Buying the Right Battery for XJ750 Maxim

Last year, I bought a new battery the shop had to order. When it came in, it didn't fit (to big). It went out completely this year, so I need to buy a new one.
Looking online, I put YB14L, just what the Yamaha Shop says.

I get back YB14L-A2 and other numbers after the one Yamaha says. In fact, I can't find just the one Yamaha says without the other numbers after. I see 14AHL-BS is supposed to fit, YTX14AHL-BS is listed as another number, but those numbers are way far away from the ones Yamaha says.

One site has the YB14L-A2 and when I put in 1983 Yamaha XJ750 Maxim, it says it does not fit the bike.

I don't understand how come it's so hard to get a freaking battery. Why is it so hard to find a battery for this bike?

Thank you,
Chris.

 

Do you have a O reilly's in your area? Take your battery in and get one of the AMG with 220 CCA, you will love it! It will cost you close to $80 bit they are great batteries. Have them in all my bikes, ATV and mower.

 

Walmart has what you need, usually on the shelf.
ES14L-A2

The first two letters are the brand, 14 is the group number (the physical size of the battery), L means that the negative post is on the left (very important), A means that it's a lead-acid battery (I may not be reemembering that part correctly), and the 2 tells you that it has standard motorcycle style terminals.
No matter what brand you buy, you just need to match the 14L-A2 part of the code, or the 14L-B2 if you want a maintenance free battery.

Mighty Max (a U.S. company) is having a sale on their AGM motorcycle batteries (almost 60% off on Ebay, so the same cost as the Walmart battery). I just ordered one to try out. I've never used one from them, but the company gets good reviews on their marine batteries.
YTX14AHL GEL is what you'll want if you go that route.


Oh, that computer telling you that the Yuasa YB14L-A2 won't fit is wrong.

As to why finding the right battery is so hard....parts people look at computers now instead of books and actual parts on the shelf. If the data in their computer is wrong they have no idea how to help you. On more reason why we value Chacal (XJ4Ever) so much.

 

Yuasa chart

 

I'm getting the battery so I can sell the bike. I don't want to put a lot of money in it. I don't want the cheapest tho. Best, cheapest maintenance free. Went to ebay, the "YTX14AHL" suggested in thread says, "This part is not compatible with 1983 Yamaha XJ750 Maxim."

 

Yeah, doesn't mean much. eBay's part compatibility is only as good as the guy entering data.

 

To add to that, I just returned a battery that was supposed to fit my Seca. It was a group 9 battery; the perfect size for a scooter that I no longer own.

Trust the battery manufacturer's information, not the parts sellers (Chacal excepted).

Look at the link, check the dimensions against the original, and see that it has the same case dimensions, terminal type, and terminal location as the original battery.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191668067683?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

One of the issues is that there are many variants of XJ that have the same battery box dimensions, but they don't all show up correctly in parts lists. Some don't even show correctly in Yamaha's parts list anymore because some youngster messed up the database.

Heck, some parts lists won't even show that motorcycles were built before 1985.

 

Well, actually it does. I'm not going to buy a battery online, have it shipped to me, when the place I'm ordering it from says it doesn't fit my bike.

I can see one problem. The battery that "fits" my bike is one you have to add fluid to, and keep adding water after. Other company's make different types of batteries, but give them different numbers. These are not just a manufacture number, but they give the battery a number that is different then others.

"Jerry's Auto Parts" has three different battery's on the shelf with the same numbers. One is bigger, the other two have the + on different sides, all with the same numbers. Not only that, but not all 1983 XJ750's use the same battery.

Yamaha.

All I want is a battery that once you put it in the bike, you don't have to add water. One step above the $39 battery that fits my bike at my local walmart.

Chris.

 

I think the first reply by Timbox contains that which you desire. . . . may be a bigger step up than you anticipated. I know after my battery charade this spring I am saving pennies for an AMG.

 

That's totally fair.

I'd personally always buy batteries in person, too, just because it's easier - they're readily available in all sorts of shops, and you can bring your battery in for a direct comparison.

My point is just that eBay parts compatibility listings should never be taken as a fact based resource - it's very often wrong in terms of saying something won't fit when it will - as a seller, it's safer to just say it won't if you don't know.

