Best Battery for Harley Sportster (TOP9) Reviews & Buying Guide

The battery and the engine are said to be the heart and lungs of a bike. And also, the battery is considered to be the backbone of the motorcycle’s performance. Choosing a battery is not easy, and to make it easy we are here with some of the best battery for Harley Sportster. These are the top 9 best batteries for Harley Sportster:

• ThrottleX HDX20L
• Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS
• ThrottleX MX30L 600+ CCA
• Weize YTX30L-BS
• Yuasa YUAM620BH YTX20HL-BS
• Pirate Rechargeable YTX20L (270 CCA)
• Deka Sports Power ETX-30L
• Lightning Start Motorcycle Battery
• Energizer TX20HL Black ETX20HL

They are one which gives life to your bike. To have a quality riding experience, you need the best battery for your Sportster. Few forget to look at the battery until the bike fails to start due to the dead battery. It is always recommended to choose the perfect and best battery for your bike to experience a better performance without hindrance.

9 Best Battery for Harley Sportster

Choosing a good battery would be complicated and confusing. You must have the necessary knowledge about the batteries before buying a new battery. There is a wide range of batteries available in the market, but you have to choose a battery that would suit your motorcycle. 

Look for aspects such as lifespan, Cold Cranking amps, discharge rate, type, and brand. Most of these batteries go well with a range of motorcycles, and they have fewer cons than pros, making them more reliable. This list mostly contains batteries that suit Harley Davidson.

ThrottleX HDX20L

This battery provided by ThrottleX is unique and of high quality compared to any other batteries. It was first introduced in the market on July 16, 2013. It is designed mainly for Harley Davidson bikes featured from 1991 to 2016. 

It ensures to deliver an excellent CCA of 310, making it capable of empowering even in cold conditions. The battery has a dimension of 6.9 x 3.4 x 6.1 inches. 

It is well suited for models such as Fat Boy from 1991 to 2016, Sportster from 1997 to 2003, V Rod from 2008 to 2016, Low Rider (Dyna) from 1993 to 2016, Super Glide from 1995 to 2016, Wide Glide from 1993 to 2016, and Night Rod from 2008 to 2016. 

It can replace the batteries with OE Harley numbers such as 65989-90B, 65989-97A, 65989-97B, and 65989-97C.

• The battery type is AGM and weighs 16 pounds.
• It is resistant to leakage and spillage with sealed cover and fully-charged.
• It consists of solid lead and female threaded terminals.
• These batteries come with a warranty of 18 months.
• The bolts are made of stainless steel, making it durable.
• This battery has a capacity of 18-Ah and power of 12 V.

Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS

This battery manufactured by Chrome was first introduced in the market on February 15, 2017. It is also a maintenance-free battery that uses AGM technology. 

The battery has a dimension of 6.5 x 5 x 6.9 inches and weighs 22 lbs. It. It can fit perfectly for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. 

It has a capacity of voltage 12 V, Amperage 30 A, and wattage 360. It ensures to deliver an excellent CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) of 385, making it capable of empowering during cold conditions. 

It has lead-calcium alloy to withstand heavy-duty cases and extreme conditions. The terminals are made of copper, making it resistant to wear, torque, and pressure. 

It can replace batteries with OEM part numbers such as CB30L-B, 30L-B UB30L-B, C30L-B M22H30, YB30L-B, CTX30L, YIX30L, M7230L, GTX30L-12B, ES-TX30L, SC30LFA, MB YTX30L, EBX30L-BS, PIX30L-BS, CTX30L, M7230L, YIX30L, and TX30L.

• The battery type is AGM and fully charged.
• These batteries come with a warranty of 18 months.
• It can suit well for ATV, UTV, Dirt bike, Snowmobile, and Scooter.
• It has a sealed cover and reserve capacity of 45 minutes.
• The battery does not possess spilling and leaking problems.
• The terminals are of the screw and O-ring type.

