You know every street-legal motorcycle has some integrated electrical features like the headlamp, tail lamp, turn indicators, horn, signal, etc. to run the motorcycle safely in traffic and to ensure safety on the road. In some of the old-day motorcycles, these electrical features were powered by the AC or converted DC power generated by an integrated power generator attached to the motorcycle engine crankshaft. Thus after starting the motorcycle engine with a manual kicker system, the power generator used to produce electricity and electrical features were activated accordingly.

Now in modern days, modern motorcycles are far better updated and all the electronic street-legal features and even the motorcycle ignition system is powered and operated by a motorcycle battery power. Here motorcycle engine only charges the battery and protects it from draining. Further, modern motorcycles come with an extensive range of electronic safety features; hence those are also powered by motorcycle batteries. Thus in the modern motorcycle, a battery is an essential integrated electronic part quite like the fuel for the engine.

Motorcycle Battery Types:

These days in motorcycles we can see various types of batteries that are commonly 12V types. Lead-Acid batteries are very common in the economic range of motorcycles they are cheaper in price and need periodic maintenance like electrolyte refilling or charging in case of low charge conditions. After that, the sealed VRLA type batteries are maintenance-free type batteries those are sealed cell type and contain thick electrolyte or electrolyte gel inside. These types of batteries are very popular as it doesn’t need electrolyte refilling within their lifetime but MF these MF batteries are quite expensive.

In modern and hi-tech motorcycles completely sealed and dry-type batteries are very common these days. These types of batteries are completely maintenance-free and they never spill out the electrolytes from inside even when expires their lifetime and are damaged. Thus it’s the safest type of battery that is very expensive too. Lastly, Lithium-Ion batteries are the latest addition to modern motorcycles. Those are small in size, less weighted, completely maintenance-free, come with a longer lifetime, and those are damn expensive in prices.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a motorcycle battery?

Ans: A motorcycle battery is a rechargeable type battery that is an essential and important part of a motorcycle. It is a mandatory part of every street-legal motorcycle as a battery keeps the electrical street-legal features like a headlamp, tail lamp, horn, and turn indicators alive even when the motorcycle is not in the ignition. 

2. What does a battery do in a motorcycle?

Ans: The motorcycle battery simply supplies the DC voltage to the vital electronic parts of a motorcycle. It keeps the electrical street-legal features like a headlamp, tail lamp, horn, and turn indicators alive even when the motorcycle is not in the ignition. Further, in a modern motorcycle, a battery works for electronic ignition and activates electronic safety features where the ECU module is also powered by a battery.

3. How many battery types are available for modern motorcycles?

Ans: Commonly, conventional open cell lead-acid type and maintenance-free sealed lead-acid VRLA batteries are popularly used in most motorcycles. Those are cheaper economic battery solutions. But in modern and hi-tech motorcycles completely sealed and dry-type maintenance-free batteries are very common these days and are much more expensive. Further, some of the latest featured motorcycles contain Lithium-Ion batteries that are lighter and smaller in size but damn expensive.

4. What are the most advanced types of batteries available for motorcycles?

Ans: Completely sealed and dry-type maintenance-free batteries and lithium-ion type lighter batteries are considered the most advanced type of batteries currently available for motorcycles in the market. These type of batteries are completely maintenance-free, never spill out internal electrolytes, comes with longer life, and are much more expensive. 

5. What is the economic range of batteries available for motorcycles?

Ans: Open cell lead-acid type batteries and then maintenance-free sealed lead-acid VRLA batteries are very popular batteries for motorcycles now in the market. These types of batteries are cheaper in price and are commonly used in most motorcycles by manufacturers. Hence these batteries are the economic range of batteries for motorcycles now available in the market.