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just bought a new battery for the motorcycle and managed to save 20 quid by being a bit more selective......I could get a different one to fit by swopping the new caps (with tiny breather holes) with the ones off the old battery but which haven't got these tiny breather holes.
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Problem is, the old battery had one communal breather pipe serving all cells and now the new (modified) one hasn't any way of breathing at all.

Can I get away with no breathing at all or should I drill tiny holes in the caps to let it do so?

I presume that as a battery is being charged (either on the bench or on the bike), it gives off gas that has to go somewhere

I think that it is just the expansion of gas due to the heat during charging that requires a breather. I wouldn't charge it without a breather. Could be dangerous. Those chemicals are harsh.

Are you SURE there is no breather at all on the new battery?

If there aren't then it might be some sealed lead / acid type that has gel in ir as opposed to liquid. I sell these at work & they don't need a breather when being charged. A lead ? acid liquid filled battery will ALWAYS need a breather.

The new battery had little holes in the caps but I had to swop these over with some lower ones (without holes) so I could fit the battery into its slot. I'm beginning to think I'll have to swop it for a proper one better than getting acid all down my leg....or worse

better than getting acid all down my leg....or worse

Acid burns to the old man don't sound too appealing to me