Old Bike, New Battery: What Could Go Wrong? [EBL Li-Ion Test]

Given the opportunity to check out state-of-the-art technology, a person would usually jump at the chance, right?

With so much publicity—good and bad—about lithium-ion batteries, and armed with minimal previous experience with lithium-ion batteries beyond the ones for electronic devices, I couldn’t help but be a little apprehensive about using one in my 50-year-old Honda CB350F. But, as Huxley wrote, it’s a brave new world, and these things may nudge the old flooded-cell lead-acid battery aside before too long, so I thought I’d give one a try.

I started by doing a little research on this type of battery. It turns out there are several types of lithium-ion batteries. The EBL motorcycle battery I would be testing in my vintage CB350F is a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, which is the material of the negative cathode, while the positive anode is graphite carbon. This type of lithium-ion battery has less energy density than the much smaller lithium polymer types used in electronic devices. However, that is an advantage for a physically larger battery used in a motorcycle application because it allows the battery to last through many more charge cycles. It is also more chemically stable, less likely to overheat, and degrades slower than other lithium-ion batteries.

The composition of a LiFePO4 does include an electrolyte in the battery cell to allow the lithium ions to travel between the cathode and the anode. The electrolyte is not acid, as in a traditional flooded cell lead-acid battery. Instead, it is an organic solvent such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, or something similar.

I wondered whether the power delivery of the latest tech battery would roast my old bike’s voltage regulator, singe my stator, or scorch the starter motor. After all, much newer bikes with high-energy electronic ignition systems could be expected to be designed with modern battery technology in mind. However, when my old Honda was built, the lithium-ion battery wasn’t even on the drawing board. LiFePO4 batteries didn’t come into commercial production until the late 2010s. On the other hand, the lithium-ion battery has many intriguing features.

A significant advantage is substantial weight reduction. Unlike the Yuasa YB12A-A lead-acid battery that the Honda had been using, which weighs in at 8.4 pounds, the EBL lithium-ion battery weighs only about two pounds.

Since the EBL battery contains no acid and is completely sealed, potential damage to your bike from cell leakage is unlikely. There is no danger of spillage, no need to worry about battery cell fluid levels, and no possibility of sulfation. That little overflow drain tube that threads from the battery box to under the bike can also be removed.

The EBL terminals are copper, so that maddening oxidation buildup that can look grody and cause poor or complete loss of connection should not be an issue. They are also cylindrical and tapped for the connection in three positions—top, front, and side—to allow cable connections in the best position. That proved to be a crucial feature before this story was done.

As to being able to judge the status of the battery as time passes, the EBL has a charge status indicator built right into the top of the battery case. Though the EBL owner’s manual shows the system’s on/off button, it really doesn’t explain much about how the status indicator works. For example, how would the readings differ when the engine is running as opposed to when it is not?

The thing even has what EBL calls a battery management system. It’s a chip that detects short-circuit, overcharge, over-discharge, over-current, overheating, and over-voltage conditions. Here again, the owner’s manual is silent on what happens if any of those conditions shut things down and if any kind of re-start process is necessary or troubleshooting procedures.

The product literature claims the battery will last through over 50,000 starts, and over 3,000 charge cycles, all while delivering 360 cold-cranking amps, 10 times longer battery life than a lead-acid battery, and five times faster charging. It even claims it’ll start my motorcycle in temperatures ranging from 76 degrees below zero to 131 degrees. There’s no chance I’m trying to start any motorcycle—or my car, for that matter—when it’s -76 degrees, but it’s nice to know they think it could. And if it gets to 131 degrees around my place—I live in Wisconsin, not Death Valley—I’m standing in the shower running cold water.

Okay, so I’m sold on the qualities of the LiFePO4 battery. It has all the qualities that I would consider the ultimate motorcycle battery. Yet, I still had misgivings about whether its space-age performance characteristics would cause problems—or even damage—to my CB350F’s 50-year-old battery-and-coil ignition system and other electric components, and whether its physical size would pose any installation problems.

