There are many reasons why a motorbike battery can drain. From leaving a light on, to simply not using the bike for a long time. Regardless of the reason, you don't need to buy a new one, you just need to charge the motorbike battery.
In this article we will show you how to charge a motorbike battery. Unlike other tasks, how to charge a motorbike battery is a fairly simple process that you can do yourself without anyone else's help. Knowing how to charge a motorbike battery will get you out of more than one predicament, so it is important that you pay attention to the rest of this article.
How do I know if my motorbike battery is flat?
The first thing to do is to check that your motorbike's battery is indeed discharged. To check this, you have different options. The first option is to use a tester. With this device you can simply measure the number of volts in the battery. It may have some volts, but not enough to start the bike.
The other option is to use a battery tester. In this case you simply enter the battery data into the tester, connect the tester to the battery and the tester will tell you what to do. The tester itself will tell us if it is necessary to charge the motorbike battery or, on the contrary, if it has no solution and we should buy a new one.
¿Cuándo es recomendable cargar la batería?
It is clear that the motorbike battery must be charged when it has been completely drained. However, when it comes to how to charge a motorbike battery, it is not necessary for it to be completely drained. If you want your battery to be in good condition, make sure that the charge never drops below 60%.
What equipment do I need to charge the battery?
Now that you know that you need to charge a motorbike battery, it is important to have the appropriate equipment to do so.
In addition to the tester or battery tester you will need a motorbike battery charger, a nearby socket to plug the charger into and a screwdriver to remove the battery from the motorbike.
When charging a motorbike battery it is important to do so on a stable surface. In this case we recommend that you try to have a special stand or at least secure any other stable surface on which you can work easily.
How to charge a motorbike battery in six steps
Before charging a motorbike battery, we recommend that you make sure that the battery is actually discharged and needs to be charged.
Once you have checked this, the second step is to identify the position of the battery. Not all motorbike batteries are in the same place and in some cases, if you are going to disassemble it, it will take a little more work. However, it is not complicated.
In the third step you will have to disconnect the battery from the motorbike. With the battery disconnected you will be able to work more comfortably and also safely, as you will not risk damaging the rest of the bike's components. If you are experienced or the battery is very difficult to remove, you can charge it without disassembling the motorbike. If you decide to do this, you will need to be very careful.
With the battery ready to charge, you will need to connect the charger to the battery. First connect the red cable to the positive terminal and then the black cable to the negative terminal. Now connect the charger to the power supply and make sure that the charging current does not exceed 10% of the battery capacity. On a 12 V, 75 Ah battery you should charge the battery with a current of 7.5 amps.
The next step in charging a motorbike battery is to reconnect the battery to the motorbike. If you have previously disassembled the battery, make sure you put everything back in place and tighten the screws securely. When connecting the bike to the battery first connect the positive cable and then the negative cable. This process is reversed when the battery is disconnected.
The last step of charging the battery is to check that the battery works. From here we recommend that you test it first by doing a test ride. During this test ride, check that all the electronic functions are working properly. When it comes to charging a motorbike battery it is these electronic functions that can be disturbed, so make sure they are in good working order before setting off on a longer trip.