6 Steps Guide on How to Charge a Motorcycle Battery for the First Time

Keeping your motorcycle battery in perfect condition is a must to get quality service. And a good state of a motorbike indicates a good condition of the battery first of all. 

So, while you are concerned about your motorcycle battery, you have to make sure that you charge the battery correctly. Yet, if you need to know how to charge a motorcycle battery for the first time, keep reading our content. And explore all the possible solutions.

Here you will learn everything regarding when and how to charge a new motorcycle battery. 

When You Should Charge Your Motorcycle Battery

Many riders do not focus on the charging period when they have a new motorcycle battery. As a result, the battery often gets discharged, and the motorcycle stops taking its start.

So, if you don’t want to face this problem, you have to charge your motorcycle battery regularly.

Especially when it is winter, you have to be more careful about the discharging period. In the winter, if you leave your battery uncharged for a long time, there will be some severe problems raised. 

And, some problems can happen with the battery that you won’t be able to fix even later.

More specifically, we can say, charge your motorcycle battery for a minimum once a month. It doesn’t matter whether you are using your motorcycle regularly or not. Just keep charging periodically. 

But, in the case of an old battery, you have to keep charging frequently. 

Know the Types of Battery-Charger that You Need

There are three common types of batteries for a motorcycle. They are-

1. Wet Battery
2. Gel Battery 
3. AGM Battery

And these three batteries have different characteristics as well. Look at the given table below to get differences-

Wet Battery	Gel Battery	AGM Battery
Overcharge issue will not hamper the battery	Idle for discharging uses	It is not suitable for snowy weather
It can be charged without having any trouble	Fit for giving off hydrogen	Vibration responsive
Durable charging  pattern	Go through a variation	Increase the charge durability.
Charging Criteria is quick	Charging criteria is slow	Charging Criteria is quick

Still, it is critical to know the charger types for charging AGM motorcycle battery or GEL and WET. And, the riders often get it tough to identify the correct charger type for their motorcycle battery. 

But, considering two factors, you can easily identify the type of the charger for your battery. So, let’s see those crucial factors-

• Find out the Volume of Voltage

If you know the volume of the battery voltage, you can easily choose your charger type. Suppose your motorcycle battery is 12-volts. In this case, you have to buy a 12-volt battery charger. And, if it is 6-volt, then take a 6-volt battery charger.

That means identifying the charger type. You can focus on the battery voltage volume. And, you can know whether it is 12 or 6 volt, look at the user manual or the top of the battery. 

• AMPs

High amps charge will make your bike battery charging faster. So, try to purchase the high amps battery charger.

Besides, there are two types of chargers that you can purchase to make sure productive charging criteria. These are-

1. Smart Charger
2. Trickle Charger

• Smart Charger

A smart charger is the most popular charger among bike riders because of its automatic detection trait. That means a smart charger can automatically detect your battery type and act according to its functions. 

So, here, you don’t have to search for the battery type or amps. It is an easy solution for an optimum level of charging criteria.

• Trickle Charger

A trickle charger is an ordinary charger that will keep charging your battery like other appliances. But, you have to notice and unplug the charger while you have finished charging the battery.

How to Charge a New motorcycle Battery

If you already have identified the type of charger, then it’s time to charge the battery. Let’s see how-

• Step-1: Find out the Battery Location

In general, the battery is located in the saddle of a bike. But, still, it depends on different models. 

If you’re new and don’t know where the battery is on your bike, we recommend that you see the battery location first. In this case, you can see the manual.

• Step-2: Find out Where to Charge

There are two possible ways on how to charge a motorcycle battery. You can either connect the charger with the battery or remove it to charge it at your convenience. Here, you have to know first where and how to connect a motorcycle battery.

If you find it hazy then connect your charge and keep charging right after removing the battery. But, if you want to charge without removing the battery from your bike, you have to make sure the charger has a minimum length. 

And, the place where you put the bike should be available with a charger-port. And, if you charge your battery after removing it, then first, you need to remove the negative wire and then the positive one.

• Step-3: Negative/Positive Wire

Use the black wire for the negative terminals and the red wire for the positive terminals. 

• Step-4: Follow the Light of Your Charger

Make sure the charger has an indicating light. And notice whether the light is turned on right after plugging on.  Now, follow whether the battery is getting charged.

• Step-5: Over-Charging Issue

You have to keep noticing so that the battery won’t get overcharged.  Overcharging will surely be harmful to your battery. So, make sure the battery is free of being overcharged.

• Step-6: Put off the Battery while Finished Charging

Now you’re in the final step of your motorcycle battery charging procedures. Unplug the charger and disconnect the negative wire first and then the positive one. Your motorcycle battery charging is over.

How Long Do a Battery Take to be Charged

A measurable time to charge your motorcycle’s battery is approximately 2 to 3 hours regularly. But it can take up to 24 hours as well. 

The time limit that we researched is not specific. It can be less or more depending on the type and condition of your motorcycle battery.

And, in the case of a new battery, you might need some more time as per manual instruction. Then again, let us give you some specific measurements. 

When you try to measure the charging time based on the amp, it will be different. Like the battery will take less time in the case of a higher amp per hour. Let’s see in details through examples- 

A 10 amp battery can deliver a 10 amp charge per hour. Which means a 40 amp battery will take 4 hours to get charged.

Again if we measure with a 2 amp battery, then we can say-

A 2 amp battery can provide 2 amp charges each hour. That means a 20 amp battery will take 20 hours to charge.

Reminder: Here, we recommend you choose the slower charging battery charger in the case of a motorcycle battery charger. It will increase your motorcycle battery life. So, you may select a 2 amp hour’s battery charger that will give you a less powerful charge but a long term battery condition.

How to Charge a Stored Motorcycle Battery

In most of the cases, the motorcycle riders do not pay attention to a dead battery. And, they tend to buy a new battery without having tried. 

But, we will tell you that you can charge a dead or unused motorcycle battery with a few steps. Let’s see how to charge motorcycle battery when it is dead or old-

• Step-1

Wear safety gear and be careful about the toxic acid inside the battery. Remove the battery from the bike.

• Step-2

Remove the cell caps now and remove the battery fluid.

• Step-3

Now fill all the cells magnesium sulfate and water mixture and shake the battery. Keep shaking unless the cells are filled with the mixture equally.

• Step-4

Now it’s time to charge the battery. But ensure that you are charging the battery with a slower charging mode battery charger. If you use a slower charger, it will then ensure your motorcycle battery’s longevity. Don’t forget to leave off the cell caps while charging. 

• Step-5

Replace the cell caps and reinstall the battery while finished charging. And that is all!

So, this is how you can charge an old or dead motorcycle battery as well. We prefer using a floating charger in the case of your old or dead motorcycle battery.

FAQ

Will my motorcycle battery damage due to inappropriate application?

Yes, it will. Maintain your battery fully charged.

How can I get my new battery ready?

Try using a smart charger and make sure the battery is getting a full charge.

What is the exact condition to charge my bike battery in a hot condition?

It is 3mV/degree C over 25 degrees C.

Conclusion

You riding your motorcycle means the battery is losing charge and also getting older. But based on how you take care of your battery, the battery lifespan can be longer.

However, we hope you found our shared info on charging a motorcycle battery first time helpful for your next go. 

So, to make the most out of your motorcycle battery, you need to be aware of charging time of the battery. Overcharging is a severe issue to losing a battery’s longevity. So, make sure the battery is not getting overcharged.

By the way, you now know how to charge a new motorcycle battery. So, charging a new motorcycle battery will be fun, we believe. Good Luck!