A motorbike can be a fun and practical way of getting around town, especially if you don’t have access to public transportation or want to avoid dealing with the hassle. It is also a great way to unwind. And the best thing about a motorbike It is relatively cheap to purchase and maintain.
While owning motorbikes is great, one thing that many people don’t consider is motorbike battery maintenance. The Battery will require proper maintenance to ensure they will perform when you need them to.
Here are some things you should know about motorbike battery maintenance to ensure your bike starts whenever needed.
Do: Check the Battery Regularly
It’s important to check your motorbike’s battery regularly, at least once a month. When checking your motorbike’s battery, you will need a pair of gloves, safety glasses, some hand tools to remove the side covers and the saddle, and a digital voltmeter.
First, set the voltmeter to DC scale. Next, attach the positive meter lead to the positive terminal of the battery and the negative meter lead to the negative terminal of the battery. Lastly, record the voltage. A fully charged battery may read 12.6 VDC. If it reads below, recharge the battery and let it rest before testing again.
During the check, ensure that the fluid level is even with the Full mark on the side of the battery. If it appears below that line, add distilled water. You should check if leaks come from anywhere on or near your battery. If you find any leaks, clean them up before topping off your battery with distilled water again.
Don’t: Expose the Battery to Extreme Temperatures
Keeping your motorbike battery at a moderate temperature is important. Extreme heat or cold can damage the battery.
The best way to avoid these extremes is to keep your motorbike in a garage, shed, or other building that maintains an ambient temperature. If you must store your motorbike outdoors, ensure it is covered by a tarp or parked in a carport.
Do: Keep the Battery Clean
Clean your battery every six months. This will help prevent corrosion from forming. All you need to do is take a wire brush or high-grit sandpaper and gently scrub away any corrosion on the battery terminals, then rinse off with water.
Ensure not to touch the terminals with your hands, as the skin oils can cause corrosion. Once you are done, dry them with a paper towel and apply oil coating on each terminal before reattaching them to your motorbike.
Don’t: Overcharge the Battery
When a battery is being charged, it should be done so in a controlled manner. This means the charging time should be long enough to recharge the battery but not so long as to overcharge it. When overcharging occurs, it can lead to damaging effects on the battery.
Another consequence of overcharging is the memory effect, where the battery forgets how much charge was put into it if left for too long between charges.
Do: Start it up regularly.
Not everyone uses their bikes every day. Some use their bikes primarily for leisure, going on random weekend.
Now, if your bike doesn’t start up daily, it could result in premature charging. For that reason, it is advised to fire up your motorbike even once a week. Just fire it up and leave it on for several minutes, and that’s it.
Don’t: Leave the battery in your motorbike if you won’t be using it for quite some time.
This is common practice among car owners; they remove the car’s battery when they aren’t using it for extended periods.
And if you need to learn how to do this, check the manual.
If you are removing the battery, ensure it is stored properly.
Do: Store the Battery Properly
It is important to store your motorbike battery properly. Batteries should always be stored in a cool, dry place free from dust or dirt. If storing for an extended period of time, batteries should be disconnected from their power sources and allowed to cool down before storage.
It’s also important to keep batteries out of reach of children as they may not know how dangerous the battery can be if mishandled. Storing your battery improperly can result in permanent damage that will lead to a shorter lifespan.
Why Perform Regular Motorbike Battery Checks and Maintenance?
Batteries are one of the most neglected parts of a motorbike. But they’re also one of the most important, as they provide electricity that starts the bike. Thus, perform regular checks and maintenance on your battery to ensure it has enough power.
Final Thoughts
Motorbike battery maintenance is essential to the life and performance of your bike. This guide will help you understand what to look for when your battery needs a check-up and how to keep it performing at its best.
Whether you’re new to motorbikes or have been riding for years, motorbike battery maintenance doesn’t require any special skills or tools. It just takes regular attention, which means that anyone can do it!
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LAUREN FERNANDEZ
Lauren Fernandez is the Content Marketing Strategist for Renegade Battery, a power sport batteries manufacturer based in Goodyear, Arizona that supplies batteries for motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles & jet skis all over the US. When not writing, she makes use of her spare time doing trail runs and reading books.