It’s all very well to feel the exhilaration of riding fast and furious on your motorcycle, but if you want to keep it running smoothly, you better take good care of it. And one very important aspect of taking proper care of it is to maintain its battery. Yes, a faulty battery is often the cause of a motorcycle breakdown. To complicate matters somewhat, it’s not the easiest of jobs to get to it, and that is one reason why it tends to get neglected.
Now, just like a human being may show symptoms of a disease and decide to visit a physician before matters get worse, a motorcycle battery that is not working as it should show some tell-tale signs that should be attended to. Maybe you are having to recharge your battery at much closer intervals than before; maybe your bike doesn’t start as easily as it did earlier; maybe your light and horn are causing problems, or maybe the offensive odor of sulfur assails your nostrils as you ride. When such things happen, it’s high time to get down to some essential maintenance work on your neglected battery. Or better still, don’t wait for such things to happen: cultivate the habit of maintaining your battery on a regular basis. Like they say, prevention is better than cure.
Types of Motorcycle Batteries
First, let us take a look at the two basic types of motorcycle batteries – the conventional flooded acid battery, and the sealed, gel AGM battery, which is touted to be maintenance-free. While both batteries are lead-acid types, in the latter the electrolyte – a solution of sulfuric acid and distilled water – is contained in a glass mat and does not move around like it does in the former. Also, the gel doesn’t easily spill out of the caps when your bike hits a bump, and it is less likely to self-discharge.
While a conventional battery requires a monthly check-up to maintain its health, a quarterly check suffices for the AGM variety. Thanks to electrolysis and evaporation, water loss is common in a conventional battery, so that whenever the electrolyte level dips significantly, it is important to replenish it with distilled water (never acid!) with the help of the minimum and maximum markers inside the cells. As distilled water contains no impurities, it eases the work of the battery and prolongs its life.
If it so happens that the electrolyte level in your battery is so low that the lead plates are exposed to the air, the battery may well suffer permanent damage.
As for an AGM battery, the trick is to keep it fully charged most of the time – that will ensure that it performs at its peak.
A Motorcycle Battery’s Enemies
Which are some a motorcycle battery’s major enemies? Here is a list:
- Sulfation: Sulfation takes place when a battery is not re-charged at the proper time, and the electrolyte in the battery begins to break down. Sulfation can also happen through undercharging of a battery.
There are two types of sulfation – reversible and permanent. The former can be corrected by early servicing.
- Heat: One of the deadliest enemies of a motorcycle battery is excessive heat. The higher the temperature, the greater the rate of a battery’s discharge. A battery that is exposed to temperatures over 130 degrees Fahrenheit is not likely to survive long. However, AGM batteries have a greater capacity to take the heat.
- Vibration: Vibrations can cause havoc to your motorcycle battery, but there are ways to reduce them. For instance, you can take measures to see that your engine does not get too heated up because a hot engine translates to more vibrations. Always having sufficient oil would keep the internal components of your engine well lubricated, and that will keep your engine’s temperature well under control. Other things you could do include checking the chain (which, if too tight, increases the tension in the engine), and setting the valve tappets right.
- Overloading Your motorcycle with electrical accessories: Too many accessories can reduce the lifespan of your battery. Run your motorcycle engine with all the accessories on, and observe if the voltage reader falls below 13.8 volts. If it does, your battery’s well-being is at stake, and you just might have to consider which accessories you want to shed. Alternately, you could think of buying a more powerful alternator and let your battery power up your accessories.
Other Things to Do
Other must do’s in the maintenance of your battery include wiping the battery case clean with a soft rag and a grease-removing soap (after ascertaining that the battery caps are tightly shut), cleaning the terminals and their vicinity to keep them dry and prevent corrosion, and periodically inspecting the exhaust tube in the battery to check if it is in danger of clogging.
A Cautionary Note
Because working with acids and chemicals has its share of risks, you need to take the necessary precautions as you go about fixing your motorcycle battery. Firstly, choose a well-ventilated and well-lit place to work in. Secondly, wear appropriate protective gear – goggles and gloves to protect yourself, and an apron or smock to protect your clothes. Remember, sulfuric acid is potentially dangerous – if it splashes into your eyes, it could blind you; if you swallow it by accident, it could kill you. In case of a mishap, take immediate remedial steps. And last but not the least, keep away from cigarettes (or cigars or pipes) and see to it that no sparks fly or flames burn anywhere near your battery.
You hit the starter-button of your bike and wait for the usual lively sound you are accustomed to. But nothing happens. All you hear is a weak ‘click.’ You try again but to no avail. Your heart sinks. You realize your battery has conked out, and you are in for it.
If this has happened to you in the past, it need not happen again. All you have to do is to give your battery its due.
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