When ordering the battery, I asked EBL to consider those issues and tell me which battery would fit the old bike and not cause a problem. EBL took that responsibility and shipped me the EBL YTX9-BS LiFePO4 12V 6Ah 360A battery.

After removing the old flooded-cell lead-acid Yuasa battery, which had been in service since July 2021, I compared the batteries side-by-side. That revealed that even with all three of the extra shims supplied with the battery attached to the bottom of the case, the EBL unit was still one inch shorter than the standard battery, lowering the connection point of the terminals. Fortunately, that didn’t produce any problems.

But, when I tried to install the EBL battery into the battery box, it was impossible to get the battery to pivot into place. The EBL battery case measures an even 6.0 inches wide, while the battery box measures 5.75 inches. The Yuasa battery measures 5.25 inches, so it pivots in pretty easily. So, I think we have answered my question in the headline.

Nevertheless, I wanted to know about the technical aspects of the EBL’s performance with the old bike’s electrical system, so I installed the battery temporarily secured in place with a cable tie and hooked it up. It started the bike instantly, and everything worked fine. I let the bike run for quite a while, spinning up the motor numerous times. There was no evidence of things heating up or any other signs of problems.

But, because I could only secure the battery in the battery box at an angle with the cable tie looped through the end of the elastic band and around the hinged battery box retainer, I didn’t attempt any ride time.

After contacting EBL, I decided I’d check out other possible test bikes for physical fit in the battery box and check back with them about any other technical issues with compatibility.

My 1976 Honda CJ360T has a battery and coil ignition system similar to the CB350F and doesn’t have an electric starter to be concerned about, so it became the new test mule.

In the case of the CJ360 battery case, both the width and length of the EBL battery were just slightly too large to allow the battery to slide down into the bike’s battery box.

The next candidate bike was my 1999 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883XLH. The Harley-Davidson’s battery is about two inches taller and an inch wider than either of the Honda’s lead acid batteries. In this case, while space was not apparently a problem, the terminals are on the opposite ends of the EBL battery. That requires the battery to be installed with the terminals facing out instead of facing in, as is the case with the lead acid battery being replaced. The cables on the Harley have no extra length.

However, by removing the shims added to make up the connection height difference on the batteries for the Hondas, the EBL battery sat low enough to allow the cables to reach the terminals if the battery was reversed in position from the lead acid battery orientation.

The extra inch of width inside the battery box allowed the cables to fit snugly along each end of the battery, and the triple-option connection points on each terminal made it possible to connect the terminals in line with each end of the battery. The battery was held securely in place by the vertical sides of the three-piece battery box.

After the connections were secured, but before the Harley-Davidson Sportster battery box was fully reinstalled, I hit the starter button. The V-twin fired up immediately, and I let the bike run for a while. I checked for heat build-up at the terminal connections, cables, and battery case and found none. I reinstalled the battery box and completed the installation.

As a reminder to myself, I added a label on the battery tender connector saying that this bike has a lithium-ion battery, so I’d use the correct setting on the Battery Tender.

So, it turns out the EBL LiFeSO4 battery that was sent could not be installed in a 50- or 48-year-old Honda due to the physical dimensions being too big for each bike’s battery box. However, with a little revision to the standard installation position, installing the EBL unit in a 25-year-old Harley-Davidson Sportster 883XLH is possible. At the point of installation, the function of the battery appears to be compatible with the bike’s electronics.

The takeaway is to verify the dimensions of your bike’s battery box against the battery’s stated dimensions, particularly if you are switching from a lead-acid battery to lithium-ion. Also, carefully consider where the battery connection terminals must be located so the bike’s battery cables can reach positive and negative posts.

I’ll update this report if any changes occur, or when the Sportster needs another battery. If EBL’s claims hold up, that should be quite a while.

EBL YTX9-BS LiFePO4 Lithium Motorcycle Battery Specs

EBL YTX9-BS LiFePO4 Lithium Motorcycle Battery Price: $100 MSRP (prices vary from $50 to $140 for different sizes)