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NW Illinois | Its that time to replace my battery again in my 2008 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI ATV. The original battery was a Polaris battery and I got 4 years out of it. The second one I ended up going with a Interstate battery since it was a little cheaper. I got 2 years out of the interstate battery. From what I have been told by some, is that with these types of battery's the life span is about 2 years give or take.
My question to those that have had experience with ATV battery's, is it better to spend the $142.00 for the Polaris brand or spend about half that and get a battery from Farm & Fleet $74.99?
I want to buy quality, but if I have to replace the battery in a couple of more years maybe the F&F brand is the way to go??
Any thoughts of experiences are appreciated!
Thanks. |
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NCIN | 6 of one, half dozen of another. I don't trickle charge but wonder if that wouldn't be a way to get more life out of the battery? |
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West Central IA | I wonder if that is common with Polaris or what? We've had original batteries in Hondas for 10+ years and can ams for 4 years and still going.
Do you let them sit all winter without riding them? |
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| My 99 suzuki has the original Yuasa brand battery in it . If your going to keep your atv for a while ,I would get a Yuasa but they are pricey compared to other brands |
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NW Minnesota | Polaris never has had good batteries. I had pretty good luck with interstate batteries but now I've heard they are offshore. I'd try a Deka and for sure get the gel sealed battery. If you can squeeze it in there a Odyssey PC925L is a great battery. I put those in the ranger and rzr. Battery mart is where I've been buying them from, for about $145. Double check the dimensions but I think they fit. |
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north-central Indiana west of Fulton | I got. 10 years on the Polaris battery in my '05 sportsman and have gotten about that on one Honda. I would think you should get 4 to 5 years on about any replacement. |
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Eastern Iowa | The biggest mystery with ATV batteries is why does the original battery in most cases last longer than replacement batteries?
I know Polaris ATV pretty much are not approved on this site and Honda probably holds close to the No. 1 spot but our family also has a 2008 Polaris Sportsman 500 and it still has the original battery.
It gets road mostly by my wife and not many but easy miles and sets a lot during the winter. The original battery is sealed so all you can do is charge it and its been charged a few times but it is starting to get weaker so this could be the last year.
I think the best thing to extend battery life is like said to keep it charged and avoid extreme heat if possible. The heat under the hood is usually more of a problem in the middle of summer with cars and trucks than ATV's but setting and getting charged also shortens there life.
To answer your question about replacing with an original Polaris battery I thing a lot depends on how long it sat on the shelf at the parts counter and how fresh it is ? |
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Central IA | I put a O'Riellys replacement in mine. Then added a maintainer. Seems to really help life. I push snow in winter so battery gets some use. The quick disconnect just hangs out from under seat. Kids know what it is and disconnect before riding. But fail usually to plug back in. |
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Southeast MN | I plan on two year life out for the sled batteries. ATV seem to last a little longer but not much. Currently have cheap agm from Batterysharks.com in the sleds and am on season 2 with them.
Can't complain about the polaris battery life too much, the 2008 atv battery just started acting up. However, the polaris sled batteries only made it 4 years. |
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Near-north Ontario, French River | I wonder if the style of riding affects things? I've got 5 yrs on the battery in my 2010 griz, the original battery in my old arctic cat 500 lasted 5 yrs,replacements lasted less than a year. I'm wondering if putting around is hard on the batteries vs the odd hard run. Electric systems are one of lifes great mysteries to me, does a hard run, at higher rpms makes for a better charge? |
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kansas/nebraska border | Do you think it has anything to do with it being a new machine so first battery will last longer and as machine gets older they would take more cranking and harder to start? |
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South Western Ontario, Canada | Thud - 1/26/2016 10:38
I wonder if the style of riding affects things? I've got 5 yrs on the battery in my 2010 griz, the original battery in my old arctic cat 500 lasted 5 yrs,replacements lasted less than a year. I'm wondering if putting around is hard on the batteries vs the odd hard run. Electric systems are one of lifes great mysteries to me, does a hard run, at higher rpms makes for a better charge?
