Sooo....one more follow-up, b/c that post protruding out like that just didn't seem "right"...LOL

As it happened I just drained the initial break-in oil from the motor, re-filled with new stuff and was going to fire that up. I gave the post a little tap with a hammer, I swear it was NOT oen of these "I'm gonna make you pay for this" type of an efforts either, damned thing popped right out!!! What da....???

Yeah, so it looks like the post somehow corroded internally, or at least part way through the body??? I have never seen this before...having said that, I found my original purchase receipt for this battery: 2012, so yeah, it's been a while, perhaps that's a realistic lifetime?

Anyways, FYI for everone else.