Motorbike
Battery Care, Maintenance & Fault Finding
If a motorbike is used regularly & a
few basic checks are performed once a month, a motorbike battery
should be serviceable for at least 3 years. Maintenance free
& gel filled batteries require very little maintenance
once they have been correctly charged & installed.
However, it is worth remembering that, due
to their size, motorcycle batteries can be very temperamental
if not properly maintained & will not take much abuse. Correctly charging your battery & checking the battery at least once a month will usually
ensure trouble free usage.
Based on numerous years of experience with
motorcycle batteries, we have found that a faulty motorbike
battery will usually either fail within the first month or
won't function correctly from the start. Most motorbike batteries
that fail after a month have failed due to being incorrectly
charged or due to being abused.
Motorbike batteries are very simple in their
construction & the return rate for genuinely faulty batteries
due to manufacturing faults is less than 1%. It is worth noting
that most motorbike battery warranties only cover manufacturing
defects or faults, not abuse by the owner or failure to keep
the battery charged.
Common
Motorbike Battery Facts
~Although most automotive
batteries are referred to as either 6 volt or 12 volt, these
numbers are only assigned to batteries to make it easier to
distinguish between the 2 types of electrical systems &
don't represent the true voltage of a motorbike battery.
~A healthy 12 volt motorbike
battery should be between 12.5 & 13.5 volts & a healthy
6 volt battery should be between 6.5 & 7.2 volts if tested
on a motorbike whilst resting (ignition switched off)
~Once a 12 volt battery drops
below 12.4 volts (while resting) it will start to struggle
to start most motorcycles.
~Brand new motorcycle batteries
are only charged to about 80% of their full capacity (around
12 volts) which is why they need a top off charge before they
are initially used
~Even a motorbike battery
that isn't connected to a motorcycle will gradually lose it's
charge. Once a battery is filled with electrolyte (battery
acid), the chemical reaction that produces electricity starts
to work & the process of 'self-discharge' begins. Batteries
not connected to a vehicle will discharge slower than connected
batteries
~A motorcycle battery charger
specially designed for the purpose should always be used to
charge a motorbike battery. Car & general automotive chargers
use a higher rate of charge which forces a higher current
into the battery very quickly. This can lead to overheating
& plate damage as motorbike batteries are not built to
take this kind of charge. A motorbike battery should be charged
at about one tenth it's amp/hour rating (for most motorbike
batteries this means about 1-2 amp's per hour).
~Distilled or de-ionized
water only should be used to top up a conventional or lead
acid battery. Other kinds of water (like tap water) contain
elements which will permanently damage the plates in a battery
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Routine
Motorbike Battery Maintenance
Checking your battery once a month & topping
up the electrolyte levels (if required) will help to ensure
you get the most from your motorbike battery. Below are a
few checks that will help to prolong the life of a motorbike
battery
Any checks that involve removing the battery
caps can only be performed on a conventional or lead acid
battery as maintenance free & gel batteries shouldn't
need topping up or removal of the caps
- Check the electrolyte level
Conventional or lead acid batteries only
- With the battery on a flat & level surface, top up to
the upper limit marks on the front of the battery with distilled
or de ionized water. Always take care when handling electrolyte
- Keep the top free of grime
All types of battery
- Check cables, clamps, and case for obvious damage
or loose connections.
All types of battery
Especially check the battery terminal bolts to ensure they
haven't worked loose
- Clean terminals and connectors as necessary
All types of battery
If there is excessive build up of sediment of sulphate (the
white stuff!) on the terminals or battery lead connectors,
clean them gently with a soft wire brush
- Check inside for excessive sediment, sulfating or
mossing
Conventional or lead acid batteries
- Make sure the exhaust tube is free of kinks and
clogs
Conventional or lead acid batteries
- Replace caps firmly
Conventional or lead acid batteries
To accurately check the charging state
of a motorbike battery & a motorcycle charging system,
it is necessary to purchase a volt meter. Volt meters are
available from most electrical parts stores & are relatively
inexpensive (around £10 for a basic volt meter)
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Motorbike
Battery Fault Finding
Fault |
Remedy |
No power, even to horn & lights |
Check main fuse, located on red
lead near battery |
Intermittant loss of power, especially
when starting (starts sometimes, won't start other times) |
Check battery terminal connectors
& tighten if loose |
Clicking noise when trying to start
the motorbike, starter doesn't turn over |
Battery charge to low to turn over
starter motor, only activating starter solenoid (switch
that activates the starter motor, makes ckicking noise) |
Strong smell of rotten eggs or sulphur
when riding |
Change underware! Usually a sign
that the motorbike charging system is over charging
the battery. Stop motorbike & switch off. Do not
continue until charging fault fixed |
Battery only holds a charge for
1-2 days |
Possibly alarm draining battery,
or old battery in need of replacement |
Battery is flat & won't start
motorbike immediatly after being ridden |
Motorbike charging fault. Quick
way to check, rev the bike with the light on, if the
headlight gets dimmer as the revs increase, charging
fault, probably regulator/rectifier |
Starter motor turns over very slowly
& struggles to start the motorbike |
Low charge on battery, probably
in need of replacement |
Fitted heated handelbar grips are
causing the battery to go flat overnight |
Heated grips are wired to a permanent
12 volt wire, so heating 24/7. Should be wired to a
12 volt ignition wire that goes to 0 volts when ignition
is turned off |
Power to lights & horn but bike
won't start |
Check if motorbike is in gear, check
side stand cut out switch, check clutch cut out switch |
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