Ballistic Performance Components 4-Cell Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Upgrade

[opc]

Hi Guys,

I just finished installing a Ballistic Performance Components 4-cell lithium iron battery in my 09 Ninja 250.

It was a really simple swap that required nothing more than a few basic tools, some foam padding, and about 30 minutes. I snapped a few pictures along the way for reference, and I weighed both batteries accurately to get an idea of the actual weight savings from this modification.

Overall, you'll save 6.5 lbs or 2985 grams which is a pretty significant amount all considered. I paid $109 CAD for the Ballistic battery from a local dealer.

Original battery with plastic cover - 7.5 lbs (3410 grams)
Ballistic 4-cell battery - 0.95lbs (426 grams)

If your battery is getting a little old, then this really is a no-brainer. It's only about $20 more than the stock battery, weights 1/7th the amount, lasts longer and works just as well.

The stock bolts and lugs fit without any modification, but you'll need to use something to hold the new tiny battery in place. I used adhesive back acoustic foam and just built up the battery box around the tiny 4 cell battery.

Cheers,
Owen

[Alex]

How has this been holding up?

[Snake]

Great write-up.

[opc]

Hi Alex,

No mishaps to report so far. It's getting a little cooler here, and I was recently doing some work on the carbs that required frequent starts with minimal run time, and that little battery doesn't seem to mind one bit.

I was going over my list of stock vs. aftermarket weights for all the parts I've replaced, and this battery is by far the best bang for the buck. I know most of the threads on here quickly digress into arguments when it comes to shaving weight, but I've dropped 35 lbs off my bike since I got it, and it has made a very notable improvement overall. Coming from a background in road bike (as in bicycle) racing, it's hard to imagine they built the 250R the way they did. It's almost as though every single part was made to be as heavy as possible. I found it comical that replacing just the gas tank cap dropped nearly a pound off the bike. That kind of weight savings on a road bike would cost you $1000.

I've attached my list for fun, and I'll be sure to report back if I ever run into a problem with the battery.

Are you considering an upgrade?

Cheers,
Owen

[Alex]

Originally Posted by opc

Are you considering an upgrade?

I likely won't upgrade until mine needs it, but I am interested in the new battery technology, It does seem like it's become very popular in just the past few months, and I wonder when such lightweight batteries will make it into OEM specs. Honda made a big deal when they shaved 1 pound off the battery in their new 1000RR for 2008, requiring a special starter motor to deal with the slightly lower capacity battery than before. These lithium batteries are fractions of the weight of the older-tech, and seem to have very little downsides.

[Alex]

If I'm reading that list correctly, you removed the entire rear brake assembly?

[opc]

Hi Guys,

The digression begins... The rear brake was not removed to shave weight, it was removed because I almost killed myself with it... twice.

I've had it off the entire year so far, and I can honestly say that it has been better without it. Say what you want about "training yourself to brake properly in panic situations" but for me, it was hard to resist the urge to mash that pedal when you really need to stop. On a road bike it's fine to lock the back wheel, but it's not fine on a motorcycle.

I would not suggest it as a weight saving measure, and I would not suggest it for all riders, but if you're like me, and don't feel comfortable having it there, then I don't think it's all that bad to go without.

Remember the 80/20 rule? Those guys weren't pulling on the front brake hard enough

Cheers,
Owen

[Alex]

I use the rear very rarely myself. But it sure did come in handy when I didn't realize my front pads were down to almost nothing and I was a few hours from home.

[opc]

Hi Alex,

That has been my one actual fear. Not that the pads will wear out, but that I might have some fluke mechanical failure on the front brake which would leave me with no brakes at all.

I reasoned that under the circumstances I'd just have to downshift aggressively to shed some speed, and hopefully avoid whatever obstacle I was trying to brake for.

Not having any braking redundancy is definitely a valid concern!

Cheers,
Owen

[DaBlue1]

how hot does the Li-ion battery get with all that padding acting as insulaltion around it in the summer?

[alex.s]

this thread is awesome. this pdf just got printed out. and i don't print out many things so take that as a compliment.

good work... but damnit, now i have to buy two of these batteries...

