A battery is an essential element for any vehicle, be it a car or motorcycle. You can not do without it, because the engine simply will not start. If everything is less clear with a car battery, then choosing a battery for motor vehicles is not so simple.

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What are the batteries for a motorcycle

What are the batteries for a motorcycle

On the market you can find a variety of models, and the battery can be of several types:

Acidic (WET).
AGM batteries.
Gel.
Li-ion.

Each of these units is arranged in its own way, however, the principle of operation is similar for all. In addition, each battery has its own strengths and weaknesses. Let's consider each type in a little more detail.

Acidic

These are standard motobatteries with liquid acid electrolyte inside. They differ in low cost and medium degree of reliability. The battery is able to work properly from 3 to 5 years.

This type of battery for a motorcycle differs from automotive counterparts in that it goes on sale in a dry-charged state. Liquid electrolyte is usually included.

An acid is used as the electrolyte, which evaporates over time. And its pairs just negatively affect the wires and connectors. In addition, the frame itself suffers, including the rear spring. In other words, these batteries have the same drawbacks that automotive batteries have.

Services

The motorcycle owner must regularly monitor the electrolyte level in all banks and, if necessary, add the contents of the battery containers (if this is a serviced model). Charge the battery only when necessary, avoiding deep discharge and overcharging.

The implementation of these measures will extend the life of the battery and this will avoid the sulfation of the plates.

AGM batteries

This option costs significantly more than the previous analogue, but along with this, such batteries are more reliable. In addition, they have higher and more stable characteristics. The full abbreviation AGM stands for Absorbent Glass Mat. Most often they can be found among motorcycles of the brands Kawasaki, Yamaha, Delta.

In these batteries, the electrolyte is in a solid state, which significantly distinguishes them from acid counterparts.

AGM batteries include the following:

A plastic case in which all the important elements of the battery are located.
Plates - between which there are separators.
Glass fiber separators impregnated with electrolyte.
Electrodes - they connect all the plates into a single whole.
Mastic - it fills the intermediate space of the battery.
Terminals - wires are connected to them.

AGM batteries are completely insulated and sealed. Accordingly, the gases formed during operation do not leave the compartments and are reused to generate voltage and current.

Advantages and disadvantages

At the same time, there are much more advantages than disadvantages, so we will start with a pleasant one. Since the electrolyte is in a solid state, it will not be able to boil accordingly. This eliminates the need for topping up. In addition, for the same reason, he will not be able to freeze. In addition, such batteries provide a high current indicator, and they are not afraid of a deep discharge.

As for the minuses, the AGM battery is sensitive to power surges.Therefore, it is necessary to use only a high-quality and reliable charger.

Service

Battery life can range from 5 to 10 years. Moreover, they can be used not only on motorcycles, but also scooters, mopeds, ATVs, snowmobiles and water equipment. As for the maintenance, there are no such worries as with acid batteries, due to the high tightness of the case. Unless regularly clean it from dirt and dust. You should also monitor the status of the terminals.

Gel batteries

Among the varieties of the above varieties, this category is the most expensive, but also the most perfect. The electrolyte here is a gel-like substance, which is achieved by the addition of silicon oxide. As a result, it does not freeze and does not evaporate. And even if you damage the body, the substance will remain inside.

The service life is from 600 to 800 charge-discharge cycles, which is equivalent to 10-12 years.

Service

These batteries do not require any special maintenance. However, from time to time it is necessary to clean the housing from dust and dirt, and also make sure that there is no oxidation of the terminals. That's all.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the explicit poles, we can mention the lack of full service, since this is not necessary. Such batteries are safer during operation and more reliable than other analogues, with the exception of AGM batteries, since they are slightly similar in device.

A wide range of operating temperatures - from -60 to + 50 ° C. In other words, they are adapted to any extreme conditions while maintaining productivity. Deep discharge is also not terrible for them. After acquiring a gel battery, it can be used immediately, since there is no need for additional recharging.

Lithium motorcycle batteries

Li Ion batteries have appeared not so long ago, but have much greater advantages. Their weight is very small in comparison with all other analogues. They charge much faster, and the service life can be equated to 2 thousand charge-discharge cycles. In addition, there is no harm from these batteries to the environment. In addition, such batteries do not require any maintenance.

How to choose the right battery for your motorcycle

When choosing a battery for your motorcycle you need to take into account a number of important factors. The capacity of moto batteries is in the range from 2.3 to 30 A * h.

Important parameters to keep in mind:

Capacity - measured in ampere-hours (A * h). The following should be considered here: the larger the engine capacity, the higher this parameter should be. A lower value will prevent the battery from starting a more powerful engine. In addition, do not forget that in winter the launch of the power unit is complicated due to the low temperature. Therefore, a reserve capacity is required. But taking an over-rated battery is irrational.
Voltage and starting current - this characteristic directly depends on the capacity, and the higher it is, the easier it is to start the motor. Many batteries have a voltage of 12 volts, for low-power scooters it is 6 volts.
Dimensions - everything is simple and enough to choose a battery that is suitable for a regular place for it. Then the terminals will be connected without problems, and the battery itself can be securely fixed.
Case - motorcycle batteries are more susceptible to vibration and weather than automotive counterparts. Therefore, it is better that it is sealed, which fully complies with AGM batteries.
Terminals - in many respects it should be guided by the model of motor equipment and which battery was originally installed. This is due to the fact that there is no universal standard, and many manufacturers produce cases with original terminals.
Type of battery - it is mainly due to the size of the family budget. If the means allow, then the AGM batteries will again be the best option.

What brands are worth paying attention to

Which manufacturers should be preferred? Among the companies you can trust are the following brands:

Exide.
Banner
Varta.
Bosch

This is just a small fraction of the motorcycle batteries you can find on the market. In addition, many companies that produce automotive batteries have in their assortment and batteries for motorcycles.

How to charge motorcycle batteries

Before charging the battery, you should first sketch the connection diagram and only then remove it from the motorcycle. Having brought it into the house (apartment), you need to wait for a while so that it warms up to room temperature. In this case, you need to choose a place where there are no nearby open fire sources. After that, you can connect the charger, observing the polarity.

With respect to acid batteries, the charge current should be 10% of capacity. The process continues until the voltage is equal to 14.4 V. Visually, this can be noticed by the gas bubbles formed on the surface of the electrolyte. At this point, you need to lower the current and leave the battery to charge for another two hours.

Gel or AGM batteries charge almost the same. The current strength is also 10% of the capacitance. In this case, the input voltage should not exceed the threshold indicators, which for many batteries are 14.2-14.4 V. For more accurate data, see the instructions for each battery. Only here it is no longer necessary to lower the current strength, you just need to wait for the end of the process. This usually takes about 10 hours.

Tell us in the comments which motorcycle batteries You use and what you like or dislike. This will greatly help other motorists and make the material more complete and accurate.