Flat battery will get you nowhere
According to the AA, faulty 12V batteries are the number one cause of breakdowns in the UK, but what should you do when faced with a flat one? We asked the battery saving experts at OptiMate.
Picture the scene: you’re sitting on your bike on the driveway, kitted up and ready to ride. You press the starter button and … nothing happens. Faced with that heart-sinking ‘click’ of the starter motor, the usual response is to reach for the jump leads, but that could create more problems than it fixes.
Look before you leap
There are several reasons why you should never jump-start a motorcycle, and we’ll begin by looking at lead-acid batteries (including MF, Gel and AGM types).
The battery could have failed and cannot hold its charge. This will be obvious if you spot any leaks, corrosion, bulging, scorch marks or any other signs of damage. However, it could simply have died from old age or neglect. Either way, jump starting might get the engine running, but the moment it stops, you won’t have any power in the battery to restart, leaving you stranded.
Although the battery might be in reasonable condition, it might not have sufficient cranking power to turn over the engine. Once below 9V a 12V battery is effectively flat. The shock of jump starting could damage the battery, leading to the expense and inconvenience of buying a replacement.
You could damage the bike’s charging system. The regulator/rectifier is particularly vulnerable to high currents and jump starting could (and frequently does) burn it out, leading to more hassle and expense.
If your bike has a lithium (Li-ion) battery you should not, under any circumstances whatsoever, attempt a jump-start. A deeply discharged lithium battery needs to be recharged very carefully. A high voltage shock, like you get with a jump start, can severely damage it and could even make it explode or catch fire.
Charge it, right
Whether your bike has a lead-acid or lithium battery, it’s always better to charge it rather than jump-start it, if it goes flat.
A quality battery charger/optimiser, like an OptiMate, will test, charge and even repair a flat battery, all completely automatically.
Using the very latest in charging technology, the OptiMate 1 Duo also automatically determines the type of battery it’s connected to – lead-acid or lithium – and selects the charging program to suit, so the user doesn’t have to.
It’s ideal for owners of multiple machines, removing the need for multiple chargers, and eliminates the risk of attaching them to the wrong machine. It also provides power to on-board computers and anti-theft alarms – crucial for bikes that aren’t ridden regularly and those stored over winter.
Prevention, not cure
Of course, the best way to deal with all of this is to make sure you don’t get a flat battery in the first place. Connecting your motorcycle to a smart charger between rides will keep the battery fully charged and in peak condition, potentially extending its lifespan by two or three times as well.
As a general rule, most 12V lead-acid motorcycle starter batteries will last around four years, if treated correctly. If yours is older, or at the first signs that it isn’t performing as well as it should, then you should get it checked and replaced if necessary.
Signs your battery might be failing include:
The engine struggling to turn over
The battery warning light coming on whilst riding
If your headlight gets brighter as you rev the engine
Things like your digital dash start malfunctioning.
Visit optimate.co.uk to see their range of battery chargers and monitors.