Maintenance
109
Battery Discharge
Caution
The charge level in the battery must be
maintained to maximise battery life.
Failure to maintain the battery charge
level could cause serious internal
damage to the battery.
Under normal conditions, the motorcycle
charging system will keep the battery
fully charged. However, if the
motorcycle is unused, the battery will
gradually discharge due to a normal
process called self discharge; the clock,
Engine Control Module (ECM) memory,
high ambient temperatures, or the
addition of electrical security systems or
other electrical accessories will all
increase this rate of battery discharge.
Disconnecting the battery from the
motorcycle during storage will reduce
the rate of discharge.
Battery Discharge During Storage
and Infrequent Use of the Motorcycle
During storage or infrequent use of the
motorcycle, inspect the battery voltage
weekly using a digital multimeter.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the meter.
Should the battery voltage fall below
12.7 Volts, the battery should be charged.
Allowing a battery to discharge or
leaving it discharged for even a short
period of time causes sulphation of the
lead plates. Sulphation is a normal part
of the chemical reaction inside the
battery, however over time the sulphate
can crystallise on the plates making
recovery difficult or impossible. This
permanent damage is not covered by
the motorcycle warranty, as it is not
due to a manufacturing defect.
Keeping the battery fully charged
reduces the likelihood of it freezing in
cold conditions. Allowing a battery to
freeze will cause serious internal
damage to the battery.
