Yuasa YTX14-BS 12V 12 Ah
(9 reviews)
Two hundred cranking amps: the reference battery that spins big twins, cruisers, and adventure bikes where a YTX9 begins to struggle.
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Characteristics
- Capacity: 12V, 12Ah (200 cranking amps)
- Technology: Sealed AGM (VRLA), maintenance free
- Size: 150 x 87 x 145 mm, 4.6 kg
- Polarity: Positive terminal on the left
- 200A, the reference for big-bore bikes
Detailed overview: Yuasa YTX14-BS AGM motorcycle battery 200 A
The Yuasa YTX14-BS is a 12 volt starter battery for big-bore machines: cruisers, adventure bikes, sport tourers, utility ATVs, riding mowers, and recreational boats. It is rated at 12 amp-hours over the 10 hour rate, 12.6 amp-hours over 20 hours, and 200 cold cranking amps.
That cranking figure is its whole reason for being. A big high-compression twin demands a current peak that smaller references cannot supply: where a YTX9-BS tops out at 135 amps, the YTX14-BS delivers 200. The extra capacity, meanwhile, absorbs the constant draws of a newer motorcycle, from the ECU to the alarm.
The technology is sealed AGM, also called VRLA. The electrolyte is held in a glass-fiber separator and the plates use a cast calcium-calcium alloy: no topping up, good resistance to the vibration of a big single or a twin, and no leaking if mounted at an angle. The case measures 150 x 87 x 145 mm for 4.6 kilos, with the positive terminal on the left and type 5 terminals.
The battery ships dry, with a 0.69 liter bottle of acid. Activation happens once, at installation: pour in the electrolyte, let it settle, then charge fully before first use. That initial charge determines the capacity the battery will reach afterward.
Be careful not to confuse it with the neighboring YTX14H-BS, YTX14AH-BS, or YTX14AHL-BS references, whose dimensions and performance differ. For a mid-size machine, the YTX9-BS is enough. Finally, a trickle charger noticeably extends its service life on a bike that sits for the winter.
EAN: 5050694004513
User manual / Instructions for use
Comparison
The battery size is set by the motorcycle: this table helps you see what stepping up buys you, and avoid mixing up neighboring references.
| Criterion | Yuasa YTX14-BS | Yuasa YTX9-BS | Yuasa YTX7L-BS | Generic equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 12 Ah | 8.4 Ah | 6 Ah | Variable |
| Cold cranking | 200 A | 135 A | 100 A | Often overstated |
| Dimensions | 150 x 87 x 145 mm | 150 x 87 x 105 mm | 115 x 72 x 132 mm | By reference |
| Weight | 4.6 kg | 3.1 kg | 2.5 kg | Variable |
| Observed price | ≈ $91 | ≈ $73 | ≈ $60 | ≈ $35 to $50 |
Stepping up from the YTX9-BS to the YTX14-BS is not really a choice: the two cases share a footprint but not a height, and the bike's battery box decides for you. What the comparison shows is the price of current: a modest premium buys fifty percent more amps and an extra kilo and a half of lead. Against generic equivalents sold around forty dollars, the logic holds across the range: the dimensions match, the durability does not, and on a big machine the disassembly needed to reach the battery makes a false economy an expensive one.
Our tester's review: Gilles Caron
On a big-bore machine the battery works far harder than on a 125. It has to spin a twin over a liter of high compression, often after weeks parked. That is the job of the YTX14-BS, and the number that matters is not its 12 amp-hours but its 200 cold cranking amps, half again what a YTX9-BS puts out and the difference between a starter that turns over weakly and an engine that fires on the first try on a cold October morning. Sealed AGM technology suits this well: cruisers and adventure bikes vibrate, run hot, and tilt their battery inside tight housings, and electrolyte held in a glass-fiber separator does not leak and handles shaking better than a flooded battery. The 4.6 kilos simply reflect how much lead it takes to deliver those 200 amps. Two things worth knowing: the battery ships dry, so a full charge is required after activation and before first use, and the YTX14-BS is not the same as the YTX14H-BS or YTX14AHL-BS despite the similar names, since dimensions differ. On a bike that sits over winter, a trickle charger is the best way to protect the ninety dollars invested here.
Frequently asked questions: Yuasa YTX14-BS AGM motorcycle battery 200 A
They are two distinct references despite the similar names. The H version offers higher capacity and cranking current, with dimensions that are not identical. Always check the marking on your original battery rather than trusting a near-matching name.
Yes, that is mandatory. The battery arrives dry with a 0.69 liter bottle of acid: after pouring in the electrolyte and letting it settle, a full charge is required. Without it the battery will never reach its rated capacity.
Because a big high-compression twin demands a far higher current peak than a 600cc four-cylinder, especially when cold. It is that number, not the amp-hour capacity, that decides whether the engine fires on the first try in winter.
Three to four years with regular use. On a machine that sits for months over winter, a trickle charger connected during storage is the best investment you can make: a battery this size left dead sulfates and permanently loses part of its capacity.
Other products in the "Motorcycle batteries" category
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The factory-fit reference on many mid-size motorcycles and maxi-scooters: sealed AGM, 135 cranking amps, and the reliability of a century-old maker.
Published on 02/09/2026