How fast do motorcycle batteries die

This is thanks to a natural process called self- discharge. Owners say their motorcycle batteries generally die after 2 to 4 months if they are not charged.

From this we can see that a battery which dies after being left unused for only 2 weeks is definitely cause for concern. It should be able to last longer than that. A motorcycle battery which dies after only 2 weeks is a sign of a problem in the electrical system or a problem with the individual battery. These are some possibilities to consider. This is perhaps the most likely reason for a dead battery if it has been only 2 weeks since it was last charged.

Parasitic draw or drain in a battery happens when there is an abnormal and continuous drain of power from the battery even after the engine has been turned off.

It may be caused by a short circuit or an electrical component such as lights, clock, alarm or any other appliance which draws power from the battery.

Testing for parasitic draw: For this you will need a multimeter. This is a fairly inexpensive device used to measure voltage in a battery. Make sure the engine is off. Remove the negative battery cable then place the multimeter leads between the negative battery terminal and the negative cable.

This should give you the current draw when the engine is off. Ideally it should be at zero. You may get a reading of a few milliamps but that is considered normal.

If the reading is more than one amp, there is an abnormal drain somewhere. As a battery gets older, it gradually loses its ability to hold charge. It may have been fully charged when you parked two weeks ago but it cannot retain it like it used to. The self-discharge rate mentioned in the case of a normal battery is now much faster. At the end of the day you have a dead battery even if the bike has not moved an inch.

To get a bit technical, the exact voltage is In order to start a motorcycle, you need at least As a battery gets older it loses efficiency and a higher battery percentage is necessary to start the bike.

A rule of thumb to remember, just because your battery is at Checking the voltage is just a good indicator. Once you start your motorcycle, the battery gets charged back up by your stator, which outputs about 15V. Almost all motorcycles have a stator, some small dirt bikes do not. You can tell if your bike does not have a stator by looking at the headlight while the bike is running. If you rev the bike and the headlight gets much brighter then you most likely do not have a stator, if it stays the same brightness then you do.

A cautious motorcycle driver will take good care of their motorcycle, especially the battery. Motorcycle batteries are a frequent culprit when it comes to motorcycle problems. There are several ways to keep a charge on your battery that can save you a lot of future head aches. Make sure you know how old your battery is. A good healthy battery life is about 48 months, or about 4 years. Also make sure to take note of the size of your battery when you eventually have to get a new one.

Try using a battery charger. One type of battery charger you can use is called a battery trickle charger. A trickle charger provides a constant charge to your battery.

You need to be careful with these chargers though because you can cause permanent damage to your battery if you keep these on too long. You can also try using a battery tender. This type of battery charger is one that I use and highly recommend.

It has a sensor that indicates when your charge is too low and needs to start charging, or senses your battery is charged and will stop supplying a charge. You can keep this charger connected to your battery for any amount of time, worry-free. Try to keep your motorcycle inside a garage or shed if possible. Click here to see my article that discusses what happens when a motorcycle battery freezes.

Take some to check any of your motorcycles wiring that you can either see or get to easy to see if the wiring is connected properly or corroded. If the battery terminal themselves are corroded, it could b symptomatic of a bigger problem with your battery. The corrosion can stem from anything from overcharging the battery to the battery itself leaking hydrogen gas. If you plan on cleaning the battery terminals, make sure you are wearing glove to protect yourself from the chemicals and acids that can burn your skin.

There are a bunch of different products and methods you can use to clean corroded motorcycle battery terminals. The Alternator and stator work with each other to help generate the power it takes to start your motorcycle and power all of the goodies mounted on it.

The Stator is connected to the alternator and is the stationary part of it. The flywheel on the alternator rotates around the Stator to generate AC power for the motorcycle.

If your having trouble keeping your battery charged after a ride, either the Stator or alternator might be the next culprit to investigate. Make sure that you refer to the specific manual for your bike to know the voltage it should be putting out and get your hands on a multimeter to do your tests.

A common overlooked culprit for dead motorcycle batteries is poor ground connection between either the frame and battery. Other problems that can cause problems with grounding are corrosion, rust, ground straps that are connected properly. With all of the different items and components in an electrical system, finding a ground issue is going to be a frustrating experience. Just like the parasites in the real world, a parasitic draw on your battery will suck your battery dry.

Except in this case, the parasite might be any of your accessories that drawing low levels of current from your battery until its dead. The accessories that are stealing power can be anything from the stock accessories your motorcycle came with to aftermarket items like GPS power supplies anything extra on your bike that uses power.

If you have your motorcycle plugged into a tender when your not riding it, you may not notice the extra power draw as long as the tender is keeping up. A way to perform a quick check is to get a multimeter and remove the negative cable to the battery terminal. With the key off, place the multimeter in the amps mode and place a lead between the terminal and the cable. Even with proper care and feeding of your motorcycle battery, some batteries have a difficult time with excessive heat and vibration.

If your battery is located in an area on the motorcycle where is can be subject more heat than usual, you may want to consider wrapping it in thermo heat shield to keep it protected. In fact, if you live in an area where there is considerable heat all the time like the desert southwest for example you might want to shield your battery. The damage with heat and vibration occurs to the internal components of the battery.

Once the internal components of the battery have suffered damage, the life span of the battery is reduced. Sometimes your battery is just in a weak condition.

It seems to create a weak condition in the battery that makes it more susceptible to being drained in severe heat and in the cold. A weak battery in my motorcycle almost left me stranded at the Grand Canyon on one occasion.

We woke up to a chilly morning and I went out to start my motorcycle.