When it comes to finding a good motorcycle battery for yourself, there is a few things you need to consider. They are all fairly simple, and do not require a lot of thinking. You just need to know what kind of rider you are, and what type of bike you’re riding.
Batteries in themselves – unless you work at a battery manufacturer, can come off as confusing. A lot of battery names are usually random numbers and letters jumbled together.
A really important factor when choosing a solid motorcycle battery is to make sure that there is a good warranty system in place for it. This is to protect yourself in case the battery malfunctions, or even worse, you buy a battery that isn’t compatible with your bike.
Know Your Bike’s Make, Model & Year – It’s Important!
The first thing that we thought should be mentioned, is that there is really no difference between motorbike, touring or cruiser batteries. Almost every motorcycle battery can fit in each of the three.
What it comes down to is, make sure the motorcycle battery you’re after fits like a glove in your motorcycle. What might work for us, might not work for you. What works for you, might not work for your riding buddies.
Make sure when you are about to purchase, you double check to see that the battery you’re about to buy definitely fits in your bike.
Buying a battery that doesn’t fit will result in you not having a battery in your motorcycle. No battery, no bike. Remember that.
“It wasn’t until I went to college and got my first motorcycle that I understood the thrill of speed.”
– Vin Diesel
How Long Does A Motorcycle Battery Last?
This comes down to a few things that are in the rider’s hands, and a thing or two that is out of everyone’s hands.
What we can do to make a battery last longer, is make sure you keep it in good condition and take care of it. If you’re going to spend $100+ on a battery, you should do everything in your power to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
AGM motorcycle batteries will hold their specific gravity up to 3 times longer than conventional batteries. This means there will be a lot more time between charges when the battery is in idle, or winter storage.
Since AGM batteries are filled with an acid specifically designed for the battery, they are sealed off permanently. This makes them almost 100% maintenance-free. Another factor for increasing life and making your riding experience more enjoyable.
One thing that is out of our hands is climate warmth. Depending on where you live, you might have a good or not as good experience with batteries.
Living down South can wreak havoc on a battery, but so can living too far North. Either or, you’re going to want to pick a battery with a service life time in order to get a decent amount of use out of any motorcycle battery.
The last thing to mention, is make sure you do at least monthly maintenance on the battery. Recharge when the lights are dim, recharge when the battery hasn’t been used in over 2 weeks, stuff like that. Other things you can do is:
- Keep the top free of any grime
- Check for any damages or loose connections
- Clean connectors and terminals as you see fit
Our Top 5 Best Motorcycle Batteries List
Now that we have gone over the basics, we will now get into our top rated motorcycle batteries list. Keep in mind, that anything to do with motorcycle parts come down to preference, opinion and ultimately what works for you.
We go through Amazon simply because the best motorcycle battery brands dish out the biggest savings there. If you’re looking for a top of the line battery, you probably have a decent amount of cash waiting, but it is still a good idea to save some cash if possible.
Going forward, we recommend everyone to read the customer reviews. We go over what people are saying briefly. To get the best idea, you should read the customer reviews yourself. It can answer any questions you may have, and/or increase your confidence in the product you are about to buy.
#5 – Yuasa GYZ32HL
At #5 we have the Yuasa GYZ32HL. Being an AGM battery, there will be virtually zero maintenance involved. Completely sealed and spill proof, and according to Yuasa, all of the acid is
absorbed into special plates and the AGM separators. Another great point is you will never need to personally add water to this motorcycle battery. Basically making this battery plug and ride.
12v and 500 Cold Cranking Amps – it supplies power clean and effectively. A great buy if you are planning on going on long road trips, or frequent, shorter rides. The dimensions of the battery are:
- 6.5625″ (Width)
- 5″ (Length)
- 6.875″ (Height)
Weighing in at 24.9 pounds, it is light enough that you won’t feel like any excess weight is weighing your motorcycle down. This is important because once you get used to a certain way your motorcycle feels, you don’t want it to feel different after changing a part.
A lot of people are reporting and saying this battery fits in a lot of different motorcycles, a big bonus if you have been having a hard time finding a compatible battery for your motorcycle.
#4 – WPS Featherweight Lithium Battery HJTX20CH-FP-IL
If you are looking for an incredibly light battery for your cruiser, touring or motorbike – then the Featherweight battery from WPS is what we would recommend.
Weighing in at tiny 3.2 pounds, you won’t feel anything different when you install this battery. Perfect for anyone who is trying to make their bike have a little more maneuverability.
You can recharge this battery up to 90% in as little as 6 minutes. A really big deal if you are out on the road and need to get going in a hurry. It is 12v, too. Quick to charge, and clean, solid power – perfect.
The battery itself can be mounted in any position. With that, the dimensions of the battery are as follows:
- 6″ (Width)
- 3 7/16″ (Width)
- 4 1/8″ (Height)
Another thing worth noting – there is a 1-year warranty that comes with this product. Allowing you more than enough time to exchange should something go wrong.
While this battery may be a little more expensive than a lot of other motorcycle batteries, it makes up in weight reduction and recharge time.
#3 – Shorai LFX19A4-BS12
At #3 we have a lithium motorcycle battery, the Shorai LFX19A4-BS12, which that is extremely light. It is actually lighter than the previously listed battery, and that alone was a huge selling
factor for us.
