It doesn’t matter what you use your motorcycle for; it could be for work, for pleasure, or as an option to save some money on your gas.
You must provide your motorbike battery with the proper maintenance so that it can give you the best possible performance, and get on the road completely trouble-free.
Why’s This so Important?
The main points to consider here are:
1. Saving money
2. Keeping your bike working to its full capacity
It’s worth mentioning, maintaining your battery is also a matter of security. Namely, because batteries are composed of chemical substances which, if left unattended, could be harmful.
How to Take Care of Your Motorbike Battery
Here’s a simple guide to help you start (or continue) in the path of doing things the right way when it comes to motorbike battery maintenance.
Know Your Battery
We have different types of batteries, and we intend to focus on three in particular.
Firstly, we have the Lead Acid Motorcycle Batteries, which require constant checkups (at least once a month), and need to be topped up regularly with demineralized water.
There’s also the Maintenance Free Batteries, also known as Sealed Batteries and Dry Cell. As the name says, they don’t need any further monitoring or topping.
These are hermetically sealed, So, they’re not refillable, and the acid levels don’t have to be checked — which is a plus.
The last one on this list is the Gel Motorcycle Batteries or Gel Acid Batteries. These are filled with a gel state acid and sealed, and don’t require any topping up either.
Needless to say, you need to know about motorcycle battery so you can find out how to best maintain it.
Inspect Your Battery
It is essential to review your battery. To help you do so, here is a list of things that you can take into consideration when inspecting it:
- Check if there’s any water in it since it rusts the metal and the connectors.
- Review the terminals, and see if any are broken. This could cause a short circuit that can, in turn, heat the battery, and in some extreme cases, it could explode.
- Check the case to see if it has any bumps, rack, or rupture of the plastic. If you see any of these, the battery should be discontinued, and no longer used.
- Look for excessive leaking. This could be potentially dangerous, and if you see it, clean it wearing appropriate gloves. At the same time, avoid inhaling any gases coming from it.
- Test out your battery’s performance using a voltmeter or hydrometer
- Make sure the connectors are not loose. That way, the battery can receive a full charge.
Simple, right?
Clean it Frequently
The terminals are a critical part when it comes to keeping your battery clean. If you see a substance forming around them, either white or blue, it means that acid is leaking from the battery, and you must clean it as soon as possible.
Use hydrogen peroxide or baking soda to dissolve the acid, and a wire brush to remove sediments or other dirt. Don’t let this substance accumulate, since it will directly affect the life of your battery and drain its energy.
In this case, do not touch the terminals unless you are wearing appropriate gloves, and in some cases, a long sleeve shirt and pants to protect your skin.
By cleaning the terminals regularly, you will avoid problems when starting your bike, or the accumulation of corrosion and sediments in it.
Security is important. As you review your battery, always avoid contact with the acids in it. They are highly corrosive!
Top Off the Electrolyte Cells
Check the electrolyte levels and top them up using distilled water, to the levels marked on the case, or above the plates visible inside each cell.
Doing this allows the battery to live longer. When you do this, for your safety, make sure you are in a well-ventilated area.
Protect Your Motorcycle from Bad Weather
During cold seasons, batteries work slower and may have difficulties when providing enough amount of current; at the moment, you need to start your bike. On the other hand, hot weather will impact your battery’s life significantly.
To protect it from mother nature’s power and extend the life of your motorbike battery, don’t leave your motorcycle outdoors.
Instead, store it somewhere it can be kept in appropriate conditions, preferably warmer than 32 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the battery from freezing and cracking.
Keep Your Battery Charged
Finally, don’t wait until the last minute to charge your battery, the more you let it drain before charging it, the less it will last.
The best way to ensure this is by using a smart charger to confirm that your battery is in a fully charged condition all the time.
Even when you’re not using your bike very often, it’s crucial to check its battery still at least once a month. Charge it regardless of whether you plan to drive the bike.
They only have two states, and this is charged or flat. The latter will happen whether you use it or not, so you must also provide maintenance in these times.
Heed the advice in this guide, and you’ll make the most out of your motorbike battery. It really is as simple as that.
For more info on this, check out our blog!
