Extend the Life of Your Two Wheeler Battery with These 10 Tips

Top 10 Tips to Extend Your Bike’s Battery Life

The battery of your bike powers the self-start system, tail lamps, headlamps, turn indicators, and every other electrical system running in the bike. With so many components attached to it, it is better to develop good habits that will help to maintain your bike’s battery.

Here are some tips that you can follow to extend your bike’s battery life-

1. Charge the Battery

   Your bike’s battery needs to maintain a minimum charge level for extended life. Avoid your bike’s battery from getting completely exhausted before you charge it because a drained battery tends to die early. Therefore, you must check the battery charge levels of your bike regularly. With the help of a multimeter, you can check the charging level at home. To get optimal results, keep the bike running ideally for at least 15 minutes.

2. Refill Top-up Fluid in the Battery

   The electrolytes present in the battery are used when you charge or discharge a battery. You must conduct a periodic check-up of the battery to check the fluid level. With time, you should top up the electrolytes with distilled de-ionized water, otherwise, your battery will become unfit. Avoid using tap water and only fill the distilled de-ionized water as it will make your battery life longer.

3. Do Not Overload the Battery

   High power accessories that you attach to your bike, like long-range headlamps, high-powered horns, and high-capacity LED lights, may put a load on the battery. All these accessories degrade your vehicle’s battery life and also are not covered in your bike insurance. Therefore, you must crosscheck the accessories and use the ones that do not put stress on the battery of your bike.

4. Check & Clean the Battery Terminals

   All kinds of batteries have two terminals - positive and negative. These terminals of the battery usually collect carbon, calcium, and rust deposits with time. Therefore, you should check and clean these terminals in your bike’s battery regularly. If not done timely, it might cause under performance of the battery and, in turn, your bike.

5. Avoid Overusing the Battery

   Overusing the battery refers to using your bike battery without starting the engine. Many people tend to forget to switch off the headlamps of the bike overnight. Doing so not only drains your battery but also deteriorates its condition. Thus, avoid silly mistakes, which may result in the overuse of your bike’s battery.

6. Check Regularly for Loose Connections

   Despite taking precautions, there are many cases of electrical bike fires. If you own a comprehensive bike insurance, you can easily raise a claim for the caused damages. However, you must take care of all the loose connections and maintain the cables & wires. Damaged or ripped wires can lead to short circuits. Thus, you must regularly check for loose connections once a year and replace them before it causes any harm to your bike.

7. Check Cell Current Regularly

   The cell present in your bike’s battery needs to deliver an adequate amount of current to run its accessories. Thus, it is advised to check the current and amperes delivered through these cells. If you find an issue in the cell, it means there can be some problem in the battery also. In such a case, get it fixed by changing the electrolytes in your bike.

8. Disconnect the Battery When Not in Use

   If you are not using your bike for a prolonged time, it is advised to disconnect the battery. By doing this, you will prevent the power loss, and hence, the battery’s life will be extended. Remember to keep the battery in a warm and dry place.

9. Avoid Using Self-start Every Time

   Kick-starting your bike every morning before going to the office seems to be a hassle for many people. Therefore, self-starter was introduced to make life easier. However, these self-starters have become one of the biggest battery drainers. Usually, during winters, the engine is cold and your bike does not start on the first attempt. It is best to kick start your bike during cold weather to keep the battery healthy.

10. Do Not Expose the Battery to Direct Sunlight

    Although the bike’s battery is built using high-quality components to run even in rugged conditions, it is advised to keep it away from direct sunlight. The scorching sun can cause the battery to bloat or even explode. Also, it might lead to rusting of the battery terminals.

Conclusion

Maintaining your bike’s battery is essential to enhance the performance of your two wheeler. To keep your bike’s battery healthy, follow all the tips mentioned above. Also, do not forget to take your bike to scheduled servicing sessions.

Moreover, as a bike owner, you must have mandatory third-party bike insurance. But if you want extra protection, consider buying a comprehensive plan along with an emergency road assistance add-on cover so that you do not get stranded in the middle of nowhere.