Motorcycle ‘spring clean’: batteries. Chichester, Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Motorcycle ‘spring clean’: batteries.
Spring is in the air & all across the country a gentle rustling can be heard. No its not hedgehogs emerging from their wintry hide away’s; its the sound of hundreds of motorcycle covers being removed, followed by a resonating dull ‘click’ as thousands of starter motors fail, due to flat batteries! Spring has sprung, the weather is warming & slowly but surely leathers will be squeezed in to, lids will be dusted off & gloves will be flexed. Its time to hit the road.
This time of year is a great opportunity for many bikers to rekindle their relationships with their beloved machines. However, before you rejoin the throng, it is always a wise idea to carry out some essential
maintenance checks, especially if your motorcycle has been inactive for a few months.
Spring has sprung, the weather is warming & slowly but surely leathers will be squeezed in to, lids will be dusted off & gloves will be flexed. Its time to hit the road.
Hopefully you will have had your motorcycle on a trickle charge or
optimate charger while it’s been under wraps. If you are at all concerned about the level, make sure you charge the battery before a long ride.
DATATOOL smart charger – motorcycle security option
If you wondering what you can do at home to ensure longevity to your battery, then read our handy guide below.
Motorcycle ‘spring clean’: batteries.
If you have a volt meter there are some simple tests you can do to check your battery and charging system.
Firstly check with engine & ignition off.
Battery voltages:
12.8v fully charged
12.5v 50% charged
12.2v or below, battery flat will require charging.
Engine running.
Run engine and check voltage at 2000rpm with lights on. Charge rate should be around 13.5-14.5v
To really test if your battery is healthy carry out a crank test.
With your multimeter cross the battery positive & negative, crank the engine the battery voltage should not drop below 7v if it does your battery will need replacing.
With your multimeter cross the battery positive & negative, crank the engine the battery voltage should not drop below 7v if it does your battery will need replacing.