Everything You Need to Know About Maintaining Motorcycle Batteries
The battery is a quintessential component of any bike because without it distributing electricity, the motorcycle might as well be a push bike. This is of course basic information that everyone knows. But, there are a few important things that new bikers don’t know about their batteries which they should because it is very likely to be useful information for them in the future.
To start, there are three different types of motorcycle battery – the wet cell, the dry cell and the gel filled battery. However, we will only cover the wet cell motorcycle battery, or otherwise known as the lead acid battery, since it is the most commonly used. The lead acid batteries can be distinguished by a row of plastic stoppers on their top and their white or opaque plastic lower casing. The battery needs to be checked occasionally and topped up to the upper level mark with distilled water as the water portion of the battery acid gets used up over time. It isn’t as important that you know the exact chemical process which powers each battery, as it is to know what type you are dealing with before trying to handle it in any way.
Proper maintenance of the battery and all of its components is also something that every bike owner should know. When it comes to maintaining the motorcycle battery there are a few things that you should always keep in mind. The most important by far is to never neglect to wear the proper safety equipment (which should always include safety glasses and heavy duty rubber gloves) when trying to handle the battery in any way. Another is to be careful not to hold it against your body as any spilled acid can damage your clothes or skin. Aside from that, you should be fine as long as you exercise at least a small dose of common sense when it comes to your own protection.
Eventually you will also need to remove or replace the battery. This isn’t a very difficult task, but it can seem like it for anyone that is attempting it for the first time. Before you do anything, you should always make sure that there is no electrical discharge or that there is no acid leaking. Then all you have to do is remove all of the cables and take it back to the place you purchased it from and either repair or replace it.
Keep in mind that if you have any doubts at all about the safety of the battery or your ability to handle it, you shouldn’t try to do anything that might endanger your safety, but rather call in a professional to assist you.