[opc]

Hi Guys,

DaBlue1:

The battery itself doesn't generate heat, so I don't think it's an issue. I know the Lithium Iron type batteries are a lot more tolerant to temperature extremes than their Li-Ion or Li-Po counterparts. Either way, it hasn't given me any problems, and I've never noticed any heat buildup.

alex.s:

Glad to hear that list can be of use! I've been meaning to post it up in its own thread, but never got around to it. I'm always updating it, so I'll post a new one every now and then. Next time I have all the fairings off, I plan to weigh those as well and add them to the list.

If you were race prepping a Ninja, I figured it would help to know what parts need the most attention.

Cheers,
Owen

[CoinSlot]

Top post! Now to find one of these batteries in Australia...

EDIT: Search over! http://frps.com.au/store/index.php?m...index&cPath=24

Although I think I just bought their last 4-cell.

[opc]

Good Stuff! You won't regret it...

It's fun to hold the new and the old battery in each hand. It's almost hard to believe they both accomplish the same thing!

Best of luck with the install!

Cheers,
Owen

[ninja250]

I use to use lithium in my RC vehicles.
High power tiny stuff, that's for sure.
This is an interesting thread.
Something I would like. Get one and delete the whole battery box and mount it on that ledge on the undertail with a rubber strap like in the tail box. Or just put the battery in the tail maybe.

[setasai]

Sweet. Keep us posted on reliability. When I need to change mine out, I might just do that since it'll leave a little more space under the seat. Maybe a decent place to put extra tools or maybe a tire repair kit.

[ninja250]

Yeah this is a cool one.

I wonder if a bettery tender still works with this. I don't imagine so?

[CoinSlot]

Originally Posted by ninja250

Yeah this is a cool one.

I wonder if a bettery tender still works with this. I don't imagine so?

From their website:

No special charger required
No trickle charger required, loses only 10% of charge over a year of static use

[wayanlam]

i want... but the friken PayPal transaction wont let me send the battery to a US address, because my PP is registered to me here in Indonesia! arghhhhhh.........

[Skippii]

No rear brake? Wow, you must not do a lot od motocross and enduros with your bike.
Posted via Mobile Device

[wayanlam]

yeah... i would never dream of taking the back brakes off, regardless if i use or don't use it, that's like a spare lifeline that i want to know i can rely on if the front brakes for some reason were to fail.

downshifting would not be as fast as the back brakes, and it could lead to dire conciquences. having said that, i could fully understand that you can get away with only using the front brakes, but it would be more a matter of reassurance for me to have still have the back ones there just in case.

gravel and rain is not my best friend, but if i have to slow down on gravel, or a wet road, i always use a good dose of the back brakes, so that i can avoid loosing traction on the front wheel, and slip out.

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by wayanlam

i want... but the friken PayPal transaction wont let me send the battery to a US address, because my PP is registered to me here in Indonesia! arghhhhhh.........

Where do you see the battery for sale?

[opc]

Something I would like. Get one and delete the whole battery box and mount it on that ledge on the undertail with a rubber strap like in the tail box. Or just put the battery in the tail maybe.

The battery box is actually a structural component that holds the undertail in place, so if you got rid of it, you'd have to fashion a strap or a bracket that could take its place.

As setasai mentioned, the better thing to do would be to move the toolkit into the battery box and just tape a single allan key in the rear compartment. That would give you some easily accessible storage space that you could actually use. I got rid of my tool kit a long time ago, and I use the extra space to store my wallet, keys, phone, and anything else I have to carry.

Cheers,
Owen

[ninja250]

Where did you guys get it though that's the important part lol.
There;s likely a million ways to mount that tiny thing on this bike. could customize it's own tiny battery box for it.

On a stunt bike it's nice to be able to lose weight.

What kind of charger do you use for this battery also?

As far as I remember, I think you can use the undertail just fine without the battery box.
I could be wrong though.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by ninja250

As far as I remember, I think you can use the undertail just fine without the battery box.
I could be wrong though.

I dont think he meant structural as in the bike would fall apart but more so it holds the battery and without it, there's nothing holding the battery.

Man, now i want one.

[dale-j]

Owen, where did you find the Ballistic batteries up here? While they are carried through Parts Unlimited and Parts Europe, Parts Canada doesn't and my local dealer can't seem to find a source.

I have a good AGM battery in the ZZR put in by the PO, however my Guzzi battery just died on a ride yesterday after the second restart in 10 minutes of riding. I'd like to find one locally given the riding weather is perfect and I need it now.

