When it came time to replace the battery in my 2017 KTM 690 Enduro R, I opted for a lithium-ion motorcycle battery instead of the OEM lead-acid battery. Even though lithium batteries can cost as much as twice what a replacement lead-acid battery costs, the price difference is offset by numerous advantages. Lithium batteries are lighter (and typically smaller), they last longer, they recharge faster, they discharge more slowly when not in use, and they offer better cold-weather performance.
Optima Batteries, based in Glendale, Wisconsin, has been in the battery business since the 1970s. In 2023, it began offering lithium-ion batteries for a wide range of applications, including cars/trucks, boats, RVs, and powersports. Optima’s website has a Find Your Battery feature that allows you to determine fitment based on application, year, make, and model. For my KTM, Optima recommends the Orangetop Quad12 ($209.99), a 12V, 4.5Ah lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery that weighs just 2.2 lb, which saves nearly 5 lb versus the OEM battery. And yes, it’s just a coincidence that Optima’s battery is KTM orange!
The Orangetop Quad12 has an advanced microprocessor-controlled battery management system that monitors and controls all functions automatically, including balancing the cells’ charge state. It also has Optima CPR, a built-in jump-start system that automatically disconnects the battery from parasitic key offloads and reserves enough power to start your bike. The battery also features Optima’s patented POWERLINK, a wired dongle for convenient battery control, status, and charging.
Because the Orangetop Quad12 is smaller than stock, Optima provides foam spacers in various sizes to fill the extra space between the battery and the battery box. Even with customizing fit with the spacers, installation was easy, and the Quad12 has four terminals for maximum flexibility.
To get the most out of my new lithium battery, I added Optima’s 12V Battery Maintainer Digital 200+ ($99.99), a smart charger and maintainer that’s compatible with lithium, AGM, and flooded batteries of all sizes, including automotive, marine, etc. It has a 2-amp charge rate, a dual-function LED battery gauge for pre-charge battery testing and in-progress charging, and protection against reverse polarity and overheating. The maintainer is weatherproof, has a built-in cable wrap, and can be portable or wall-mounted.
The maintainer includes clamps, ring terminal, and POWERLINK connections, which makes charging/maintaining my KTM’s battery a snap. I often go weeks (okay, months) between rides on my personal bike, so when I pull into the garage, I just plug in the POWERLINK connectors and I’m good to go until my next ride.
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Optima provides a five-year free-replacement warranty on batteries and a three-year free-replacement warranty on maintainers. Batteries and maintainers can be purchased directly from Optima’s website with free shipping or through retailers.
