decisions :)
Most of what is left i will use although i will lose the headlamp brackets and gators....I have some better callipers as well. Not sure about wheel colour either yet. all depends on how much chopping and welding the frame needs and what bodywork i can make fit.
I think ity might have to go on the back burner again for a while, i am already behind with work again :)
 
STOP PRESS .....STOP PRESS.....STOP PRESS .....STOP PRESS.....

Dramatic development. Andrew at Mdina has offered me a S2 frame for a very reasonable amount. This will be the way forward as the top frame rail profile is the same as a SS and that means i can use one of the wide veriety of after market SS tanks without having to "alter" the underside or frame. It also has rear set lugs in place. and front fairing mount on the head stock.
 
First look inside the top end this evening. I have not cleaned this, its exactly how i just unbolted it.



Front manifold, it measures 40mm in and 36mm out, std is 38.5 in and 33mm out. bore is exactly matched to the head port so no step.



someone has spent some serious time on this. In a funny sort of way i am not surprised, some of you will know i had just about given up building specials but when i heard this Darmah i knew instantly i had to build one last effort, the noise just sounded so spot on. i think i can see why now....wonder what else is going on inside ????????
 
I reckon it could be the work of Banksy. He's just put this up in Cheltenham last saturday night and we're all excited about it. Nobody's talking about anything else round our way.

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Just replacing my oil filter this evening and I noticed this...

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Mine's a C5 - perhaps Clive Sinclair was a previous owner? It doesn't have any marks on the crankcases though.

Just back to the oil filter. This one's done 300 miles (so a total of 500 miles since the rebuild) and it was completely clear of swarf. I'm thinking now I can rest easy on this one.
 
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