motorcycle parts accessories
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Motorcycle battery tips...
When some people hear the term "maintenance-free battery" they seem to think they can buy a motorcycle battery, put it in the bike, and allow it to slip from their conciousness! But any motorcycle battery, even the so called "maintenance free", needs a little care from time to time.
Some motorcycle batteries come dry from the manufacturer and need to be filled with acid and put on a charger for a few hours before they can be used. But the best maintenance-free batteries are filled and charged at the factory before they're shipped. If possible check the manufacturer to find one that charges and discharges the battery, to fully saturate the glass mat with battery acid. These motorcycle batteries will hold a charge longer throughout their lifetime.
Once they're in the bike, there are still some things you need to watch out for. All motorcycle batteries self-discharge when they're not being used. Its hardly noticeable it if you ride regularly, but if you ride less during the winter, or park your bike until the good weather returns, the chances are your battery will lose enough of its charge to make starting become a little hit and miss.
You can keep the charge up in the battery by using a battery charger if you're not going to ride for a few weeks or more. Well known battery chargers are the chargers from Battery Tender and Yuasa.
Once the charging situation is taken care of, there are only a few things left to check to make sure a maintenance-free motorcycle battery lasts as long as it was designed to:
1) Keep the the battery clean and free of dirt. Any foreign matter can be kicked up into the battery area on some models and coat the battery case, terminals, and terminal hardware. Any excessive moisture can cause corrosion of the terminal nuts and bolts, and even the battery cables themselves.
2) Regularly check the battery cables, the battery clamp or strap, and the battery case for damage. If the hold-down strap breaks, or the bolt holding the battery clamp comes loose, the battery might be able to shake about enough to damage it over a period of time. Vibration can loosen the terminal bolts, too, and even rub holes in the cable insulation. A short will at the very minimum blow a fuse-the worst case scenario is, it could start a fire.
3) Clean the terminals and battery posts regularly. It should go without saying that a good connection between the two is important if the battery is to deliver maximum starting voltage. Hard starting can in some cases be caused by dirty or corroded connectors.
4) If you're going to store your motorcycle battery for an lay up period, either disconnect the cables or take the battery out of the bike. To make sure it will be ready to go when you are, hook it up to a battery charger and look in on it every so often.
5) The idea that starting your bike a few times a month and letting it idle will charge up the battery is a popular misconception. Most times the charge you use to start your motorcycle won't be replaced by the bike's charging system. If you can't take it for at least a half-hour ride, get the battery back on a charger as soon as you're done running the engine. (there that's another excuse to get out on your motorcycle, if you need one!)
That's about all it takes to make sure a maintenance-free motorcycle battery is as trouble free as possible.
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