ThrottleX MX30L 600+ CCA

This ThrottleX MX30L AGM battery is versatile and the best motorcycle battery for Harley Davidson Sportster. 

It can exceed or at least meet the original battery’s features and has a capacity of 600+ CCA and 30 Ah. This battery was first launched on April 11, 2016. The terminals are resistant to shock and vibrations. 

The caps are fully sealed, and the spilling issues are prevented due to AGM technology. It can suit well for Harley motorcycles, and also 1997- 2019 Electra Glide, 1997- 2019 Ultra Classic, 1997- 2019 Road King, 2006- 2019 Street Glide, 2009- 2019 Tri Glide, and 1997- 2019 Road Glide. 

The battery has a dimension of 6.625 x 5.188 x 6.875 inches. The AGM separators have fully framed plates making it resistant to tear and also increases the cranking amps and decreases the discharge rate. 

It can replace the Harley Davidson motorcycles with OE number 66010-97A, 66010-97B, 66010-97C, and 66010-97D.

• The battery type is AGM and fully charged.
• AGM separators are protected with fully framed plates.
• The battery comes with a warranty of one year.
• It is designed to prevent leakage and corrosion.
• It has a greater CCA of over 600 to withstand cold conditions.

Weize YTX30L-BS

This replaceable battery was first launched on May 29, 2019. This is a spill-proof battery and comes pre-charged, you don’t need to charge it again, just install and use it.

It has 385 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and has great reviews and ratings, you can read some of the reviews left by the consumers from the button provided below.

It can significantly suit for vehicles such as snowmobiles of models 2004- 2006 Elite, 2010- 2016 wide Track CCA 600, 2015- 2019 Expedition SE, and few others, UTV of model 2009- 2017 Prowler 1000 CCA, 2010- 2015 Prowler 550 CCA, and few more, motorcycles of model 2007- 2016 CVO FLH (touring), all years V50 CCA 500, V65 CCA 650, V7 CCA 750, GT, and many more. 

It can replace batteries with OEM part number as CB30L-B, 30L-B UB30L-B, C30L-B M22H30, YB30L-B, CTX30L, YIX30L, M7230L, GTX30L-12B, ES-TX30L, SC30LFA, MB YTX30L, EBX30L-BS, PIX30L-BS, CTX30L, M7230L, YIX30L, and TX30L.

• The battery has a dimension of 6.54 x 4.96 x 6.89 inches and weighs 17.82 pounds.
• It has a capacity of 12 volts and 30 amps.
• The battery is AGM type, sealed, and fully charged.
• The battery does not possess spilling and leaking problems.
• It has a CCA of 325 to withstand colder conditions.
• It suits well for motorcycles, ATV, UTV, and snowmobiles.

Yuasa YUAM620BH YTX20HL-BS

This battery produced by Yuasa uses AGM and lead-calcium technology to perform three times more than conventional batteries. This AGM battery was first launched on February 1, 2007. 

It has 800+ reviews on its Amazon page, it comes with an acid bottle so that you can put acid whenever you want to use the battery, it weighs around 13.86 pounds. 

It can replace the models of ATV such as 2017- 2018 Alterra, 2006- 2012 Outlander, 2006- 2020 TRX680FA Four Trax Rincon, 2000- 2012 YFM40FB Big Bear, 2009– 2014 YMF5FG, YFM550PE, DE, DH Grizzly and many more, motorcycles such as 1997- 2002 S3, S3T Thunderbolt, 1991– 1996 FXD/FXST Series (Dyna), 1997– 2003 XL, XLH (Sportster), 2018- 2020 FX, FL (Softail), and many more, Snowmobiles such as 2013– 2019 Expedition LE, 2008– 2014 Turbo LX, IQ, 2005- 2008 RS Venture, 2003– 2005 RX1000R RX (All Models), and many more.

