Once only used on RC cars and kids’ toys, lithium batteries have been showing up in all sorts of motorized vehicles. With Shorai leading the pack in powersports, we decided to get our hands on an LFX battery for our daily rider and gave it a whirl.

The first thing we noticed when receiving the shipment from Shorai was that the battery was easily 10 pounds lighter than the battery we had in our Harley. I know that’s not a big deal for many of you, but guys trying to take some weight off of their bikes might want to take heed.

So other than the weight what is the big deal, you say? Well, folks, the LFX batteries operate at a higher voltage range, and when cranked they maintain a higher voltage that results in quicker start times. Also lithium batteries do not suffer the chemical degradation that is common with lead-acid batteries, so heat, vibration, and heavy drain don’t adversely affect the LFX line of batteries.

With a self-discharge rate claimed to be one-sixth to one-seventh of a standard lead-acid battery, we have borne witness to a fully charged LFX battery sitting for many months and still retaining sufficient starting capability, that is, if your bike doesn’t have accessories that draw current when the key is off. If so, it will drain this battery (and just about any other no matter what its made of) pretty quickly.

Speaking of keeping a charge, the Shorai battery can use a standard lead-acid charger, but we suggest getting Shorai’s proprietary charger to keep it healthy when the bike might be mothballed for major periods of time.

The LFX sells for around $280 to $350 depending on your bike, which is just about twice what you’d pay for a good-quality lead-acid battery. And although we only tested this battery for seven months, we believe Shorai when it says the FLX batteries have a service life two to four times longer than a lead-acid battery and that it can hold a charge for more than a year without maintenance under normal “garage and shop” circumstances.

After having a single Shorai in just one of our testbikes for an extended period of time, we have grown to love the next level of battery power and weight Shorai has. So much so that we have been replacing many of our fleet’s old lead-acid batteries for the good stuff. We highly suggest that when the time comes you seriously think about doing so as well.

$280–$350 // shoraipower.com