i have reason to believe that my batter is bad... so im thinking about replacing it... but i have a question... is it the same thing to just change out the liquid (electrolytes?) and just charging it as buying a new battery?...

Buy a new one.  There's more to a battery working properly than just the fluid.  

First fill it with distilled water and put it on a charger over night.  See if it holds a charge.  If not, spring for a new one.

Echo that, and from the I-know-you-didn't-ask files,

The electrolyte in a lead-acid battery is an active participant in the charge/discharge reactions.  Topping off with distilled water to replace evaporated water is all you want to do, as the strength of the sulfuric acid in the battery varies according to the state of charge of the battery, and replacing it with too weak or strong a solution will muck up the battery.

cool.. thanks... i guess even if i wanted to try the distilled water thing i would need to by a battery tender right?... and i dont have one... so better off just buying a new battery... and oh yea.. the reason why i think its my battery is because... before i left my bike on park... and drained it.. then recharged it... and then i ddint ride for like a couple weeks... and it wouldnt start... so i jumped it... then left it over night.. and wouldnt start again... so.. im guessing i need a new battery right?

ok.. someone please help me out... i just went and bought a battery.. but i have a question... might be a stupid one... i think it is... how do you charge the battery? cause i have a feeling batteries dont come charged right? or am i wrong? let me know if i need to charge it or if it comes charged and all i need to do is plop it in my bike and hook it up? help me please!

You should charge it overnight at a charge rate of about 10% of the battery rating in amp-hrs. You'll need a little charger for that. But then in a pinch and a hurry I have just filled 'em and used 'em...been a long time ago, but it worked at the time. Maybe you could put it in and then run the bike for several hours and it would be ok. But don' t quote me on that. Lovin' the little tiny scooter and the fuzzy forum.

C.......

so i need a battery tender?.. to charge the battery right?.. or do they charge it for you at walmart?.. cause i bought it from there

When the electrolyte is put in the battery it brings the charge up to a certain point...generally about 65-75% of it's capacity. So the battery will work but it's not up full. I've heard that if a new battery isn't charged some it will never hold a full charge, but like I say, I've done it in a pinch and it worked. So, roll the dice...do you get a charger or do you put it in the way it is?? Come on 7-11...Baby needs a new pair of "shoes". Love the little thing...this forum too. Don't you??

C.......

hahah.. well i am planning on selling the bike.. but it would be nice to have a battery tender on hand for future.. right?

how much do battery tenders run?

Oh, you should be able to get a tender for around 10 bucks at the Wally-World. They're cheap cheap cheap. Not gonna roll the dice huh?? You must love the bike...well, love this forum too.

C.......

Quote from: soon2bridinghow much do battery tenders run?

If you're looking for the "real McCoy", see THIS POST.

Otherwise, listen to cernunos.  

OK, now I have a battery question of my own and apparently I don't know what else to search for.  Whatever.

I just bought a new battery on eBay, it is brand new and is the YB10L-B2 stock battery. I just got it in the mail, and paid $25 for it. Not bad.

I read the directions and it says I need to fill it with electrolyte. Ok, fine..but where do I get it? Do parts stores carry this?

And once I add the electrolyte, I am assuming I will still need to put it on the charger.

Call around to your local stealerships; they should have electrolyte you can fill your battery with, though I expect they'll charge you for it (maybe $10?); if no go, call the local battery suppliers (Interstate might have a store in your area), and if still no joy, call local autoparts stores and ask if they sell electrolyte (battery acid) for filling new dry batteries. Be sure to ask for the parts dept. manager, or someone else knowledgeable, because even if they don't carry what you need, they might know where you can buy it.

Yes, you WILL need to charge the battery once you've filled it with the electrolyte, before you use it, or it is likely you'll be buying another battery sooner rather than later. Uncharged batteries put into service can work for a while, but they tend to have a very short half-life. Fill the new, dry battery with electrolyte (you want to make sure you cover the tops of the internal plates with electrolyte), then trickle-charge it until it has a full charge (I prefer do this overnight, to be sure the battery takes a full charge).

Do NOT try to charge a motorcycle battery with an automotive-only charger. A ten amp-hour (GS500) battery should be charged at a 10% rate (one-amp hour) until it is fully charged. Charge it faster than that, and the heat build-up will probably warp the internal plates; if that happens, they will touch, and that causes a "short" in the battery. You can also buckle the case from the heat; feel the sides of the battery during charging; if they are getting hot (warm is OK if the room is properly ventilated), reduce the charging rate (or disconnect the charger) until the battery cools down, then resume charging at a slower rate.

Once it is fully charged, disconnect the charger, then  tap lightly on the sides to release any charging gases (one method of "burping" a battery). Fill it again to the upper indicator level with distilled water (I don't recommend adding more electrolyte), and trickle-charge it again (about an hour) until it is fully charged. This charge / burp / refill / recharge method has worked well for me over the years, but I tend to be A-R about the way I charge a new battery before I use it, then keeping my batteries fully charged. I get years of service from my batteries...