• The battery has a dimension of 6.89 x 3.43 x 6.1 inches and weighs 13.86 pounds.
• It has a capacity of 12 volts and 18 amps.
• It has a CCA of 310 to withstand colder conditions.
• The battery does not possess spilling and leaking problems.
• The battery is AGM type, sealed, and has advanced AGM separators.
• The battery can hold 0.93 volume of acid.
• AGM plates and the separators absorb the acid.

Pirate Rechargeable YTX20L (270 CCA)

This AGM battery is easily rechargeable and specially made for sports vehicles. It was first launched on August 14, 2013. 

It can replace batteries with OEM part numbers as MTX20L-BS, UTX20L-BS, UB20L-BS, 20L-BS, LTX20L-BS, EBX20L-BS, ETX20L, 20L-BS, PTX20L-BS, GTX20L-BS, ES20LBS.

It ensures to deliver an excellent CCA of 310, making it capable of empowering during cold conditions. 

It consists of the sealed post, which is resistant to corrosion, increasing the battery’s longevity. The battery uses AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology, which avoids damage to other bike parts by leaking and spilling problems. The terminals of the battery of nut and bolt type.

• The battery is an AGM type and fully charged.
• The battery does not possess spilling and leaking problems.
• It has a CCA of 270 to withstand colder conditions.
• It suits well for motorcycles, ATV, UTV, and snowmobiles.
• It is resistant to corrosion, increasing the life of the battery.
• The battery has a dimension of 6.89 x 3.43 x 6.1 inches and weighs 13.07 pounds.
• It has a capacity of 12 volts, 18 amps, and 216 watts.

Deka Sports Power ETX-30L

The sport powered battery manufactured by Deka was first launched on April 23, 2011. It suits well for Motorcycles, Snowmobiles, Personal watercraft, All-terrain-vehicles, and especially Harley Davidson motorcycles. 

The battery uses AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology, which avoids damage to other bike parts by leaking and spilling problems. The AGM separators absorb the acid thoroughly to prevent leak issues.

It has no vent tubes preventing spillage. It consists of solid lead and female threaded terminals. The bolts are made of stainless steel, making it durable. 

This battery has a capacity of 18-Ah and power of 12 V. It ensures to deliver an excellent CCA of 400, making it capable of empowering during cold conditions.

• It has a CCA of 400 to withstand colder conditions.
• It suits well for motorcycles, ATV, UTV, and snowmobiles.
• It is resistant to corrosion, increasing the life of the battery.
• The battery has a dimension of 6.63 x 6.88 x 5.19 inches and weighs 21.4 pounds.
• It has a capacity of 12 volts, 18 amps, and 216 watts.

Lightning Start Motorcycle Battery

This battery manufactured by Power Source uses AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology, which avoids damage to other parts of the bike by leaking and spilling problems. 

It was launched first on September 17, 2013. It is well suited for Harley Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy Softail 1340, 1450, 1584, 1690 from 1991- 2014. 

It can replace batteries with OEM numbers of 65989-90B, 65989-90A, 65989-90, 65989-97A, 65989-97B, 65989-97C, and 65989-97. It does not require filling of acid, and it is sealed. It is designed with terminals to be top mount or front flush.

• The battery has a dimension of 6.88 x 3.43 x 6.12 inches.
• The battery type is AGM and weighs 15 pounds.
• It has a capacity of 12 volts and 20 amps.
• It has a CCA of 500 to withstand colder conditions.
• It is resistant to leakage and spillage with sealed cover.

Energizer TX20HL Black ETX20HL

This battery was first launched on April 29, 2018, uses AGM technology to provide high performance. This battery would be a perfect match for Street-sport-motorcycles, Marine-personal-craft, Off-road-motorcycles, Utility-vehicles, and All-terrain-vehicles. 

The variety of models from various brands such as Buell, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Polaris, Triumph, and Yamaha, motorcycles of Arctic Cat, BRP, Honda, Kymco and Yamaha, ATVs of Arctic Cat, BRP, Polaris and Yamaha Snowmobiles, and many more are compatible with this battery. 

