How to Maintain your Motorcycle Battery - J&P Cycles Tech Tip

We'll look at proper charging techniques and give you installation and storage advice to maximize the life of your battery. If you've ever had a battery go flat prematurely, we'll explain what might have happened and how to prevent it.

If you are purchasing a new battery or plan on storing your bike for more than a couple weeks this J&P Cycles TechTip is for you.

J&P Cycles Large 1.5 Amp Charger:
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/3500149

Batteries @ J&P Cycles
http://www.jpcycles.com/batteries

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• motorcycle battery
• motorcycle batteries
• motorcycle battery charging
• Harley
• Davidson
• lead acid
• sealed cell
• electric start
• lead calcium
• lead
• calcium
• acid
• amperage
• Joe Conry
• recovered
• mate
• discharged
• flat
• maintenance
• Kawasaki
• battery tender
• dead battery
• dead

[satellitetune]

Good job on your video I liked it very much!

[jpcycles2]

@satellitetune thanks for watching J&P Cycles.

[blackslay552]

it's sunday and no bike shop is open where i live, my bike won't start plase give me a hint, my killswitch is not on and when i try to start it it won't even make a clack clak noise liek it would normaly do when i try to start it, i keep it in my sheid and i left my ligths on for liek 20 mins, maby low batery? i left the choke on half way by accdent when i got off maby i flodded it? or caused a short curcet? any info would help thanks, so much if you can getback to me btw love the vids.

[jpcycles2]

@blackslay552 it sounds like your battery is dead, either you have a weak battery or something failing in your charging system.

[ThatDayumWood979]

I purchased a Used bike for my starter bike. I've not ridden the bike in a while since it's the cold season. I recently went out to the garage to give it a quickie to only to not have it fully turn over. I believe it's due to the battery. Question: If I can get it started how long should it run to have it recharge or should I just buy a new one?

[gwk4657]

Good job on your video I liked it very much!

[blackslay552]

@jpcycles2 thanks for replying, but i found out that the secondary shutoff switch where the kick stand is was sticking and messing up, after my nabohr checked it with a handheld machine he was able to find out that it was not working correctly, thanks tho.

[aznboyx]

I have an '01 Ducati 748 which takes about 12 hrs to reach green on the Tender JR, and after riding it just once, if I turn it off, it will NOT start back up. The whole system will turn on, but it refuses to ignite. This process repeats. I've heard that it could be the battery, but in other cases I've heard it could be the "starter relay" (alternator?), where there was just a lose cable. I'd love to hear your advice, since you guys are so knowledgeable! Thank you so much!!!

[jpcycles2]

@aznboyx The Battery Tender Jr. will do the job just fine and you can use your connector. You should be able to monitor your charge status from the indicator light on the battery tender. Just follow the same guidelines as the The Battery Tender Plus: "left on the new battery for a minimum of 24 hours on float, in addition to whatever amount of time it takes for the charger to get to the float stage." Hope that helps!

[aznboyx]

@jpcycles2 I have a Battery Tender JR. And does it matter whether we use the positive/negative (black/red) clips to charge it, versus the connector plug? I ask because I no longer have the cable clips. Thank you so much for the tips!!!