The Best Battery Chargers for Your Motorcycle
When you turn the key on your motorcycle, you expect it to start right away. If it doesn’t, you could have a dead battery. A battery charger can help get it up and running again so you can hit the road. And if your motorcycle is going to be dormant for a while, you can use a battery charger as a battery tender, to help keep your battery healthy and strong. If you have a battery charger for your car, you may be tempted to use it. Unfortunately, these can overcharge the smaller battery that your motorcycle uses and cause damage. It’s best to pick up a dedicated battery charger for your motorcycle. Before you purchase one, make sure you know what type of battery your motorcycle uses. You need to make sure the charger is a good fit. Once you have that information, here are five great battery chargers to make sure your battery is always ready when you are.
Battery Tender Plus Charger and Maintainer
Easy to Use
With some battery chargers, you have to constantly check on the process so you can shut it off when your battery is charged. Otherwise, you’ll ruin your battery from overcharging it. But, this smart battery charger doesn’t require you to sit and watch. It delivers a full charge, and then switches to float mode. While it’s in float mode, the charger will automatically monitor the state of your battery. If the charge level drops down, the charger turns on again to return the battery to a full charge. Once a full charge is reached, it stops. There are lights on the front, so you can quickly see the status of the charge.
This battery charger is quick to install. Before it starts charging, it makes sure you have everything hooked up correctly. This is called reverse polarity protection, and it ensures you won’t ruin your battery if you accidentally hook the positive clip to the negative pole. This battery charger is 12 volt and 1.25 amp.
Pros
- Switches to float mode once your battery is charged, so it won’t overcharge your battery
- Lights on front so you can monitor progress quickly and easily
- Reverse polarity protection so it’s safer to use
Cons
- No rubber feet on the edges of the stands, so if you aren’t careful you can scratch your motorcycle while setting this charger down
Foval Automatic Trickle Battery Charger 12V
Good Safety Features
Working with electricity isn’t something that everyone feels comfortable around. If you’re a little worried about messing something up, this battery charger is for you. It’s build with solid safety features in mind and is simple to use. It’s spark proof, so you won’t see sparks fly as you hook up to the positive terminal. There’s also reverse polarity protection, which means nothing will happen if you mix up the clips. The charger won’t work unless it’s hooked up correctly. There’s also protection against high and low voltage, and against overheating. These can all help prevent problems during the charging process.
This motorcycle battery charger is small and easy to hold onto. It’s lightweight, so you won’t have to lug around anything heavy. The cord is long (102-inches) so you can easily reach an outlet from your bike. The LED lighting on the front is user friendly. You can tell at a glance when your battery is ready.
It’s designed for 12-volt batteries. You can use it on lead-acid, gel cell, and maintenance-free models. When the battery reaches a full charge, float mode activates to prevent overcharging.
Pros
- Safety protections so you won’t have to worry about getting hurt or damaging anything while you’re charging your battery
- User-friendly LED indicators so you can easily see how your battery is doing
- Long cord, so it’s easier to reach your battery without having to use an extension cord
Cons
- The font in the instruction manual is unusually small, so you may have a hard time reading it without enlarging it
Battery Tender Junior 6V
Lightweight & Portable
If your battery is only 6-volt, you can’t hook it up to a 12-volt charger. Get this one instead. It’s a smart charger that automatically sends the right amount of power to your battery. Once it’s fully charged, it switches to float mode. It’s simple to connect and disconnect, even if your battery is hard to reach. This charger comes with two different types of connectors, so you can decide which one will most easily attach to the battery. There’s a harness with fused ring terminals, which are smaller profile and can fit in the places that the larger fused alligator clips cannot. These rings can also be used for longer term battery maintenance, since they’re much less likely to slip off.
This battery tender is safe to use. It’s spark proof and automatically shuts off if you accidentally turn on your motorcycle while it’s still attached. It also has indicator lights, so you can quickly check the status of your battery. It’s lightweight and very compact.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact so it’s easy to move around
- Comes with alligator clips and fused ring terminals so you have options for hooking it up
- 6-volt so it’ll work on your 6-volt batteries without causing damage
Cons
- Takes a long time to fully charge the battery
Battery Tender 12V, 270mA, 5W Solar Battery Charger
Harness the Power of the Sun
You don’t always have access to an outlet when your battery dies. Since it doesn’t need to be plugged in, this solar charger can be the perfect solution. It’s a great way to make sure your motorcycle battery doesn’t drain while you’re out on the dusty trail. You will need to make sure the solar panels have access to sunlight. However, this can help maintain your batteries even on cloudy days, it will just take a lot longer to charge them.
There are four mounting holes on this unit, so if you want to permanently connect it to a stand, you can. But, you don’t have to. You can easily bring it anywhere. This charger is waterproof, and spark proof for your safety. It automatically senses your battery’s level and won’t overcharge.
Pros
- Can be used even in indirect sunlight so you don’t have to worry if you’re in the shade
- Doesn’t need to be plugged in, you can use it anywhere with some sunlight
- Waterproof so you can use it in the rain
Cons
- The included cord is very short, so you may need to buy an extension to help you reach
BikeMaster Lithium Battery Charger
Keep Your LI Battery Healthy
Lithium ion batteries are different from lead-acid batteries. They have a low self-discharge property, so they hold up better to being stored. But, when they do need some extra power, you can’t just hook up any old battery charger. You can quickly overcharge your LI battery with a lead-acid charger, rendering it useless. For best results, you need to use a charger that’s specifically designed for a Lithium Ion battery, like this one. It delivers the appropriate amount of voltage as the battery charges, and doesn’t have an equalization mode.
This battery tender is perfect for a 12-volt motorcycle battery. It is lightweight and easy to move around. The indicator lights on front are easy to read. There are built-in circuit protectors so you don’t have to worry about frying your expensive battery.
Pros
- Designed for LI batteries, so you won’t overcharge it
- Easy to use and read so you always know the status of your battery
- Helps extend the life of your LI battery so you save money on replacements
Cons
- It takes a long time to bring the batteries to full-charge
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of battery charger should I get for my motorcycle?
Before you buy a battery tender for your motorcycle, it’s essential that you know what type of battery you have. Most batteries can use a standard charger, but Lithium Ion batteries require a special type of charger. After you know what type of battery, you must also find out what voltage it is. Typical motorcycle batteries are 6-volt or 12-volt. Your battery charger must match this.
Will a battery tender charge a drained battery?
If your motorcycle battery has completely drained, a smart battery tender may not be strong enough to get started. In this case, a jump start can give the battery just enough power that the tender can take over. If your charger isn’t working on your battery, you may need to use a traditional trickle charge until your tender can take over. Once hooked up to the tender, make sure you leave it attached until your battery is fully charged. This can take up to 12 hours, so it is not a quick process.
Can you charge your battery while it’s on your motorcycle?
While many people do hook a battery charger up to their battery while it’s still installed, it’s better to remove the battery first. This is especially true if you are using a trickle charger. If you don’t take the battery out, an electrical spike during the charging process can damage the electrical system of your motorcycle. Also, your battery will heat up while it’s charging. If the battery heats too much, the acid inside can boil over. You can imagine the type of damage boiling acid can do to your bike. To protect your motorcycle from damage, make it a habit to remove your battery while it’s charging.
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