The battery with OEM number of CTX20HL (FA), YTX20HL, M720BH, SC20HLFA, LTX20L-BS, EBX20L-BS, ETX20L, 20L-BS, PTX20L-BS, 740-1890, GTX20L-BS, ES20LBS, CTX20L-BS, M320BS, M4220BS, YTX20L-BS, 44027, and TX20HL can be replaced with this battery.

• The battery type is AGM and weighs 13.14 pounds.
• The battery has a dimension of 6.88 x 3.44 x 6.13 inches.
• It has a capacity of 12 volts and 18 amps.
• It has a CCA of 310 to withstand colder conditions.
• The exterior is brushed, and it is fully charged and sealed.
• The battery does not possess spilling and leaking problems.

Things to have in Mind Before Buying a Motorcycle Battery

There are a lot of things that you need to take care before buying a Motorcycle Battery, as it can create issues, rather than solving, and we don’t want that you face any kind of issue while riding your Harley, so sit back and read along to the end to know what things you have to keep check before buying a motorcycle battery.

• Size: Always consider buying a battery with a suitable size. Note the dimension of the older battery and search for a replaceable battery with the same size.

Buying a battery that is more significant than your compartment can quickly spoil your battery. You may buy thinking that the smaller the size, the lower the price. But this may fail to fire or start your motorcycle.

Though the batteries are meant to start the engine, it may fail after some time, and you have to start the motorcycle again. So, make the right decision to buy a battery that is compatible with your bike.

• Battery life: The life of the battery for motorcycles is measured in cycles. Most of the batteries offer 500 to 1200 cycles. Batteries with more lifespan can produce greater power to withstand extreme conditions.

You don’t have to spend more money and time for a replacement. Buying a battery with a shorter lifespan, such as six months or a few, is the worst decision.

The lifespan also depends on the durability of the material used in the battery. So, always take some time to research a battery with a better lifespan and the materials with which the terminals are made.

• Compatibility: Not every battery suits every motorcycle. If the battery does not suit your motorcycle, it may lead to fitting, resistance, and shock issues.

The batteries are usually designed for a specific type of motorcycles according to their capacity. For instance, Throttlex MX30L AGM battery is well suitable for 1997- 2019 Ultra Classic Harley Davidson.

It cannot be chosen for a model under street series class and other motorcycles. Some batteries can suit different vehicle types, such as Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS goes well with ATV, UTV, Dirt bike, Snowmobile, and Scooter.

You have to take some time to research a suitable battery for your motorcycle.

• Voltage: This is one of the essential features that have to look while buying a new battery. Most motorcycles use a battery of capacity 12 V, but this does not say that it will match every motorcycle.

There are batteries with low voltage capacity which suit smaller motorcycles. This may not give you full performance and may sometimes damage your vehicle.

You can also use a battery with a higher capacity, but this will not damage the motorcycle. But ensure that it is compatible with your motorcycle. Buying a battery with higher capacity may cost you more regarding the performance and extra power.

The other important aspect to look for in the battery Sportster is the recharge value. Sometimes you may face firing and starting issues even though the battery is fully charged and flat.

This is because of the low recharge value. The battery might not have held the charge for a long time, and it had been discharged. A battery with a restart facility would discharge slowly and be rechargeable, such as Antigravity ATX12-HD-RS Lithium battery.

Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS has a reserved time of 45 minutes, which can also be preferred for your vehicles. But the recharge value is highly considered for touring and adventurous motorcycles.

• Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): It is another essential feature to be noted while buying the a battery.

This is the power required to start an engine even in cold conditions or not for a longer time. It is defined as the amount of power produced by the battery of 12 volts in 30 seconds.

Usually, a battery must have a CCA of 400 and above to perform even in extreme conditions. For instance, Throttlex MX30L is said to be the best motorcycle battery since it has a CCA of over 600.