Thanks.

Steve

[k-os]

Have you had any issues with your battery now that it's getting cooler? I've had an 8 cell Ballistic Performance battery in my Hawk 650, and it seems that now that it's cooler out it's not liking starting in the morning. I was able to start my bike this morning, but after riding it to work and getting ready to ride home for lunch it didn't start.

[EthioKnight]

Hi there,
Did you get the 80 Amps or the 135 Amps version? The 80 Amps is $49.95 (ebay) but I'm assuming that's too low of a current for our bikes (scratching head)?

[dale-j]

Originally Posted by EthioKnight

Hi there,
Did you get the 80 Amps or the 135 Amps version? The 80 Amps is $49.95 (ebay) but I'm assuming that's too low of a current for our bikes (scratching head)?

As far as the decision on which one to get, check Yuasa's site for the OE battery specs and then make sure you have at least as much amp hour capacity and CCA (cold cranking amps). Provided you have this you should be fine, but there are also some guidelines on the ballistic site...

[opc]

@dale-j:

Owen, where did you find the Ballistic batteries up here? While they are carried through Parts Unlimited and Parts Europe, Parts Canada doesn't and my local dealer can't seem to find a source.

I got mine at a local store called 613 Motorsports. They had it in stock for a few dollars more than the US retail price, and I got to install it the same day! I know Motorcycle Superstore has also picked up the Ballistic battery line, and they do offer shipping to Canada, so that might be your best choice if nobody has one locally and you're in a hurry.

@k-os:

Have you had any issues with your battery now that it's getting cooler? I've had an 8 cell Ballistic Performance battery in my Hawk 650, and it seems that now that it's cooler out it's not liking starting in the morning. I was able to start my bike this morning, but after riding it to work and getting ready to ride home for lunch it didn't start.

I'm still riding in to work a few times a week, and I still haven't had any problems with my battery. There have been a few mornings that were around 5 degrees C and although it took a few seconds longer for my bike to start, it certainly didn't hesitate on account of the battery. I've also gone on vacation and left it for two weeks in September, and even after that, it fired up without issue.

How old is your battery now? You seem to have the correct general size for a 650, so I'm not sure what the problem would be. Do you have an alarm or anything that would have drained it?

@EthioKnight:

Did you get the 80 Amps or the 135 Amps version? The 80 Amps is $49.95 (ebay) but I'm assuming that's too low of a current for our bikes (scratching head)?

I'm using the $100 4-cell, 135A, "Evo-2" version. It's the one suggested for daily use with a 250cc bike. You might be able to get away with the 80 amp version in a race application, but you'd be pushing it. You definitely wouldn't want to use the 80A version for a daily commuter.

Cheers,
Owen

[k-os]

Originally Posted by opc

k-os:

I'm still riding in to work a few times a week, and I still haven't had any problems with my battery. There have been a few mornings that were around 5 degrees C and although it took a few seconds longer for my bike to start, it certainly didn't hesitate on account of the battery. I've also gone on vacation and left it for two weeks in September, and even after that, it fired up without issue.

How old is your battery now? You seem to have the correct general size for a 650, so I'm not sure what the problem would be. Do you have an alarm or anything that would have drained it?

Cheers,
Owen

I bought the battery near the beginning of April and started using it in July. The time between then the battery was kept off the bike in my bedroom. No alarm or parasitic draw on the battery. I unplug my Koso gauge every time I'm done riding because it keeps the LCD on to display the time.

[dale-j]

Thanks Owen. Was hoping to find a place locally near Vancouver but I have ordered from Motorcycle Superstore with good results in the past.

I also found that BikeBandit sells these at a small (10%) discount as does Solo Motor Parts. Solo ships USPS to Canada and international, which is slower but a big bonus as Canada Post, when they charge brokerage (not always) only charges $5.00 flat fee versus +\- $40 brokerage plus COD fees (for their brokerage charges) from UPS. The savings of using USPS/Canada Post is typically about $50.00 (!!)

[OGjackafidy]

+1 on motorcycle superstore. ive seen those batteries on there and ive ordered multiple things from there and never had a single issue. there the best online store ive ordered from i usually order on sunday or monday and get it by wednesday