Yep, prettiest bike in the crowd.  I bet you got some oooohs! and aaaahs! at that party.

Sounds like all your systems are working great.  I could certainly live with that indicator light.  I think I would prefer it the way it is because as you mentioned it constantly shows you that the indicator is functioning.

Glad you got in some saddle time.  Try and stay cool over there.

Hey Tocsik, one of the worst sun burns I ever got was in Grand Lake Colorado.  I went for an early morning stroll through the town (like around 0800-0900).  I was absolutely fried.  Never expected that.  It was very cool (probably 65 to 70).  The sun at that elevation is wicked.

UPDATE:

The bike has been running well and I have been riding as time and weather allows.  Overnight temperatures have dropped into the 40's most nights - with daytime highs up near 70's and it has not rained for more than a week....afternoon rides are great.  (I have also been mowing fields and cutting firewood).

All that nice weather is going to change on Sunday, and we are forecast for wet fall weather.

Earlier this year I replaced my 12 year old EarthX battery (EXT12A) lithium battery.  It was a bit down on power and it was necessary for me to use the manual compression release to get the engine to go over TDC on the first start of the day.....the rest of the day the engine would turn over just fine.  (I have removed the original compression release as there was not enough room for it under the GT550 fuel tank).

I installed the new battery and it would turn the engine past TDC on the first push of the button and I did not need to use the manual compression release (More on that later).

The new battery only lasted a few days and then failed to provide 12 volts any longer and it would not run the starter.  The Battery Monitoring System (BMS) that is in the battery to protect the battery from over/under voltage issues could not be revived.  I contacted EarthX and they gave me several suggestions on how to wake it up - none of them worked and they sent me a warranty replacement.

I removed the (new) failed battery and installed the warranty replacement one, and it worked just fine for about 7 months.  I was on a ride and I stalled the bike at a STOP sign on a steep hill, and when I pushed the starter button the starter engaged and as soon as the engine came up on TDC the starter stopped instantly.  My neutral and oil pressure light were on - but when I pushed the starter button I got nothing.  I was on a steep hill and coasted the bike and bump started it, and then rode home without any problems.  When I got home the battery was reading 11.3 volts - but as soon as I turned the key ON the voltage would drop to 9.3.

I contacted EarthX and they were reluctant to send out a second warranty replacement batter - as they felt that having two defective batteries was pretty unlikely, and there must be something wrong with my bike.  I put in the 12 year old battery and provided the voltage readings to show that the bike was charging properly and ran fine on the old battery.  I still had the previous "new" battery and the more recent failure, and they ask me to send both of them so they could take the batteries apart and see that the failure was.

Both batteries had failed for the same reason - they were both subject to an "over current" condition that triggered the BMS to shut the battery down...when this occurs the BMS is damaged in the process.  Logan at EarthX said that most often is is a result of a starter that is going bad and creating an excessive current load on the battery.

After a discussion with them about this - we came to the conclusion that the swap from the stock piston with an 8.5:1 compression to the current 10.5:1 Wiseco Flat Top piston is causing the starter to overload when the piston is on the compression stroke and I push the starter button - when this happens the piston/starter can come to a stop and essentially lock up the starter.  The BMS system sees this as a "short" and the current spikes - the BMS system shuts the battery down to avoid any damage to the electrical system (or fire).  It turns out the 12 year old battery did not have this over current shut down built into the BMS so the old battery never shut down....as well as the fact that I was running a Wiseco Pop Top with 9.2:1 compression ratio.  

The end result is they replaced the BMS system in the battery and sent it back to me.  I now use the manual compression release at every start to avoid damaging the BMS system in the new battery, and I expect to get another 12 years or more of more from the new battery!

I do feel the EarthX is the best lithium battery to get it you are wanting to use one - they are made in the USA, they provide long service life and have a Battery Management System to protect you and the battery, and they have excellent Warranty and Customer Service.

DragBikeMike wrote on 10/30/26 at 13:58:43:


Yep - I pretty much mimic what the factory release does.  I turn on the key, pull in the manual compression release, push the starter button - then when the engine is spinning I let go of the compression release lever and the bike fires right up.

"IF" I don't use the compression release - the starter can come to an instant halt if the piston was on the compression stroke when I pushed the starter button.  When this happened I would immediately release the starter button, pull the compression release and then try again in the same manner listed above.  The 12 year old battery didn't have the "Over Current" protection device built in - and it seemed to tolerate that abuse.  (The new batteries are safer - but don't tolerate abuse like the old one did).

The lithium batteries are incredibly light - it feels like the plastic case is empty!

Ruttly wrote on Yesterday at 10:03:27:


The EarthX battery did not have a problem turning the engine past TDC for many years - however the past few years it did on the first start of the day....once the engine and battery were warmed up it doesn't have a problem.

The EarthX that I have been using on the bike was purchased early in 2013 - so this season was it's 13th year of use in the bike.  Every spring after sitting for 5 months it fires the bike right up - however this summer it does require the use of the compression release on the first start of the day (and it may in part be due to the fact that I went from a 9.2:1 compression ration to 10.5:1 (220psi compression).

Logan at EarthX did say that the older battery did not have the Over Current protection - and that the power would likely be reduced if it was subject to frequent high demand loads.

Using the manual compression release is easy - it only requires 1 finger on my left hand while I push the starter button with my right hand.  (I believe the levers are arranged in a way that I can use my index finger to pull the compression release while my other fingers pull in the clutch lever).

From now on I will just get in the habit of using the compression release to reduce the load on the starter and battery!