I had multiple charging issues with my king quad 750.....asked enough guys and found out the engine has to hit around 2500rpm to get the charging system to kick in and charge at a good rate.
I run my bike everyday to and from the farm so average of 6 starts a day over the year. Original battery only lasted six months as I wasn't revving it high enough to keep it charged. |
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Idaho | I don't have any thoughts other than I am facing the same issue. I have a 05 Polaris 700 that eats a battery a year and an 09 Polaris 500 that is also starting to do that. Last time I bought batteries from the Polaris dealer I told them I was only getting a year out of them. They weren't surprised at all and said the best thing I can do is go out weekly and start them up and let them idle for a while. Well I did that all last winter and that didn't help... Maybe there is something wrong with both my 4 wheelers? Sure is frustrating because with them both being EFI they don't have a rope start. I bought the 500 two years ago and when looking at them from the dealership I said that I for sure wanted one with a rope bull in case of a dead battery. They said Polaris quit making them because with the EFI if you have a dead battery you can't generate enough volts by pull starting to get the efi to pump fuel.
The best four wheeler I ever had was an '86 Honda 250... Shouldn't have sold it. |
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NW Minnesota | 9600Sidehill - 1/26/2016 08:57 I don't have any thoughts other than I am facing the same issue. I have a 05 Polaris 700 that eats a battery a year and an 09 Polaris 500 that is also starting to do that. Last time I bought batteries from the Polaris dealer I told them I was only getting a year out of them. They weren't surprised at all and said the best thing I can do is go out weekly and start them up and let them idle for a while. Well I did that all last winter and that didn't help... Maybe there is something wrong with both my 4 wheelers? Sure is frustrating because with them both being EFI they don't have a rope start. I bought the 500 two years ago and when looking at them from the dealership I said that I for sure wanted one with a rope bull in case of a dead battery. They said Polaris quit making them because with the EFI if you have a dead battery you can't generate enough volts by pull starting to get the efi to pump fuel. The best four wheeler I ever had was an '86 Honda 250... Shouldn't have sold it. Starting them up and letting them idle is not really doing any charging. Get a battery maintainer.
Edited by braidy 1/26/2016 10:03
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Idaho | Bad thing is that I don't have power in my barn where I park them (at least not yet). Also the seat on the 500 is a PIA to get off. The seat on the 700 is super easy. I guess I just need to ride them more! |
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NE Indiana | Get an AGM battery last way longer and holds a charge better. I got one at autozone last year that said 2008 on the box , had been sitting on the shelf that long. put it in and never even put a charger on it. a normal ATV battery would be in the grave yard if it sat that long without a charge |
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Western Oregon | I'm on my second battery in a 2006 Polaris 500. The Polaris battery was cheaper than local auto parts store. 7500 miles. I do let it idle more than I like doing misc. work, because my first 500 needed a $180 starter every year. |
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West Central IL | I go thru batteries year after year at times on the same atv, then all of a sudden I get a good one that keeps going. We have 3 atv's, one is only a year old though, but one is an '05 honda and the other is an '06 recon and I can't tell you the last time I put one in those bikes. One may die tomorrow and the replacement may only last a year. |
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SW Ont | Many maintainers come with a quick connect harness that can be routed so plug is easily accessible.
Sometimes this can be used for remote power as well.
For example: http://www.batterytender.com/Automotive/Battery-Tender-Plus-GEL-12V...
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SW Ont | A maintainer will help with battery life.
If left connected, a trickle charger will damage the battery.
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Ontario Canada | I just bought a new battery for my 2012 400HO yesterday. Original lasted 44 months/3,300 miles. I put it on a tender after each ride, or weekly and take it off after charged.
I bought a Canadian Tire battery this time, a few $$ less but 12 month warranty.
