International Dealer News IDN 149 June/July 2019 | Page 33
PRO GuIDe
Charge batteries right,
and they will work right!
Motorcyclists now have more battery
options to choose from than ever, and that
diversification in available platforms all
stems from the fact that motorcyclists are
disappointed with traditional battery
performance, especially at a time when the
reliance on reliable on-board power has
expanded like never before.
Of course, everyone automatically blames
the battery. "Why can't they just perform
like they should?"
After all, if you add a performance kit to
your motorcycle, you get more performance,
right? Higher compression means more
horsepower, right? Actually, it needs more
than just that performance kit, it needs a
performance exhaust, it needs a filter that
makes that engine breathe better, but most
important of all, it needs higher octane fuel.
Without the higher octane fuel, that add-on
kit looks good in the parking lot, but will
not perform so well out there on the road.
So how come a high-performance battery
should simply perform without extra care or
better charging? To make a battery work
right, you have to charge and maintain it
right.
Lithium batteries are the new high-
performance solution for those riders who
'hate' the fact that their motorcycle
struggles to start on a cold morning. Spring
is a dreaded time, as more often than not
that 'old' battery did not make it through
winter. The real question is "why?", and
generally the answer is that it was never
charged and maintained properly.
So, many a rider's response is that it is time
for a new battery, and why not one of those
new high- performance lithium batteries?
Lithium batteries deliver four times more
cranking amps per Amp-hour than their
lead-acid equivalent - the battery it will
soon replace. Plus, lithium batteries do not
'sulphate' or lose power over winter if left
semi-charged (recommended: at least 50%
or higher), but, and this is a big but, if they
are NOT CONNECTED to the bike's circuitry
over winter.
If a lithium battery is left connected over
winter without proper maintenance, well,
that would be a hard and expensive mistake
- that battery will die faster than the lead-
acid battery it replaced.
Why? The bike's 'always on' circuitry draws
the same power from the battery, never
mind what type of battery it is. Lithium
batteries have on average three to four
times less Amp-hour capacity than the lead-
acid battery it replaced, i.e. it is three to
four times smaller, so at slow discharge
caused by the bike's 'always on' circuitry, it
will be flat three to four times sooner.
So, it stands to reason that if you want
reliable access to the high cranking amps of
your lithium battery, you must maintain it
with a lithium-specific battery charger - it
needs that 'high octane' charger to perform
as advertised.
The OptiMate Lithium line of chargers has
been designed to be the right 'high octane'
charger for your lithium battery, which is
why Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki globally
recommend OptiMate Lithium chargers, as
well as KTM, Husqvarna and American
Honda, who brand their own OptiMate
Lithium chargers.
Ask esteemed international battery
companies like Super B, Antigravity and
Earth-X why their 'go to' charger is
OptiMate Lithium and they'll tell you it is
because it makes their batteries work right
and their warranty return rate is negligible.
OptiMate Lithium guarantees battery
performance - and for those who forgot to
charge, it will save that battery from as low
as 0.5V.
If you want to see the science behind it all,
video versions are available in English,
French, German, Dutch, Spanish and Italian
at https://tecmate.com/new/lithium4facts
TECMATE
Tienen, BELGIUM
Tel: +32 (0)16 805440
www.tecmate.com
www.optimate1.com
LV-10 Titanium for Suzuki GSX-R 1000/R
Italian exhaust specialist LeoVince has developed a
new line of exhaust systems for 2017-2019 (EURO
4) Suzuki GSX-R 1000/R models - the new LV-10
Titanium.
"Developed in collaboration with the LeoVince
Racing Department and applying the experience
gained in the Moto 2 and Moto 3 championships,
the LV-10 Titanium expresses the maximum in racing
technology, applied to a muffler designed for
standard bikes".
The muffler and the link pipe are made using Grade
1 titanium, "a pure material that, in addition to
www.idnmag.com
guaranteeing a weight reduction of -30% compared
to stainless steel, has high characteristics of ductility,
strength and corrosion resistance".
LeoVince says that the TIG welding is done entirely
by hand and that it "underlines the craftsmanship of
the product while retaining its racing DNA". It has a
sandblasted finish, precision laser-cut bracket and a
laser-etched LeoVince logo.
The LV-10 muffler is additionally available in stainless
steel and in the 'Black Edition’ version. For this bike
LeoVince also offers carbon fibre and stainless steel
'Factory S’ versions and header pipes that are
compatible with the OEM and LeoVince muffler -
check for the full applications and approvals list.
LEOVINCE
Monticello d'Alba (CN), ITALY
[email protected]
www.leovince.com
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JUNE/JULY 2019
33