Whirrrr… whirrrr… rrrr~♪
Maybe I’ll skip it… riding… (weekend thoughts)
A motorcycle with poor starting performance just puts you in a bad mood right away.
Every time you’re about to ride, ideally you want that satisfying “click, vroom!” startup—that’s the best feeling.
I don’t even want to think about having to bump-start it somewhere out on the road… that’s the kind of guy I’ve become.
Compared to cars, motorcycle batteries have extremely low capacity. They gradually discharge just from having the terminals connected, and the charge keeps dropping.
If you leave the battery connected and don’t ride or charge for several months, it can completely discharge and reach the end of its life—this happens a lot.
Even if the battery is only six months or a year old, it’s the same story.
If you’re not going to use the bike, you need to disconnect the terminals, and I think a battery charger is something you really should have.
Daytona Motorcycle Battery Charger (Gel/Sealed/Open-Type Compatible) Waterproof Switching Battery Charger 95027
↑I don’t use this one myself, but they do sell something convenient with auto-charging.
⁂But lately I’ve been wondering if it’s really worth using a charger that removes sulfation… if you apply too much amperage, the battery gets hot and honestly it scares me a bit.
Fanatical Purchase JP Battery Charger Battery Charger Maintenance Charger High Current 12V 24V Fully Automatic 4-Stage Charging LED Lamp Reverse Polarity & Short & Overvoltage & Overcurrent Protection for Cars and Motorcycles (12V/24V Compatible)
I’ve tried various chargers over the years, and lately I’ve been using ↑this one—it works with MF, open, and gel batteries. It’s nice that you can see the charge level and amperage.
I don’t like the little spark when you connect it, but I don’t think it’s worth adding a switch.
If battery access were easier, you could charge more casually, but it’s not always that simple.
Just be a little careful with the charging cable clamped to the battery terminal.
If the positive terminal bites into the vehicle frame and accidentally shorts, the battery will keep discharging until it’s completely empty—that means vehicle fire.
When I mention this, people say “wouldn’t the fuse blow?” but the question is: where exactly is the fuse located?
A blown fuse is the same as cutting the wire to stop it.
If there’s a fuse inside the battery positive terminal, you’re fine… but I wish they’d come out with a circuit breaker-type battery.
It’s also reassuring to have a jump starter on hand. It’s great when someone runs into trouble on a tour.
Sometimes Uber drivers accidentally wander in here in trouble. We just jump-start them and send them on their way—happens pretty often.
A jump starter that can also charge your phoneanda battery chargerdon’t cost much, so I tell people to grab one… but do they listen?
As some wise person said long ago, once you get past the throat, you forget the heat (*’ω’*)
We should think about fuel too! More on that next time!