What are the Types of Motorcycle Batteries

There are various kinds of motorcycle batteries, and you have to pick the best that suits all your needs so that you will not face any problems while riding your bike. All of the battery types have some benefits and some issues, so pick carefully which one is best for you. These are the four types of motorcycle batteries:

1. Lead Acid Battery
2. AGM
3. Gel Battery
4. Lithium-ion

• Lead-Acid battery – These are the most known batteries as they are less expensive compared to other types. It is manufactured in a way that it can be recycled and more flexible in its application.

They are heavy and not environmentally-friendly as they contain more lead. The discharge is shallow during hot conditions and loses most during cold conditions and when the motorcycle is unused for a longer time.

• AGM – Next to lead-acid batteries, these are available in common in the market. Unlike a lead-acid battery, it is sealed and requires no maintenance.

The AGM batteries have highly porous microfiber separators that can absorb and trap the acid, significantly avoiding leaking and spilling problems. They provide great resistance to shock, impact, and vibrations. If the toppings are regularly charged, then it has fewer chances of sulfation.

The disadvantage of this type of battery is that it is sensitive to overcharging and must be stored in a charged condition. It is expensive compared to other types of batteries. It is always believed to be the best battery.

• Gel battery – This type of battery is almost similar to AGM battery, but they are different in many aspects. It consists of an electrolyte of sulfuric acid and distilled water solution.

The maintenance is significantly less, and the discharge capacity is low, like in AGM batteries. It is also resistant to shock, impact, and vibrations. In this type, it uses silica gel to hold the electrolytes together. The battery consists of Thixotropic that is gelled together inside the battery.

This lowers the performance of the battery at lower temperatures. This type of battery is not suitable for snowmobiles. Though it has lower maintenance, recharging has to be done correctly to avoid premature failure.

The gel material may corrode the plates if there is a break or scar in the material. It is best suited for vehicles such as sports bikes with high power usage. These batteries are to keep away from heat to extend their lifespan.

• Lithium-ion battery – This is another good battery option as they have very low discharge capacity. It has an excellent capability to work even in colder conditions without losing more charges.

Though it requires less maintenance, it has to be adequately maintained as it is fragile. These batteries have to be used along with the specific charger to have better performance. The desulfation in these charges may shorten the lifespan of the battery.

So Which is the Best Motorcycle Battery Type?

All the batteries mentioned above are popular and common in the market and are known to be the best Harley battery. But they differ and have some advantages over the other. Lithium-ion batteries are lighter and smaller compared to lead-acid batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries lose less quantity of charges even at zero degrees Celsius, while Lead-acid batteries will lose almost half of their capacity. Most of the lead-acid batteries’ disadvantages are overcome by lithium-ion batteries making it a good choice.

Lithium batteries are preferred over lead-acid batteries because the former has more energy density than the latter. These lithium batteries are expensive and need to spend money on the charger for better performance. You must maintain the lithium batteries within the threshold voltage. If not, it may affect its performance and takes more time to recover from deep discharging.

The lithium battery has a lesser capacity than AGM. AGM batteries have 6 cells, while lithium-ion batteries have 4 cells to produce 12 volts. AGM is available at a lower cost than lithium-ion batteries, but these lower-cost batteries may not perform thoroughly.

The lithium-ion batteries are lighter and have an excellent discharge rate making them better than AGM. These AGMs usually weigh around 15 pounds, whereas lithium batteries weigh less than 5 pounds only.

These lithium batteries have a disadvantage of starting at colder temperatures. You have to wait for at least a minute to start your motorcycle during cold conditions. Both AGM and lithium batteries must have proper and specific chargers to experience their best performance.

Both AGM and gel batteries come under the category of dry batteries. Gel batteries are relatively costlier than AGM batteries, but these gel batteries provide a longer life span and a reasonable Amps rate. Unlike AGM batteries, gel batteries cannot perform at temperature or freezing temperatures.

