Your motorcycle requires a sufficient amount of energy to keep your ride smooth and safe. Not using your motorcycle battery would lose its charge and make your battery dead.
Regardless of the bike and the type of battery, it is important to charge your motorcycle at the right duration.
To charge your motorcycle battery, I am going to provide you with some information on how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding.
How long to charge motorcycle battery by riding depends on the battery type and the model of your bike.
How Long to Charge Motorcycle Battery by Riding Step by Step Guide
How long does it take to Charge a Motorcycle Battery?
A motorcycle battery charges at least six hours, up to an extended duration of 24 hours. A new acid lead battery that has 12 volts under a current charge takes 5 to 8 hours to charge up to 70%. The remaining 30% require another seven to ten hours before installing the battery onto the motorcycle. This provides brief information on how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding.
To know how long to charge a new motorcycle battery, a new battery charges up to 80% when purchasing and takes 4 to 6 hours to connect to a charger to reach maximum charge before installing into the bike.
It is important to keep in mind that a normal ride might not be sufficient to charge the battery completely after depletion. If you leave the headlights on for overnight and found out that the battery has died in the morning, the alternator in your bike may not provide enough power to replenish the charge after you start the engine. In this case, you may need to charge your battery with an external charger.
Types of Motorcycle Batteries
Depending on the model of your bike, there are various types of motorcycle batteries.
Charging a new motorcycle battery requires care and attention to charge at the right duration during the ride.
These types will help you to know the type of battery to charge during your ride. There are three main types of motorcycle batteries which each mention below:
Lead Acid Batteries
Lead-acid batteries are the most common type of battery. These batteries consist of lead plates in each cell with a mixture of sulfuric acid and water that creates a chemical reaction between the two that creates a charge.
To purchase a new lead-acid battery requires filling each cell with acid. This type of motorcycle battery requires regular maintenance as the fluid in battery cells will dry out the cells. If your battery is low, use a distilled water.
Gel Batteries and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Batteries
Gel batteries and AGM batteries are sealed lead-acid batteries. These two batteries types are the easiest battery to own and require no maintenance other than staying connected to the tender when parking the bike. Since these two types are sealed, they do not need to install upright.
Lithium-Ion Battery
A lithium-ion battery is the latest technology that is lightweight and needs very little maintenance. Lithium batteries tend to last longer if maintained properly. Using a lithium battery needs careful attention when charging your motorcycle.
For instance, if you leave the headlights on and the battery drains you will create permanent damage to the battery causing sparks and worse explosion. If you are charging with a lithium-ion battery, handle with care and attention. Do check for any signs of fault.
How to Keep Your Battery Charged?
To know how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding, it is crucial to maintain your battery and charge at the right time to ensure a smooth ride. To keep your battery charged, there are different ways to make your battery fully prepared for your ride. Such methods mention below:
Keep it on a charger
A battery tender is a great tool to keep your battery completely charged during your rides and off-peak seasons. A battery tender is a trickle charger that flows a consistent current to your battery and will switch it to float mode once your battery reaches 12 volts. You can check out other types of battery chargers.
You can charge your motorcycle battery with any charger brand but you should use a charger that has an automatic mode that will go off or switch to float mode before charging higher than two amps. A battery that charges more than two amps will result in overheating and will explode!
Check for Parasitic Draw
A parasitic draw test is a test that monitors for an electrical component that consumes electricity when the vehicle has shut off when not in use. The purpose of a parasitic draw is to check to see any signs of battery drainage. It is important to check for any signs of battery leaks. To carry out parasitic draw mentions below:
- Refer to your bike’s manual to see how to access your battery.
- Disconnect the negative cable from the terminal.
- Take a voltage meter and set it to amps.
- Place one meter on the negative terminal and the other lead on the negative cable.
- The meter should appear zero amps.
If the meter is more than zero amps, this is the sign where you need to fix the problem of your motorcycle battery. How long to charge motorcycle battery depends on the strength of your battery. Your motorcycle battery will drain one amp at a time.
If you want to know the status of your motorcycle battery, you can use a motorcycle battery tester. This equipment helps to demonstrate the condition of your battery in seconds.
Keep your Gadgets to a minimum
Using multiple gadgets during your ride can put the pressure on the battery resulting in quicker battery drainage. If you have such gadgets like GPS, stereo or any other gear, it is best to purchase a battery that works universally to all electronics. Do be careful that the battery will stress out during long rides. Make sure you plan your journey and do know how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding.
How to Charge a Dead Motorcycle Battery?
As mentioned earlier, a motorcycle battery takes 6 hours to charge. A new battery charges up to 4 to 6 hours to reach a maximum charge before installing into the bike. It is important to charge your motorcycle battery before you hit the road. How long to charge motorcycle battery by riding depends on the model of your bike and the type of charger you use.
Here I am going to provide you with simple procedures to follow when charging the battery during your ride.
Method 1: Using jumper cables
- Use jumper cables by borrowing from your friend or purchase at a local hardware shop.
- Leave the car off if jump starting using a car. It is necessary to have one car running when jump-starting another car.
- Turn the working bike on if jump-starting with another motorcycle. To jump start with another bike is to start the dead bike and start the other bike.
- Connect the red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead bike’s battery. The positive terminal marks with a plus sign and is red.
Note: Make sure the clamp should not touch to any metal parts, as this will cause a spark and an explosion.
5. Connect the black clamp (negative terminal) to the frame of the dead motorcycle.
6. Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the working battery.
7. Link the black clamp to the negative terminal of the bike’s working battery.
8. Start the engine of your bike. The bike should start within the first few tries and leave the bike on for a few minutes to warm up the engine.
9. Disconnect the cables by disconnecting the black clamp from the live battery and remove the other black cable from the other battery. Do the same with red clamps. Make sure the clamps do not encounter each other after charging.
Method 2: Using a battery charger
If jumper cables are inconvenient, you can charge your motorcycle battery using a charger. To charge your battery for your ride, follow the procedures below:
- Take the battery out of your bike by disconnecting the negative cables first and the positive cables.
- Find out your battery type by referring to the manual’s instructions.
- Figure out the type of charger you want to use. There are three types of chargers, which are trickle charger, float charger and smart charger. These chargers work with any battery except lithium-ion batteries.
- Connect the battery charger in a well-ventilated area.
- Check to see if the battery is charged.
- Once the battery is completely charged, put the battery back into the motorcycle.
Conclusion
Here is the important information on how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding. You can see charging the motorcycle battery depends on the model of the bike and the type of battery you have. It is crucial to know the battery type and the charger you want to use during your ride. To know how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding is to charge on time!
To ensure a smooth ride, you should know how long to charge motorcycle battery by riding. Make sure you refer to the manual’s instruction on keeping your battery charged during your ride. The more careful you take, the safer the ride.
So charge your battery on time and enjoy the ride!