We are often asked the question, how long do motorcycle batteries last? The average lifespan of a motorcycle battery ranges from 2 to 5 years for lead-acid models and 5 to 10 years for lithium-ion types. It really depends on the battery’s quality, chemistry, construction, and other characteristics. However, it is important to be aware that battery life is determined by manufacturers or independent research in a controlled environment. In reality, factors such as driving habits, environmental conditions, and maintenance can all affect the actual battery’s performance and durability.
No one knows better than you how wonderful it feels to ride your bike and feel that sensation of freedom and connection with the road, the landscape, and the elements. A bad or dead battery can ruin the moment in a second, and even worse, it can leave you stranded far from home. That’s why CTEK are on hand to give more insight into the lifespan of motorcycle batteries and how to make the most out of your bike and your battery.
Knowing your bike’s battery type helps you to have an approximate idea of its durability and performance, as well as giving you the knowledge to choose the correct charger and charging mode, among other considerations.
Lead-Acid Batteries
These types of batteries can be divided into these categories:
Flooded or Wet-Cell: These are the oldest and most common batteries. They consist of a distilled water and sulphuric acid solution called the electrolyte contained by lead plates.
AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat): These batteries also work due to a combination of acid and lead. However, the acid is embedded in an absorbent glass mat, preventing spills and damage that may be caused by shocks and vibrations.
Due to their chemical composition and working principle, the plates of these batteries tend to corrode over time, losing efficiency. Also, fast or deep discharges may affect their components. That’s why their typical useful life goes from 3 to 5 years, and some models don’t last much more than 2 years.
Lithium Batteries
There are several types of lithium batteries, but the most commonly used are called LiFePO4. Because of their chemical composition and working principle, they have a longer lifespan than their lead-acid counterparts, which can go beyond 5 years.
Weather Conditions
The weather has a strong impact in answering the question “how long do motorcycle batteries last”. The optimal operating range for fully charged batteries is between 0°C and 25°C degrees.
How Cold Affects a Bike’s Battery Life
Winter, especially with freezing temperatures, deeply impacts batteries’ life and performance. It’s also the time of year with the most battery-related issues, including starting problems and batteries with irreparable damage. Extreme cold presents several challenges for your battery:
As temperature decreases, batteries must work harder to crank your bike’s engine up. The starter motor must turn more times until the engine starts, reducing the battery’s lifespan over time. When temperatures are 10°C or lower, oil becomes thicker, putting more strain on the starter and the battery.
In winter, especially when the roads are frozen, dangerous, and dark, it’s less tempting to go for a ride, so bikes often remain stored for the season, affecting the battery life. The chemicals inside the battery are affected by low temperatures, especially in lead-acid batteries, increasing their internal resistance and making them harder to charge.
Fully charged batteries can withstand lower temperatures. As the batteries discharge, their internal composition is affected. The liquid (electrolyte) inside depleted flooded batteries freezes at -2°C and may result in permanent damage. When fully charged, the electrolyte can withstand temperatures up to -59°C before freezing, extending the battery’s durability. AGM batteries are less prone to freezing, and lithium-ion batteries don’t freeze, but even if they handle cold better, it’s always best to keep them charged to prevent premature wear.
How Heat Affects a Bike’s Battery Life
Temperatures above 32°C also may affect batteries’ lifespan. Even when it’s unlikely that a motorcycle battery reaches such high temperatures while riding, it may reach or exceed that temperature in extremely hot weather or if the bike is left exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period, among other causes, reducing your bike’s battery life.
Heat accelerates the chemical reactions inside the batteries, leading to faster wear and reducing their capacity to hold a charge. In this case, Li-ion batteries are more susceptible to degradation and damage caused by high temperatures than lead-acid ones. The electrolytes in flooded lead-acid batteries can be evaporated by extremely high temperatures, reducing their performance and ability to hold a charge.
In lead-acid batteries, extreme heat can lead to sulfation of the lead plates, forming crystals that reduce their performance and lifespan. Another common effect of extreme heat in these batteries is corrosion of the lead plates, which is irreversible and reduces the battery service life.
Other external factors such as humidity, exposure to rain, snow, dust, debris, and other elements also determine how long do motorcycle batteries last. Moisture and water exposure, for example, can promote corrosion of batteries’ terminals and connections, affecting their performance and lifespan. Dirt and debris can enter the battery compartment and promote pole corrosion, decreasing its performance over time and potentially reducing its lifespan. A good practice when charging a motorcycle battery is to clean the posts and connections from debris and any sulfation to promote better conductivity and reduce the risk of potential problems.
Riding Habits
Battery life is also affected by your riding frequency and habits. For example, a battery mounted in a sports bike used for sporadic short road adventures doesn’t last the same as one used to power a daily-driven bike that covers long distances and is used for more than 15 minutes each time.
When unused, batteries have different self-discharge rates, depending on their type. Factors like cold temperatures tend to accelerate self-discharge rates. For example, a lead-acid battery can hold enough charge to start your bike for about two months, while a LIFEPO4 battery may take four to five months to become fully depleted. Whether you can start your bike or not, self-discharge affects batteries’ capacity to hold a charge over time and contributes to premature wear. Besides, leaving a battery discharged for long periods makes it more prone to deterioration due to sulfation or internal component degradation on lead-acid and Li-ion batteries, respectively.
Making The Most Out Of Your Bike’s Battery In conclusion, not all motorcycle batteries last the same, and even though you can estimate the average lifespan of your battery based on the parameters
parameters described above, there is nothing you can do to control the weather and other factors. However, keeping your battery charged is the best you can do to extend your battery life and not let it be ruined by cold weather or infrequent use, among others.
Charging any battery just got a whole lot simpler with the CTEK CS ONE charger and maintainer. Its revolutionary APTO™ (Adaptive Charging) technology does all the thinking for you – you don’t even have to worry about which clamp goes where! The APTO™ Technology automatically recognises the type of battery you’re using, and then automatically delivers a customised charging program, telling you how long until the battery is charged and ready to go. No buttons to press or modes to select – just connect the CS ONE to any 12V battery and simply charge. Polarity free clamps mean you don’t even need to worry about which clamp goes where, so you’ll never make a wrong connection again. The clamps are spark free too, so don’t worry if you accidentally touch them together.”
For more information on CTEK CS ONE visit https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/cs-one-uk
