What Type of Battery Does a Motorcycle Have?
The majority of motorcycles use either a conventional (wet) lead-acid battery or a dry AGM (absorbed glass mat) lead-acid battery. (Some BMW bikes may use gel lead-acid batteries.)
How Does a Lead-Acid Battery Work?
When a battery is used, sulfuric acid in the electrolyte is being depleted. As a result, the electrolyte closely resembles water. A lead-acid battery consists of a number of cells. Each cell has positive and negative plants, separators and electrolyte, all contained in a battery container. Cells are densely packed with alternating lead and lead oxide sheets.
What Causes Batteries to Die?
The most common cause of battery failure is sulfation, a buildup of lead sulfate crystals. This occurs when a battery is deprived of a full charge (also called “killing the battery” or “draining the battery”). Sulfate materials crystallize on the discharged portions of the battery plates, damaging the battery.
All lead-acid batteries accumulate sulfation over the course of their lifetime, as a part of the natural chemical process. The problems occur when sulfation builds up.
Allowing a battery to go dead for long periods of time will cause sulfation. Most batteries that “die young” are killed by neglect.
If you’re a “Sunday driver” motorcyclist who only gets the bike out on days with perfect weather or when friends are available to ride, your motorcycle will see days, if not weeks, of inactivity.
Likewise, motorcycles stored over the winter months face long periods of inactivity.
CTEK Keeps Your Battery Charged
But how do you prevent sulfation and damage to your motorcycle battery? A CTEK smarter battery charger is the answer.
Red motorcycle with black wheels hooked to a CTEK battery charger
CTEK Smarter Battery Chargers go through 8 steps to constantly read and communicate with your battery, charging only to its direct needs and therefore avoiding any possibility of incorrectly charging the battery.
By ensuring the battery is conditioned as well as charged, your batteries last significantly longer. CTEK’s MXS 3.8 charger is ideal for motorcycles. It’s perfect for everyday use and solves a broad range of battery-related problems.
The MXS 3.8 tests your motorcycle battery condition before charging to establish if it can receive and retain a charge. The MXS 3.8 features a patented automatic desulphation phase during the early charging process. A special Snowflake mode for optimum charging on cold winter days and for AGM batteries. The entire charging process is followed on the easy to read LED display.
You can “connect and forget” the MXS 3.8, making it ideal for long-term maintenance, such as when your motorcycle is stored. Extending your motorcycle’s battery life will save you from purchasing costly replacement batteries.
A charged battery also ensures your motorcycle is ready to ride when the open road beckons.
Credits – Smartercharger | unsplash-logoDane Deaner