How To Jumpstart A Motorcycle With A Charger
One of the most irritating things that a bike owner faces is getting on their bike ready to go somewhere and discovering that the bike battery is dead. This is a problem a lot of bike owners who use their bikes for recreational purposes only face. The bike sits in storage for months without being cranked and when you get ready to ride the battery disappoints you.
If you do find your bike suffering from the malady of a dead battery then you can get the charger out and give that battery a boost so you can get on with your plans.
How to start a motorcycle battery using a charger
The first step you need to take is gaining access to the battery/batteries on your bike. You might have to remove the bike seat or the side covers to give you this access.
Make certain that the red cable end and the black cable end do not make contact. You also need to be certain that you hook the right cable to the right battery terminal or you can damage your battery.
Once you have access to the batteries you need to locate the positive battery terminal. + should be stamped on the battery to indicate a positive terminal. The positive cable of the battery charger is the red cable. You will secure the red cable end to the positive battery terminal.
Once the positive cable is connected you will then connect the black cable to the negative terminal. – should be stamped on the battery to indicate the negative terminal.
You should power on the battery charger. Most battery chargers have indicator lights that will let you know when the battery has reached a complete charge. If you are in a rush to get the bike cranked you can wait a few minutes and allow the charger to provide the battery with some power and try the bike to see if it will start.
Once the bike starts you need to remove the battery cable ends from the battery terminals.
Turn the power to the battery charger off. You can unplug it if you want to make certain that it is powered off.
Disconnect the negative cable, (the black one) first. Do not let the negative cable come into contact with the positive cable, or with any portion of the bike chassis. This is a safety precaution.
Remove the red cable, the positive one, and replace the seat or side cover of the bike. Take the bike for a ride so the battery can grow to a full charge.
Preventive Measures you can take
You can buy a trickle charger and keep your motorcycle battery connected to the trickle charge while the bike is in storage. The trickle charge will keep your battery hot and ready.
You can make sure that you crank your bike and ride it for at least thirty minutes to an hour every couple of weeks. This is not a guarantee of a hot battery but it does not do you any harm.
