Here are some tips and information that will hopefully save you battery life and money.
One of our biggest grudge-buying expenses when travelling on motorcycles and keeping our other motorcycles in running condition back home is replacing batteries and initially using the battery with a trickle charger that eventually overcharging them (also called a battery conditioner or maintainer).
We have been there and got the t-shirt, and our asses were handed to us with regards to motorcycle batteries and chargers. Here are some tips and information that will hopefully save your battery and money.
We store our motorcycles to visit home, and when we return months later, the batteries will be dead or damaged to the extent that we must buy new ones. This has been happening every.single.time. the last 8 years.
One big problem is that we were unable to buy lithium motorcycle batteries in most countries south of Mexico, and it is not possible to fly with them or have them shipped by courier from brands in the USA. In most places where we store motorcycles, we request that people charge our batteries now and then, but most times they neglect them.
As a bit of a cheapskate and ignoramus myself, in the early days, I bought battery chargers from any motorcycle shop or auto shop. Not that I am better at being a cheapskate today. Those chargers inevitably never lasted more than a year or two, or they did their part by destroying working batteries and overcharging after a while.
What I like about using CTEK:
- We fitted to each of our motorcycles a pigtail (charge cable) with a tiny light indicator to show the status of the battery. The pig-tail connectors are quite robust and have endured rain, mud, and dust from all the off-road riding.
- There’s a connector to use with SAE plugs, so you do not have to add more wire plugs/wires to your bike
- It is an easy unit to use, just plug and go. Easily understandable even for Neanderthals like me. You just need to know what type of battery you are charging, and obviously 6v, 12v and such basic stuff. The software does the rest. Choose between the modes you need.
- They are bloody good quality and well built to last years of use, as we have been using some of our units for more than a decade.
- Chargers like CTEK’s CS ONE are fully automatic and can safely stay connected to the battery for long periods of time to keep it in peak condition.
- It is IP65 splash and dustproof, non-sparking, reverse polarity protected, and short circuit proof. It also comes with a five-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Choose your charger:
There are now a few different types of motorcycle batteries available:
- Lead acid batteries. One of the most common batteries on motorbikes is the lead acid (or “Flooded cell”) battery. These batteries have access to the cells and are initially filled with electrolytes and charged, but they need topping up on a regular basis to keep them working properly. These are mostly old-school.
- Maintenance-free batteries. “Sealed” batteries are, for the most part, maintenance-free. When filled and charged, no monitoring or topping up of the acid level is required, and the stoppers for the cells are sunk into the top of the battery to prevent tampering. They last, on average, 3-5 years but if looked after with an adequate level of fluids, they can last longer.
- Gel batteries. These are commonly used in motorbikes where the battery must lie on its side or at an angle. The batteries are filled with a form of gel acid (the electrolyte solution is contained in a gelling agent), which does not move like conventional acid and is more resistant to vibration, stress, and harsh temperatures than standard lead acid batteries.
- Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries. These batteries are similar to gel batteries in that they are sealed, and require no maintenance. The electrolyte is absorbed by a very tiny fibreglass mat, similar to gel, allowing it to be used on their side or at an angle while being exceedingly vibration-resistant. MotoBatt is an excellent option.
- Lithium batteries. They are new but have been around for a while, and due to their lower cost and better performance, their popularity has increased in recent years. Lithium that uses LiFePO, batteries can be up to one-third the size, weigh a fraction of traditional batteries, last up to five times as long, and recharge quickly with a very low discharge rate.
A lithium battery provides approximately 1.5 times higher cranking amps than a lead acid battery. The main disadvantage is that you will want a lithium-specific charger, or something like the CT-5 as a standard 12-volt charger will not charge a lithium battery and should never be used. We currently use Anti-Gravity batteries in our Suzuki DR650’s
About trickle chargers and modern smart motorcycle battery chargers
When batteries have reached their optimum charge levels, trickle chargers will simply send power for a certain period, then switch themselves off, and continue to repeat this process until you remove them from the battery. This battery charging method can potentially overcharge your battery, which will cause it to dry out, maybe even start gassing, and could, in the end, kill the battery.
Trickle chargers, depending on the general health of your motorcycle battery, will charge from one to three days. The safest method to extend the life of your motorcycle battery is to charge it gradually over time. But you have to monitor it over time.
With modern safe chargers, rather than sending a charge and calculating what your battery needs, the CTEK charger will constantly communicate with the battery, and react and charge only when needed. In the pulse maintenance mode, your battery is allowed to naturally discharge itself to a specific level before being charged fully once again.
The new generation chargers and battery maintainers/conditioners can keep the battery on your motorcycle charged throughout the winter. Battery maintainers can cycle On/OFF to charge the battery when necessary and turn it could, off once it is fully charged. They are intended to be left attached to the battery. By doing this, you can keep the battery from draining too much and maintain its condition.
Does your motorcycle require a specific battery charger?
No. A motorcycle battery charger would work nicely with a 12-volt car battery charger. Make sure it is appropriate for your type of battery. AGM batteries at 1-2 amps, lithium or Lead Acid. You can use your smart battery charger for your motorcycle or car if it has the appropriate settings.
About CTEK
In 2007 I got introduced to CTEK chargers on an outdoor show after my failed attempts using other chargers. Reluctantly paid for it as it was a bit more expensive than the others I used to buy. Making it clear to the salesperson I will be on his back if this charger fails or fuckup my batteries.
Well, it is 17 years old, and we bought more and now have 6 CTEK chargers in use. Never lost another battery from overcharging and all our units still work.
CTEK started in Vikmanshyttan a small town in Sweden, more than 20 years ago. This is where the first battery charger using electrical pulse technology was invented by the founder inventor Bengt Wahlqvist. Bengt’s technological know-how and determination led to the development of the first “smart” battery charger in history. Designing, developing, and manufacturing in Swedish. Some of the biggest automakers in the world use CTEK chargers because of its reputation for excellent quality and creative products.
PS: We are not sponsored or have any affiliation with CTEK.