How to Replace Motorcycle Battery?
Replacing a motorcycle’s battery is as simple as it seems, but it may vary from bike to bike. Therefore, having a little knowledge about it may save your time in the future and will help you get it done in a short time.
Let us see how to replace or change the motorcycle’s battery so that you can get back to riding.
Signs of Trouble
Before getting into changing the battery, we need to know the signs of trouble. For a motorcycle’s battery, these signs are pretty obvious.
For beginners, if your bike won’t start, it may be because of the dead battery laying in your bike. However, if the bike does start, starts to shudder, and then shuts down again, the battery is likely to be the culprit.
In the case of low horsepower and dim headlights, it is because of a low battery and not a dead one. You can also examine the battery to see where it loses power on the recommended amps required for the bike.
In addition, keep this thing in your mind repeatedly recharging a battery to maintain its charging is a bad way of maintaining it and the bike. It is recommended to install a new battery.
You can also test your motorcycle’s battery if it’s bad by,
- Inspecting the battery
At times, you can tell if your motorcycle’s battery is bad by just looking at it. These are things to check,
- Damaged terminal
- Excessive leakage
- Staining or discoloring
- Ruptured plastic
- Bumped case
If any of these appears, replacement of the battery is necessary.
- Taking the voltage reading
Taking the voltage reading is a good way to determine if the battery is unable to work.
- In the case of ‘0’ Voltage, there are chances that the battery has been short-circuited.
- If the voltage reading couldn’t reach 10.5V, then the battery contains a dead cell.
- It is fully charged, but the voltage reading is 12.4 or less, then it means the battery is sulfated.
Battery’s Installation
Here are some steps that you need to follow when replacing a motorcycle’s battery.
- Preparing the New Battery
You would want to ensure that the new battery is fully charged before installing it in the bike. You should also see if the battery is sealed or SLA battery (You will need to pour electrolyte solution in the hollow area for installing it).
- Trace the Old Battery
Generally, the battery section is found under the seat, but you have to check the owner’s instruction manual for the specific model you have if you have no clue about it. To get this done, you may need to take out the seat so that you can get to the batter’s section.
- Remove Cables First
When removing the old battery, you should take out the cables first. When removing the cables, take out the ground or negative cable first. Ensure that your hands are entirely dried up. Next, use a socket wrench to loosen the cables. To avoid sparks, make sure that the ground or negative cables are placed away from the positive cables, terminals, or any metal on the bike’s frame.
Now, you can also remove the positive cables; ensure that the cables don’t touch the terminals, other cables, or any metal.
- Take Out the Old Battery
Now, you have to take out the old battery, but make sure not to touch the battery with bare hands in case of acid leakage. You should also check how to dispose of old batteries in your area and dispose of it off, as batteries contain acid, which is also harmful to animals and humans. So, you must follow all the rules regarding disposal.
- Check the Area
Now, as you have the battery section vacant and open, you will have time to check for any issues. Now, you should inspect the compartment if there’s any corrosion or cracking or the cables with frays and or any issue. Therefore, if you find any of these issues, you have to take care of all of them before installing the new battery.
You can also utilize this time to clean the inside of the battery compartment with a towel or cloth to get rid of any buildup or debris accrued with time. At the end, ensure that you dry out the compartment carefully.
- Set up the New Battery
Once you have thoroughly wiped out the battery compartment, go on and install the new battery in its compartment. Look out that you don’t drag the cables under the battery while installing it into its compartment.
- Connect the Cables
Now, you should reattach the cables. First, brush off the cables in case of any corrosion or any white or blue powder on them. A wire brush will help. If they are highly corroded, replace them.
Installation is the reverse process of removal, so the order is important too! First, you should attach the positive cables, hook up the negative cable, and tighten them with a socket wrench. If there’s a small spark when reattaching these cables, don’t be scared; this is pretty normal while reattaching cables.
Check at least 2 times if the cables are hooked up in the correct order. If not connected properly, this can cause popped fuses, fried electrical components, and a general heart attack. So, if you are not sure, you should ask a mechanic for a better understanding.
- Testing
Wait! Before you put everything back together, turn on your bike & see if you’ve got power. If it runs smoothly and turns on the lights, Great!. If you do not, you are missing something, and you have more things to investigate. First, ensure that your connections have no breakage and they are in the correct order. If you’ve reversed the order, you might have some work to do. Maybe a fuse replacement or more.
- Finish Up
Now, close the compartment, and re-install the parts of the frame. Finally, you can close the compartment while also making sure it being tightly closed. Now, you have to recollect the frame or seat you removed beforehand when accessing the battery compartment.
Done. Have a safe ride!
