Racing Batteries Review |
 |
 If you are one of those people who still believe that size (and weight) matters, you will love the products from Racing Batteries. Instead of making things bigger (!) they make them smaller lighter and more powerful – more a case of its not what you’ve got, it’s what you do with it!This British company produces smaller, lighter batteries that can be used as direct replacements for existing batteries and can in some cases save over 5kg in weight. Another big advantage is that they can be put in any position you like (as they are not lead acid), so will be great for custom bike builders who may need to lay them down or mount them upside down. In the main, the company manufacture a range of lightweight direct replacement batteries for race and track bikes that replace the standard heavy lead acid unit with the latest in lightweight lithium nano- phosphate technology. However, they can also manufacture batteries for specific needs and sizes that will be more powerful than the original units if extra power is needed. Even more good news is that Racing Batteries are actually made in the UK - designed using the latest CAD systems, CNC machined, assembled and 100% tested in a professionally quality controlled environment before being dispatched. If you need the technical specification, “they use Lithium Ferrous Nano Phosphate (LiFePO4) cells. This is the latest evolution of Lithium battery technology, using reduced particle size and carbonized doped nanophosphate materials to improve conductivity and hence output current”. If that makes you any wiser then good! Or, put in simple terms, their batteries provide a more concentrated source of energy than lead acid - more power in less space, making them smaller and lighter. The company also claim that they will last longer than conventional items providing, like anything else, that they are looked after properly. This means use of ‘Optimates’ or similar if used on road bikes with alarms and constant drains as they do not like being fully discharged. Even on race bikes they do need a health check as you might expect if you want constant top performance. As I had no race bike to test the product on the company designed and built one for my Yamaha FJR 1300. While, weight saving might not be an issue on a bike this size, if they could fire this up on a regular basis then they are easily going to work on a race bike, or anything smaller. Talking of which, the battery they sent was less than half the size of the original and easily fitted in place of it, although a new restraining system needed to be fitted. The small black unit was well made and sealed, with the terminals in the correct positions. It was therefore just a case of connecting up the terminals to the original wiring in the same way you would with any replacement. The bike started straight away on the button and has done ever since, even after a few days resting where the immobiliser has been draining down the battery. There have been no charging problems, no starting problems, it has performed faultlessly, what more can I say, you just don’t know it is there, which is just how it should be! So all I can say is that it does exactly as they claim and if you need a smaller lighter unit, either for racing on or off-road, or a custom bike build, then I would suggest you have serious look at their products which could be the answer to your size (and weight) issues. www.racingbatteries.co.uk Review by Ian Kerr
|
