How Long Does A Motorcycle Battery Last?
There are many variables which must be taken into account in order to answer the question of how long does a motorcycle battery last.
The biggest variable in this equation is you, as in most situations you can make the difference between a battery that lasts only months and one which will last for years.
While “How Long Does A Motorcycle Battery Last?” has no exact answer, as a general rule if you take care of your motorcycle battery through the proper maintenance and ensure that it is always getting a good charge, there is no reason why you cannot expect your motorcycle battery to last between two to five years.
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The main factors that we are going to review in this article are:
- The type of battery
- How often the motorcycle is ridden
- How the battery is utilized
- External charging
The type of battery – Not all batteries are created equal when you first purchase them. It is important to understand what the different types of motorcycle batteries are, as well as any maintenance is required to prolong their life. Maintenance for motorcycle batteries, and car batteries for that matter too, are usually pretty simple. All that you will really need to do is check that any fluid levels are topped up and that the battery is never left to run completely empty.
How often the motorcycle is ridden – This is one of the most crucial factors which will often see a motorcycle battery die within only a few months. If you stop riding for winter than your battery will slowly lose charge. If this challenge goes to load and damage will be caused to the battery and a full charge will never be possible again. It is important to ensure that you ride regularly in order for the alternator or generator/magneto to provide a consistent charge to the battery. If this is not an option for you then you will need to investigate external charging devices, which we will discuss in further detail below.
How the battery is utilized – Motorcycle battery’s I used formal than just the starting of the motorcycle. You will often see many riders who leave their ignition on during short breaks, which you can tell as the headline is switched on. Any time when a headlight is switched on, or any other accessories are on such as a clock or a light up dashboard, if the bike is not running this means that the battery is draining. It is important to ensure that you switch off power your bike completely when you stop riding.
External charging – “How long does a motorcycle battery last?” has a lot to do with ensuring that you never let the battery run low. If you are not riding your motorcycle every day and one of the best things you can do a lot of who battery is to purchase a battery tender, sometimes also known as a battery saver. This device works in a similar way to a standard battery charger, however the key difference is that you can keep this switched on and connected to your motorcycle whenever you are not riding. The device automatically checks the power of the battery and if it determines that the battery is running below a certain charge it will automatically begin a slow charge to bring it back up to close to 100%. This ensures that whenever it is time to go for a motorcycle ride your battery is in the best shape possible. Because the battery saver never lets your battery charge run very long, it prolongs the life considerably.
Battery Saver / Battery Tender
Summary
Although the question of “How long does motorcycle battery last?” has no exact answer, you should now have a good understanding of what you need to in order to ensure that you can get the greatest life out of your motorcycle batteries as possible.
Do you have any hints or tips on increasing the life of a motorcycle battery? We would love to hear from you so please leave your comments in the section below.
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