Check and replace motorcycle battery

Necessary check and change the motorcycle battery regularly. And this, especially when the latter is immobilized. And even more in winter, when it loses about 1% of its charge, as soon as the temperature drops below 20 ° C, and when it drops by 2 °.

So to avoid a power outage off the beaten path, it's best to check the battery charge regularly and possibly replace it if it probably won't hold up anymore.

How to check your motorcycle battery? How do I know if the battery is dead and needs to be replaced? Check out our instructions in this article. 

How to check a motorcycle battery?

The easiest and fastest way to test a motorcycle battery is to run it. If it does not start, it means that there has been a power failure. You need to consider replacing the battery.

If not, you can check with light. Turn on the ignition and watch. If the light comes on, everything is fine. Otherwise, two things are possible: either the battery is discharged and needs to be recharged, or it is out of order and needs to be replaced.

Test your motorcycle battery yourself

If current problems are suspected, the best way to find the source is to look directly at the battery. Therefore, it is necessary to disassemble it and check the appearance, if not cracks or possible damage.

If there is no breakage, the problem may be in the fluid. It may be missing, in which case it should be reset to the recommended level. If the quantity in the cells is not the same, it is also necessary to correct this by adding distilled or demineralized water to the corresponding cells.

Possibly the pods are the problem. They can be surrounded by deposits or oxidize over time, which can alter or completely prevent the conduction of electricity. In this case, cleaning is required. A little additional lubrication can prevent the formation of new deposits.

If it is an acidic battery, you can acid scale test... The latter makes it possible to accurately determine its charge. It is enough to immerse it in liquid to find out the concentration level of the acid present. For example, if it reads 1180 g / L, it means the battery is 50% charged.

How to check a motorcycle battery with a multimeter?

To test the battery, simply set the multimeter to the 20V range and connect the device to the battery, making sure the red wire is connected to the + terminal and the black wire to the - terminal. Four tests need to be done:

• On an unlit motorcycle, Start. If the result displayed by the multimeter is between 12 and 12,9 volts, the battery is in good condition. If it shows a lower voltage, it means that the battery is out of order and needs to be recharged.
• Fires continue, contacts remain... If the result displayed by the multimeter is less than 12 volts or more and it stabilizes afterwards, this is normal. On the other hand, if it fails without stabilization, it means that the battery is no longer working. In this case, a replacement should be considered.
• The motorcycle started up. If the result displayed by the multimeter drops one volt and rises back to 12 volts or more, you are fine. Otherwise, the battery needs to be charged or replaced.
• The motorcycle started up during acceleration. If the result displayed by the multimeter is between 14 V and 14,5 V, the battery is still in good condition. Otherwise, the battery needs to be charged or replaced.

How do I change the motorcycle battery?

Replacing a motorcycle battery is easy and affordable for everyone. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Remove the battery. Disconnect the + and - terminals and pull it out of place.

Step 2: Replace the new battery after making sure it is charged. Then connect it to the + and - terminals being careful to tighten well.

Step 3: Run tests. Turn on the ignition and check if the lights come on. If so, try starting. If no problems are found, then everything is in order. Otherwise, it is best to return a new battery to the dealer.

Some precautions:

The battery is especially dangerous due to the presence of acid in large quantities. To avoid accidents that could have potentially serious consequences, care must be taken when handling it. Gloves and glasses are highly recommended. In addition, it is not recommended to throw the old battery into the trash can. It is better to hand it over to a recycling center yourself.