Motorcycle Battery Maintenance

The humble battery is often over looked on a motorcycle. People seem to think "if it goes flat, I will just use the charger"
WRONG! This isn't a damn cellphone!

This isn't DRZ400 specific. Most of this applies to all motorcycles.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Motorcycle
• Battery
• Maintenance
• drz
• honda
• suzuki
• cbr600rr
• fireblade
• oximizer
• 600
• oxford
• 900
• drz400sm
• 400
• sm
• supermoto
• bike
• yamaha
• cbf
• cbr
• r1
• r6

[jojomoor]

Hi, I got a 1981 Suzuki GS1000l and was starting just fine but the day after it just did not start what so ever...Even when boosted with cables, nothing happens. I turn the key and I dont even have any dash lights.

Can you tell me what is happening?

[187Premises]

@jojomoor have you tried checking the voltage coming out of the battery?

[Bikeman1087]

2.04 What the hell? No, thats wrong way.. Fix that annotation.

Right way:

When disconnecting, disconnect black wire first.

When reconnecting, connect red wire first.

[187Premises]

@Bikeman1087 crap well spotted.

[Sirradal]

Are the UK bikes 2 strokes? All the bikes I know of in the US are 4 strokes. I'll need to invest in a battery charger. Thanks for the info.

[187Premises]

@Sirradal

All are pretty much 4 stroke & fuel injected because UK has a very tight emissions laws.

[jettastreetracer]

Hey guys...i have a duralast battery that never charged. I left it for about 18 hours...no juice then realized it has no acid in the battery. I have a schumacker 1.5A charger. Do these things take long to charge like overnight? It says the battery is good but never charged it, it doesnt flash saying its.a.bad battery, now im charging my other bike and that one is good, wish I could use that for my kawasaki500cc, the good one is from a honda 650cb

[daonendonli]

My battery was at 12.00 so i decided to charge it at trickle charge overnight for about 12 hours or so and the battery reading went to about 13 after i put it back in the bike and started it and rode it around voltage reading is back down to 12.4 ish but bike starts with no trouble but I've heard a good battery should be 12.6 or higher thats way it says for my manual and on my charger it my battery never charges till 100% I've left it on for soo long as still .. u know what could be the problem?

[jojomoor]

@187Premises no,.. i think I need a new fuse.

[TheAmazingTTOCS]

cool video. thanks! very helpful!

[Bikeman1087]

@ausendundeinenacht

Depends how much you ride your bike in a month and how long per time. If you ride it every week then you mostly dont need to recharge it at all, especially if you ride longer than 14 minutes. if you have to recharge the battery twice in month then I would recommend you to measure your bike charging voltages from the battery while the bike is running. under 13,5v is too less. 15v &+ is too much and it will kill your battery and other electrical stuff, example headlight.

[ausendundeinenacht]

@Bikeman1087 Hiya THANKS YOURE NICE Anyways seems to be ok right now Rode the BHM today was v happy My first Bike repair ever now How often do I have to do this I mean havin it recharged by a garage Thrice a month you think? Or what d yu suggest? tthanks in advance

[Bikeman1087]

@ausendundeinenacht Just reconnect the wires right way because if you reinstall battery wires in wrong sequence. Result can be electrical explosion/spark ball, if you have your face too close to the battery at that moment, you can hurt your eyes.

Charging is mostly safe, dont smoke near battery especially while charging. Dont allow direct metal contact across battery posts.

Use a low power charger, some car battery chargers are mostly too powerful for motorcycle batteries.

[ausendundeinenacht]

@Bikeman Hiya, was wondering whether you could advise? I have a 2 year old BHM 125 bike5 Never buy those anybody!) 3 expensive repairs this summer too many and a dead bike, nothing moving 2 days ago..i researched then concluded tentatively its the battery perhaps

Took it to a garage it charged and want to reinstall it 2moro

Are there any dangers in that? (I m a female with a slightly apprehensive view re Tech)

Any advice from you ( or anybody knowledgeable) would be very welcome indeed :)