At high temperatures, the gel material may shrink, affecting the lifespan and performance of the battery. But they are non-corrosive since it is a dry type of battery. Like AGM, gel batteries are sealed and avoid spilling and leaking issues, damaging other motorcycle components. AGM batteries are built under pressurized conditions making it lighter and smaller.

The better choice for Harley Sportster is the AGM battery. This is due to its effective performance at cold conditions, greater discharge rate, and less prone to sulfation. Like gel batteries, the charger for these AGM batteries has to be appropriately chosen to avoid damage due to overcharging and other charging issues.

Choosing a battery depends on the amount you want you to spend and the performance you need. These batteries have their pros and cons, but they can be utilized in various places, depending on the need. To know which type is best for you, watch this video.

Important things About Motorcycle Batteries

People mostly don’t tend to look for the battery while buying a motorcycle. But they tend to think once the motorcycle fails to fire or start. It must know about the features and other aspects before buying a battery and its basic working and principle. There are usually two types common among the bikers, which are dry battery and wet battery.

The batteries are available with sealed caps and terminals made with durable materials. We might have studied that a battery is an electrochemical device that produces electrical energy derived from chemical energy. It consists of cells to produce a voltage of the required quantity, and these cells have negative and positive plates arranged alternatively.

These plates are placed inside the chemical solution, and during the process, the charges move towards the respective positive and negative plates. This creates an electrical charge which starts the motorcycles. Not all batteries have this solution in liquid form but can be gel-like in AGM.

These batteries have to be maintained with care. Few may require less care like AGM and gel batteries. The lifespan of the battery reduces if it is stored in high temperatures more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Check Temperature of Battery: The high temperature increases the rate of discharge and therefore destroys the battery. If the battery is inadequately charged or left unused, then the chemical solution turns into the water, freezing after some time. This dramatically affects the performance of the battery.

• Use Battery Regualrly: If the battery is unused for a long time and not charged regularly, then the discharge rate increases, and there will be an imbalance in the electrolyte level. This will lead to sulfation of the plates in which lead turns into lead sulfate.

The battery can be mounted on the rubber supports to avoid the rattling of the battery. The vibration of the battery may significantly affect its basic performance. These batteries should be charged with proper and suitable chargers.

• Keep a check on Batter Charge Level: An improper charger may affect the discharge rate and the longevity of the battery. If the battery is left discharged thoroughly, it may take at least one whole day to recharge. But riding your motorcycle often may not dry or discharge your battery, it would automatically charge your battery.

The aspects of the battery you have to know are Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), power rating, discharge rate, and battery life. Apart from the determined and expected battery life, it may vary depending on how we use them.

An increase in the discharge rate and the hardware support or place where it is mounted can significantly affect the battery’s lifespan. The CCA of the battery must be greater than 500 to work even in extreme conditions.

The other important fact you need to know is the type of battery that is compatible with your motorcycle.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

ThrottleX is considered to be the best replacement battery for Harley. Always remember to clean your battery terminals to avoid shock issues. The battery’s voltage and the electrolyte levels have to be measured periodically to know the battery’s working. Make sure to follow the necessary steps while replacing the battery. 

While removing the battery, disconnect all the cables and replace the components such as damaged cables. Place the new replacement battery and connect the terminals with their respective positive and negative terminals. Tighten them with screws and also never forget to return the older battery for recycling. There are four primary types available in the market, as mentioned above.

Each one has its features and cons, goes through the specifications, and reads reviews before buying a battery. If you have any questions regarding our Best Battery for Sportser article, you can comment down below, we are happy to help you all.

Also read:

• Best MotorCycle Panniers Hold all Your Luggage (TOP)
• Best Harley Antenna (TOP9) Reviews & Buying Guide
• Best Hidden Antenna Harley Davidson (TOP7) Reviews & Buying Guide

Below are the some of the best selling Harley Davidson battery from Amazon:

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