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Battery Care
Sport Cycle carries a complete line of battery maintenance products, and can assist you with any of your battery maintenance or replacement needs.
Yuasa Lead-Acid Battery Care
Good battery maintenance should include the following:
1. Always keep the acid level between lower and upper lines on front side of the container (conventional type batteries).
2. Do not let the battery stand in a discharged condition.
3. Charge battery once a month.
4. When motorcycle is stored over 30 days, plug in a automatic battery charger to maintain a proper storage charge.
5. Keep battery top clean, dry and free of dirt.
6. Clean battery terminals to prevent corrosion. Inspect vent tube, ensuring that it is not bent, twisted or clogged.
7. Protect the battery from strong impacts or shocks.
Battery Storage: If the vehicle is in storage or used infrequently, disconnect the battery cable to eliminate current drain from electrical equipment. Check the battery every month (for Conventional types) and every three months for AGM batteries. If open circuit voltage indicates a low state-of-charge, charge the battery. Temperatures below 60° F or above 80° F may require more frequent inspections and/or charging.
Sulfation and Freezing: The two most common reasons that batteries can become damaged are sulfation and freezing. These are not a problem if the battery is properly charged, and for Conventional batteries the water level is maintained. Battery sulfation takes place for two reasons: continuous discharging, or low electrolyte levels. When a battery discharges the lead in the plates turn into lead sulfate. The lead sulfate is actually a crystal which grows larger when the discharge is continuous and uninterrupted. In a Conventional battery, low electrolyte levels expose the cell plates to air causing the lead material to oxidize and form sulfates. In either case it doesn’t take long before the battery won’t hold a charge. Low electrolyte levels cause another problem because the acid in the electrolyte becomes more concentrated, causing the active material to corrode and fall to the bottom of the battery case. If this conditions takes place over a long enough time period the process will internally short out the battery.
NOTE: AGM batteries are sealed unit lead-acid batteries and water cannot be added to cells.
For more technical information on batteries and battery care: http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/TechManual_2014.pdf
Shorai Lithium Battery Care
The beauty of Shorai lithium batteries is that they are almost maintenance free.
Regular Periodic Maintenance:
LFX™ batteries should be recharged whenever voltage drops to 13.1 volts, or sooner. If you have a vintage, custom, or off-road vehicle which has NO draw on the battery when key is OFF, then you should only need to charge your LFX™ battery once a year. However, most modern street bikes have a draw even when key is off, to support clock, computer, alarms, or other devices. This draw will eventually drain the battery, which is damaging and could void your warranty. So if you are not riding twice a month, then you should charge the battery every few weeks. “Smart” lead-acid chargers with automatic cutoff may be used for periodic charging, but will NOT work as a tender/maintainer and should be disconnected immediately after charge has finished. Older lead chargers without automatic shut-off should never be used. Improper charging is dangerous and will void your warranty. A Shorai BMS Charger - with Store Mode - is highly recommended for anyone who rides less than twice a month. Alternatively, you may disconnect the negative cable from the battery for storage, and charge once per year in that case.
Winter Storage:
Cool storage is good for any type of battery. You may remove the battery from vehicle for summer storage and place in a cool, dry location – with terminals taped to avoid short circuit (ideal is about 34F/1C, so a refrigerator is great). Avoid storage at temperatures below 0F/-18C or above 90F/32C whenever possible. Any charging during storage should be performed at temperatures above freezing, for best results. If you want to keep the battery in the vehicle during storage, but are uncertain when you’ll ride next, a Shorai BMS Charger connected in Store Mode is the best choice to maintain battery charge. An hour before riding, unplug the BMS charger and disconnect from wall power, then reconnect and start Charge Mode to fully charge and balance the battery.