Another almost zero maintenance addition to our list. A lot of the best motorcycle battery brands are really making this industry standard. It is good, though, as dealing with faulty or leaking batteries is something that nobody wants to deal with.
Weighing in at a tiny 2.5 pounds, there will be absolutely no worry of this product weighing down your motorcycle. The exterior dimensions of the battery are:
- 8” (Width)
- 4” (Length)
- 5” (Height)
Lithium is known to last a lot longer than normal acid batteries. If you are somebody looking for an extended life, then this might be the best motorcycle batter for you.
#2 – Battery Tender BTL14A240C
Battery Tender makes some of the most popular motorcycle batteries. At #3 is the BTL12A240C. It is a lithium battery, meaning you are going to get a really long life out of it. In fact –
according to Battery Tender, up to 5x the life of a regular lead battery. That can result in you having this battery for up to 10 years.
Since it is lithium based, it is really light. Not quite as light as some of the other listed batteries, but still is listed at 3.75 pounds. The BTL12A240C is also included with foam spacers so that it can fit into a wide range of battery boxes. Giving it a one size, fits all reputation. This is great because not everyone knows exactly what kind of battery they need. And if you buy this one, you will have a good chance that it is going to fit in your bike. Please do use the Amazon fit charts anyway, just to be sure.
It offers 12v of clean power and 480 cold cranking amps. The operating temperature on this battery is 0 – 140 Fahrenheit. It will work anywhere in the United States during the summer.
If you are wondering what the dimensions of the battery are, here it is:
- 49” (Length)
- 38” (Width)
- 11” (Height)
You can fit this battery in every kind of motorcycle. Motorbikes, cruisers, touring – and even some scooters.
#1 – Antigravity Batteries YTX12-20L
The YTX12-20L is made by Antigravity Batteries, and can help you save up to 14 pounds of weight in your motorcycle. Weighing at 5 pounds, it is not the lightest battery on our list, but it certainly the most solid.
What is great about this product is that you can use it in other things such as watercraft, and even a small car. It is a ton of uses, and your motorcycle isn’t the only one.
According to Antigravity, it ca hold charge for up to a full year. Provided you don’t have anything draining the juice from the battery while it is not in use. These are things like GPS, LEDs, heated grips, alarms and anything else that relies on battery power to run.
Not only does it have smaller dimensions, but it comes in a OEM YTX12 case format, meaning it can fit in all different, shape, sizes and models of motorcycles. Cruisers, touring and motorbikes will have no problem accommodating this battery.
With a lot of positive reviews on Amazon and across the web, it is no doubt that this is one, if the not the best motorcycle battery. Stress free auto parts is the best case scenario. And with this battery, it is simply install it, and off you go.
Storing Your Motorcycle Batteries
It is not a difficult thing to keep your battery fresh if you are storing it away. We suggest that whenever it is not in use for extended periods of time, that you unplug it. This will prevent any external accessories draining the battery. If this happens, you risk losing life time on the battery.
For really long storage times, we suggest that you completely remove the battery from your motorcycle and recharge it to 100%. Charge it every month if you are storing it a spot that is lower than 60 Fahrenheit. If you are storing it in a warm area, like 60 Fahrenheit or higher, we suggest you recharge it every 2 weeks. This means that you are going to have to pay attention to the weather if you plan on getting as much life as possible out of the battery. During the Summer you will be recharging it more, and during the Winter you will be recharging it less.
Battery Maintenance Safety – What You Should & Should Not Do
First off, if you are doing any kind of work on your batteries, then you should be wearing eye protection. Batteries can sometimes be unpredictable, and because of that, sticky situations can often arise. The acid in these products can severely and permanently damage your eyes.
Make sure you are wearing protective clothing as well. Light, not skin tight, but well-fitting clothing is what works best. This allows you to have free range of motion, but keeps you well protected.
Keep in mind any sort of denim, like the jeans you might be wearing, are subject to acid burns. This is something to keep in mind, and makes the case of wearing a smock or apron that much stronger.
Should you spill any acid, a well-known way of neutralizing the acid is by using a water and baking soda mixture. 1 pound of baking soda, and 1 gallon of water should do the trick.
A lot of the time, dealing with batteries has a lot of common sense involved. If you think what you are about to do is dangerous, take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. Take a different approach. There is no need to risk anything because any ingestion of the acid can result in severe injury, or even worse, death.
Finishing Up
After reading through this, you should now be able to make a solid, well-educated decision on what the best motorcycle battery for yourself is. You will come to find that once you find one motorcycle battery that works for you, you will simply keep buying that one until the manufacturer stops producing that model.
It is not a difficult process to get your bike the juice it needs. As stated above, make sure you are reading all of the reviews under every potential product you are thinking of buying. You might catch something that may make you completely confident in what you are about to buy, or you might read something that makes you have a second guess about it.
Riding a motorcycle is one of the most exciting things any human will ever do. Enjoy it. Make sure you put the best parts possible on your bike and keep everything running smoothly.
Last, but not least – if you are having a hard time, shoot us a message and we will be happy to help. We will guide you and have you well on your way to finding the best motorcycle battery possible.