Few things can stall your off-road motorcycle adventure or daily commute like a dead battery. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to revive a dead battery and restore your motorcycle. Explore these steps and find out how to care for a worn battery before shopping for replacement motorcycle and auto battery options online.
A dead battery is a component that’s been deeply discharged. Batteries are designed to be continually discharged and recharged, but deep discharging can cause sulfation. A battery dealing with sulfation has sulfur adhered to the lead plates. In most cases, this causes permanent damage, though there are some steps you can take to try to maintain your battery.
How To Care for a Worn Battery
Start by removing any buildup of corrosion around your battery. Always use caution when handling a motorcycle battery. Wear gloves and safety glasses as you prepare for this project. Disconnect the negative battery cable and then the positive cable. Use a baking soda and water mixture to cover corrosion on these components. Scrub it away with an old toothbrush or steel brush before rinsing your battery and cables completely. Allow it to dry completely before connecting it.
Inspect your battery to see if it has removable cell caps. Some modern motorcycle batteries are fully sealed, which means you can’t remove the liquid and deal with sulfation. Older batteries allow you to remove the caps and top off the liquid. Only fill your battery with distilled water up to the recommended level.
If you’re concerned with sulfation, you can also try to fully empty and refill your battery. Safely empty the contents of the battery, taking care not to come in contact with the liquid. Mix 9 ounces of magnesium sulfate, or Epsom salts, with one quart of distilled water. Be sure it’s fully dissolved, which is often easier to do with warm water. Fill the battery cells with the recommended amount of solution.
Close the caps and connect your newly refilled battery to a trickle charger. You’ll need a slow charge to prevent damaging your battery. Review your battery and charger size. A common mistake is to use a car charger on motorcycle batteries, which can lead to overcharging and the production of flammable gases.
How To Extend Your Motorcycle’s Battery Life
Follow these steps to see if you can revive a dead motorcycle battery. If this doesn’t restore this component, it may be time to shop for a new one. Search for a replacement battery online or at a local auto parts store to fire up your motorcycle again. You can search for a new brand of battery that offers a generous warranty, but only use the recommended battery size for your motorcycle.
Learn more about the steps to take when you have a car battery dead or a motorcycle battery that won’t hold a charge. Care for your new motorcycle battery with a charger, proper storage and routine corrosion cleaning using these steps. Whether you ride every day or enjoy weekend road trips on two wheels, be sure your motorcycle battery is ready for any adventure.
