Motorcycle battery for small electric start outboard

[deckofficer]

agree with JackB, the A123 cells are a real powerhouse. A friend as broke records with his electric drag motorcycle using those cells. 1 lb sure beats the weight of my 15 lb AGM.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Ostinato

I recently purchased a 10hp electric start outboard because I injured my shoulder. I need to buy a battery for it and the manufacturer claims it needs only 40-70 cold cranking amps. Car batteries look like over kill.

Has anyone had any experience using motorcycle batteries?

Nearly missed this thread. Yes, I've used a Harley AGM motorcycle battery (weighing about 22 pounds or so) on a Honda BF100. I liked having lights at night you could see.

[over40pirate]

I use a $30 garden tractor battery to start my 25 hp Yamaha outboard. Even when I had a fuel pump problem, it cranked it forever.
Fits in a std, battery box, with room for a quart of 2 cycle oil.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by over40pirate

I use a $30 garden tractor battery to start my 25 hp Yamaha outboard. Even when I had a fuel pump problem, it cranked it forever.
Fits in a std, battery box, with room for a quart of 2 cycle oil.

I once had a garden tractor and I never got more than one season from a garden tractor battery. I ended up jump starting it from my truck as often as not. I think I would be looking at the motorcycle battery or some other option.

[Ostinato]

I have finally hooked up my AGM motorcycle battery and it starts the 10hp outboard engine easily. Now we'll see how it works over time.

[colemj]

We have 4 years on our Walmart garden tractor battery in daily use starting our 15hp and running the dinghy bilge pump. Got 3 years off the previous one, but that one was running the bilge pump almost daily and only being partially recharged every 7-10 days.

Mark