[redcow16]

can a 2020 cbr500r take a lithium battery or do i have to stick with the heavy AGM type battery?

 

[ADIOS600]

You can fit a lithium battery. You will need the correct charger if you want to charge it when the bike is not in use. Read up on the pro's and con's of a lithium battery. About £120 English pounds should buy you one.

 

[jdock]

So you need a special charger for the lithium, BUT the charging system on the bike is fine as is?
Think about it!

 

[airhead83]

So you need a special charger for the lithium, BUT the charging system on the bike is fine as is?
Think about it!

Today's batteries and battery chargers are far more advanced than the older static-add-amps-and-voltage chargers of the past. Too technical for my simple understanding.
You already know that and may have a valid point about the bike's charging systems.
But I suspect you'd have a difficult time with a warranty claim on a failed lithium battery unless you've followed the manufacturer's charging instructions... including the suggested type of charger. Just saying.

 

[jdock]

That's my point.
IF lithium batteries take a special charger for when its off the bike, how can the charging system in the bike, made for a lead acid battery, be OK ?
Just doesnt make sense to me.

I posted the above then did a quick search and found this -

First, all motorcycles built since 1980 are capable of running a lithium battery, providing they are in good working condition. More specifically, the charging system on your bike must charge between 13.4v and 14.6v. Every motorcycle in good working order should meet this requirement. If your charging system only puts out power under 13.4v, the battery will never charge. If it is over 14.6v, it means that your regulator is about to fail, and would likely trigger the over voltage protection in the Pulse IPT. In either scenario, this means that your bike is not suitable for a lithium battery. It also means that you have a problem that is going to damage whatever battery you are currently using, and will not be fixed by getting a new battery.

Web site is - Tech Talk: Can I Use a Lithium Ion Motorcycle Battery in My Bike?.

Also found lithum doesnt like colder temps and you have to "warm them" by turning on lights for a few minutes.
Here in the US we can just turn on the headlight so...??

 

[vt500]

IF lithium batteries take a special charger for when its off the bike, how can the charging system in the bike, made for a lead acid battery, be OK ?
Just doesnt make sense to me.

Point of information. The lithium batteries used in marine and automotive applications use a different chemistry (LiFePO4) from the ones in our phones, laptops, power tools, etc. Never try to charge a "12V" lithium battery from a laptop with an automotive charger.

Here is info from Battle Born Batteries - they supply 100AH 12V LiFePO4 batteries for marine use. ($800 each!)

Note they are talking about a charger that can be set for different battery chemistries, including AGM type lead acid batteries. Many modern bikes, including ours, use AGM batteries. AGM has slightly different charging specs and are more costly than the old wet cell lead acid batteries.
In another place they mention that a dedicated Lithium charger will charge the battery much faster (a big issue in some marine usage) but I don't see that as a problem for motorcycles.
---------------------------
Battle Born batteries FAQ

How can I charge a LiFePO4 battery?

There are some chargers and controllers that are programmable to ensure full usage out of your battery, but most will have an AGM setting which normally bulk charges about 14.4 volts and float at 13.6 volts. These levels are great for your Battle Born battery.
-------------------------

Cold temperature charging
A YouTube Tesla Model 3 owner did a test where he left his car outdoors for 48 hours of bitter cold, parked near a Tesla SuperCharger. He found it took 45 minutes after he connected the charging cable before the charging rate rose from a very low level. He (and I) assume the car used this time to warm the battery up (to perhaps 32F degrees).

Our bikes do not have this charging protection built in so beware if you want to ride a bike with a Lithium battery colder than 32F. I have no idea how to measure the internal temperature of our battery

 

[ADIOS600]

Very good explanation.