2018 EX with R battery

[sadams]

Fellas, I noticed my 2018 EX has a "R" logo on the battery. When I purchased my 2017 MX, the dealer had just received this EX (Vin #033) and mentioned an upgraded battery. Fast forward 4 months, I traded my MX for that EX. Did I just get lucky or were there more 18's with R battery's in them? All of the 18's I have seen have the "A" battery. Just curious. Thanks!

 

[OneLapper]

I haven't heard of an A pack being replaced with a R pack, but I don't see why it couldn't have happened. I'm assuming the original battery had an issue and it was replaced with the R pack, which might have been the only battery available.

I wonder if Alta actually manufactured two different battery packs, an A and a R pack, after they identified and fixed the Code 36 problem. It doesn't make sense to have two different packs if the only difference was the way the wires were bonded. I see the need for MX vs MXR, and the additional cost for the additional HP, but having one battery used in all models makes sense to me. Time will tell us the answer to this question, as we will eventually be repairing/rebuilding our own battery packs.

 

[OneLapper]

Oh, the R badge and the A badge are just stick on deals. Mine came back from a dealer service missing one.

 

[datadog]

That's a pretty early one. EXRs started with 099. Something unusual is going on. Was it a dealer demo? They might have stuck newer badges on it. To change to the R pack you need, battery, harness, ACM, controller, firmware. It's costly.

 

[OneLapper]

Looks like @datadog put my assumptions to rest! LOL

 

[datadog]

I wonder if Alta actually manufactured two different battery packs, an A and a R pack, after they identified and fixed the Code 36 problem. It doesn't make sense to have two different packs if the only difference was the way the wires were bonded.

Not the case. R pack is very different in other ways and came way before the code 36 issues.

 

[Oded]

The R packs withstand highr amp draw for longer periods of time (that's what we've been told).
Any other differences - length of life, reliability...?

Asking as a proud A battery owner (EX)

 

[sadams]

That's a pretty early one. EXRs started with 099. Something unusual is going on. Was it a dealer demo? They might have stuck newer badges on it. To change to the R pack you need, battery, harness, ACM, controller, firmware. It's costly.

I was thinking the same thing on the sticker. It wasn't a demo so I'm not sure what might have been going on. I only have 100 miles or so on it so far but no issues to date. It's due for a firmware update (to EX_1_2_1_RC1), but I'm hesitant to do it after reading some of the feedback. Any more fellow EX owners see any reason to wait on the firmware?

 

[datadog]

I have an EX and the latest version of the firmware. There's not the same challenges with the battery pack with the A pack. There are a few safety and bug fixes that might help you as you continue to ride it. I had some charging issues with the older firmware that went away with the updates and I'm happy with the mapping.

 

[Wheelsick]

What battery would this one be ? Demo bike ????keeping it until someone from Alta wants it back

 

[OneLapper]

That's an A pack battery.

 

[Philip]

This is how the "A" pack logo looks.

 

[Rashid510]

Fellas, I noticed my 2018 EX has a "R" logo on the battery. When I purchased my 2017 MX, the dealer had just received this EX (Vin #033) and mentioned an upgraded battery. Fast forward 4 months, I traded my MX for that EX. Did I just get lucky or were there more 18's with R battery's in them? All of the 18's I have seen have the "A" battery. Just curious. Thanks!

Easiest way to confirm if you got an R pack is to check the HVIL connection and your battery signal connector. (Orange connector and black rectangular connector). Take a picture and confirming will be cake.

EX33...doesnt smell like an R swapped bike.

 

[Judaslefourbe]

I am 99% sure it is an A pack, just looking at the inverter cable (the orange one). The R packs have different looking ones.

 

[Wheelsick]

Is this what you are referring to?

 

[datadog]

Top photo is the DCCP, same on both packs. Bottom photo definitely shows two stage A pack connector. The low voltage connector on the other side of the bike will be a round Milspec connector.

 

[snydes]

FYI the pictured bike isn’t the bike in question.

 

[datadog]

Too confusing. Sorry.

 

[sadams]

Easiest way to confirm if you got an R pack is to check the HVIL connection and your battery signal connector. (Orange connector and black rectangular connector). Take a picture and confirming will be cake.

EX33...doesnt smell like an R swapped bike.

The top two pics are from my EX with the R label on the battery. The bottom two are the connectors on my brothers EXR. Different for sure.

Could it be that my battery is basically an A battery with the R cells (Sony?) inside? That was basically what the dealer was told when they received the bike.

 

[Rashid510]

Top pictures = A pack.

Bottom pictures = R pack.