But yeah, it's a world easier to just buy batteries in person

 

Problem is, the one local is $85 and I want to sell my bike. They have nice good ones on ebay for $40 but they say it doesn't fit.

Chris.

 

If you are seriously stressing over the differance of $40.00 for a battery maybe just add 40.00 to the sale price of the bike.
Like Kmoe said I have had the best luck with the Everyready batteries Walmart sells. On the shelf.

 

Yup, if selling the bike, just put a cheap Walmart battery in and call it a day.

 

Thank you for making my point. The battery at walmart is in my bike. I would like to replace it with one you don't have to add water. A replacement, one just up from that has different numbers. I'd like to buy it on the Internet to get it around the same price as the add water battery.

It's not just one place that says the maintenance free doesn't fit, none of the Internet places say it fits. Hard to believe several places would all have typos.

It was hard to understand how come no one had a maintance free battery for my bike, that was just up from the walmart add water kind.

How much I stress over $40 is not the question. It's not just $40, I'm adding more and more things to sell it. Pretty soon half the bike is gone.

At the end of last year, I bought one from the shop. It didn't fit, to big. The parts guy kept saying, it should fit. He can't understand it. If the motorcycle shop can't understand, thought I'd go to the Internet. Found a maintenance free battery, fits all kinds of bikes, just not mine. Internet can't figure it out either.

Had an idea to come to the forums. Didn't think it would be hard to find a battery, just like the walmart add water battery (a good, cheap battery) but maintenance free, that will "fit" my bike. That's why I posted. I thought I could find a battery, type in my bike and order it.

Chris.

 

If I can't sell it, and have to keep it (all my motorcycle buddies are encouraging me to keep it), I don't want to have another add water battery. Guess I may have to. No other type of battery is available (not interested in the ($85 gel). Was hoping that someone would of known a good, cheap maintenance free that "fit" my bike. Guess not.

Thank you,
Chris.

 

Come over here.... I'll take one out of my bikes

 

I feel like an Amish guy in a Radio Shack store - - - very confused.

If you are selling the bike why do you care if the battery is maintenace free (but cheap like a Walmart battery)??????

You are going to quibble on the sale?
"It's a maintenace free battery so I can charge more?"
But avoid telling them it is a blue light special maintenace free battery with a 3 day warranty and it will fail in 4 weeks. . . .

Dude! Maintenance free comes at a price.
Can't believe there is someone here as cheap as me.

 

Is this your only bike? If so, put a decent battery in it and until it has sold you have a good battery and a good ride. If it is not your only bike put the battery from your other XJ into it, then you have a new battery for your good ride

You could also just keep the dead battery in it, and when someone comes to look at it tell him right up front the battery is dead we're going to have to jump it to start it. Then hook up the cables so they can see how well it starts… then they can get themselves their own battery of their own choosing.

Option three… Put your own battery into it-and tell them you're keeping the battery for yourself it's only there to start the bike… And let that be a negotiating point .

 

Batterys Plus got correct AMG sealed battery for my Seca paid like 80$ great battery ...if you figure a Wally world 39$ battery will get you maybe one season , and AMG was supposed to be good for 3 years ,that being said you would end up having to probably buy one the following year another 39$ ...so my vote is buy the best cry once . and the best part AMG is sealed no worrying about servicing so no acid spilling from overflow tube .

 

Asked and answered; repeatedly.
The battery that I linked above does fit, and meets your price requirement (until the sale is over, then it will cost around what most gel batteries do)
The one I ordered for my 750 Seca (same size battery box as on the 750 Maxim) came in today.

Fun fact. All three service manuals (Yamaha, Clymer, and Haynes) have misprints and typos in them. Errors that have not been corrected in nearly 40 years.

The old Everstart is on the right.


Old Everstart on the left.

 

Mine went four years, and only died because I forgot to maintain it.
It's actually still usable, just not for reliable starting (in my opinion). I've had it on a slow charge for two weeks and it's holding 12.5 volts after being off the charger for 48 hours. It's going to be my new bench battery.

 

In a bike I had a few years ago Virago 750 put a Wally world battery in got exactly one season kept it charged and on a tender and serviced to proper level. So that being said battery developed a strange spot so it could have been defective . I have never had a problem with the battery not fitting as start of the post started. Is it possible your battery box has been altered?