While unemployed, I’ve been trying to make the most of my time. I’ve had a motorcycle sitting in storage for the last six months, no thanks to my job leaving me uninspired to work on it. But now that I’ve got a brighter fire with my nonprofit Care For Us project, and my energy is up. So, I got back to work on a 1982 Honda Nighthawk 450 that I picked up.
The bike had some poor modifications including the removal of the stock battery box to fit air pods. It’s no wonder this bike hasn’t been running. Whoever rode it last probably fouled the plugs with stock carburetors that got too much inconsistent airflow from these filters not engineered for this bike. I bought a stock air box, which does not fit with the homemade battery holder.
Instead of purchasing the stock battery box and straps, I decided to look for a smaller battery and make a custom battery holder. But finding the right size to fit next to the air box hasn’t been easy. I decided to start a chart for sealed batteries so that it’s easier to find the right battery. Some are AGM, some Lithium-Iron. (The links are Amazon Associates links. Can help pay for this website! And with enough purchases, maybe get me dinner?)
| Model | Length x Width x Height | Amp-hours | Type | Brand (Amazon Link) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTL09A120C | 4.2 x 2.2 x 3.4 inches | 7-9 Ah | Lithium | Battery Tender |
| MB12U (replaces YB12A-A) | 5.3 x 3.15 x 6.3 in | 15 Ah | AGM | MotoBatt |
| YTZ14S Z14S | 5.9 x 3.42 x 3.65 inches | Lithium | Powersports | |
| YTX14L-BS | 5.9 x 3.43 x 5.7 inches | 12 Ah | AGM | Pirate |
| WP14B-4 | 5.9 x 2.7 x 5.7 inches | 12 Ah | AGM | Power Source (discontinued) |
| YTX20L-BS | 6.9 x 3.43 x 6.1 inches | 18 Ah | AGM | Chrome |
| MX20L | 6.9 x 3.9 x 6.2 inches | 20 Ah | AGM | ThrottleX |
| Y50-N18L-A3 | 8.1 x 3.6 x 6.5 inches | 21 Ah | AGM | Chrome |
Unfortunately, because the OEM battery is already small, I had a hard time finding a smaller yet powerful-enough battery. Looks like I’ll be getting a stock-sized battery.