Info about Batteries
Motorcycle Battery Maintenance Tips
In this article we are going to go over how to properly maintain your motorcycle battery. On most motorcycle models the battery is located underneath the seat. Your seat will normally need to be removed to access it. Some used Honda motorcycles may be different, so refer to your owners manual.
Motorcycle batteries carry 12 volts and should never be charged to more than 12 volts due to risk of explosion. You can check your voltage with a simple tool called an Ohm meter. When checking the voltage make sure the motorcycle is not running or bearing any load. The Ohm meter will have a red wire and a black wire from it. Set the Ohm meter to DC colts then touch the red wire probe to the positive battery terminal and the black wire probe to the negative battery terminal and the Ohm meter will tell you the voltage your battery is holding.
If it is a standard acid battery and the voltage is low you can try charging you battery back to 12 volts with a battery charger. First you will need to check the water levels in the battery and make sure the water is not low. If it is you should top each cell off with only deionized water. Make sure to use proper eye protections and rubber gloves when doing this. After this is done charge it overnight and see if the battery is holding 12 volts again. Check it again in a few days to ensure the battery is holding the charge and not dropping voltage. As you can tell, maintaining your motorcycle battery is a lot more intense that keeping up with your motorcycle air and oil filters!
If your battery will not hold a charge it will need to be completely removed and replaced. Ask your local dealer what replacement battery should be bought for your bike. There are two types of batteries he may recommend. One is the old standard acid battery and the other is what is known as a gel battery which is maintenance free and will never need it's water levels checked.