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Ontario Canada | braidy - 1/26/2016 10:02
p> Starting them up and letting them idle is not really doing any charging. Get a battery maintainer.
Exactly. Polaris do not fully charge until 4,000 RPM+. Every time I start mine, it gets a high rpm ride before shutting off.
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Germany | +1, got one for a small lawn mower, seems to be more trouble free than any small standard lead acid battery. It's not a automotive style starter battery but was sold as "universal" type for deep cycle use and general power supply as well. But it seems to have plenty starting power though... I'ts 2 years old now and shows no sign of ageing, and nor corrosion of the posts, surroundings,..., too.
Edited by countryman 1/26/2016 14:07
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NW Illinois | For those that use a battery tender, what brands do you recommend? |
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ne south dakota | The last battery paper work for my waverunner said do not charge over .75 amp for the first charge. I did this, will see if it helps life. It is on a .75 amp maintainer now. boz |
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NW Minnesota | It should be dry if sitting on the shelf, shouldn't it? |
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Idaho | Good to know. Thanks! Maybe I was doing more harm than good by just letting it idle. |
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Ontario Canada | JD Farm 3 - 1/26/2016 14:19
For those that use a battery tender, what brands do you recommend?
I've had good luck with my Noco Grnius. Had it for 3 years, still works great.
https://no.co/g750#custompopup
Edited by WillB 1/26/2016 16:43
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WI | I used to run a power sports sales and service business and all my batteries I used were Xtreme AGM gel batteries i don't know who all carries them but they are basically the same type of batteries the optima auto batteries are and those are pretty much bullet proof. They outlasted anything on the market if properly taken care of, I have one in my lawn mower now that's been in there for 9 years and one in my UTV that's been in for 4 years neither one skips a beat. I never had an issue with one or ever had to warranty replace one ever. If you don't have access to them I could always send you one, my brother bought the business from me. Let me know if I can help. I also agree with the people about adding a maintainer. You can pick a cheap one up at Harbor Freight for like $9 or my brother carries the ones that you connect to your battery permanently and can plug in whenever your nit using it. The whole unit stays on the wheeler. I put a lot of them on and I know he puts a lot of them on wheelers, snowmobiles and riding mowers. He always has 8-10 in stock since he's trying to get his customer base switched over to them, they will drastically extend the life of your batteries. There are some good ones and some cheap ones I've heard have ruined batteries after being left on all winter or summer. It's the old "you pay for what you get thing"!
Edited by HilltopGrain 1/26/2016 18:07
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E.Central MN | My 2005 Arctic Cat 400 DBX has a pull start rope on it. I've tried starting it by hand, but it really pulls hard. If it won't start with the electric start then I doubt I'd be able to start it with the rope either. |
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North Mississippi Delta / Alabama Gulf Coast | I might get flamed but this is my solution after buying too many UTV batteries for a Mule Transport . I moved some stuff around under the seat, extended the cables (winch cables were long enough), made a tiedown and put the largest car battery I could in the hole. Hooked up the maintainer and its been almost 5 years. Worked for me! |
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WI | I believe those Xtreme batteries carry a 2 or 3 year full replacement warranty also and if my memory serves me right they were only around $80 or so. That could of changed but I could find out, if you are interested send me a personal message. |
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Floyd County, Iowa | I've got a 2004 Sportsman 600, and only replaced once. I had to get the replacement from Polaris, as FF battery wouldn't fit. Happy with polaris batteries.
I use a Battery Minder on 4 wheeler and motorcycle during winter, both in cold storage. |
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| I replace mine with a dry cell. |
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NW Illinois | Thanks everyone for your replies! I did end up buying a new battery from F& F and a battery maintainer from them as well. I got the battery home last night and put the maintainer on it over night. When I got the new battery home it was at 12.71 volts which is better than the old battery I had. When I get home from work, I'll install it my ATV and see how much more of a difference the new battery makes!
Thanks again! |
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ATV Battery question?
