Do Motorcycle Batteries Charge While Riding?

We all know how crucial a battery is for a motorbike; now the question arises, do motorcycle batteries charge while riding. 

The motorcycle battery charges with the help of a stator device that charges the battery while riding your motorcycle. While charging, the charge from the stator has to flow through from the rectifier, which converts the AC to DC. Without a rectifier and stator, your motorbike battery can’t be charged.   

Let’s look at what it means and what you can do about it. 

While writing the post, I leave no stone unturned so you can know everything about motorbike batteries in easier words.

Do Motorcycle Batteries Charge While Riding? 

As mentioned above, the motorcycle battery charges while riding, but it’s not a simple process. 

Worry not. Here I’m going to explain the whole process more thoroughly. 

Generally, new motorbikes come with a stator fitted in the motorcycle engine because of less space.

The stator generates the AC by converting the mechanical energy to magnetic energy, further converting it into electrical energy, there are magnets attached to the stator, which play an essential role in producing electrical power. 

When you ride your motorcycle, the spin wheel, which contains magnets, rotates around the stator due to mechanical energy converted into magnetic energy.

The magnetic energy is further converted into electrical energy stored in the motorcycle battery in the DC form. 

The mechanical energy produced when you ride your motorcycle is converted to magnetic energy; thus, electrical energy is produced. 

It is how your motorcycle battery charges when you ride your motorcycle.

What’s the Role of Battery? 

You must be wondering what the battery’s role is when the stator is the main component that generates charges. Then why do you need a battery for your motorcycle? 

Try to understand one thing: your motorcycle stator only works when your motorcycle is in motion. But to bring the motorcycle in motion, you need a battery. 

Battery stores charge, which you need to ignite the motorcycle. Your motorbike wouldn’t generate enough power to ignite the engine without a battery. 

So to run your motorcycle effectively, you need a good battery and a good stator. 

How to Recharge Dead Motorcycle Battery?

Recharging the dead battery is easy as long as your motorbike battery isn’t sulfated. 

Sulfation is a phenomenon in which your motorbike battery gets deeply discharged. And it causes sulfur from your motorbike battery to accumulate on the lead plate, which finally blocks the flow of electric current. Fortunately, you can still save your motorbike battery if the sulfur corrosion isn’t severe. 

If your motorbike battery isn’t severely sulfated, then you need to follow the below steps to reach your motorbike battery. 

Steps to recharge your dead motorbike battery: 

Wear Safety Clothes: 

Wearing safety clothes is the most underrated advice that riders usually follow. 

Recharging the motorbike battery can be a little messy, and that’s why it’s advisable to wear safety clothes only. 

Experts usually recommend wearing full sleeves clothes only because the acid in the motorbike battery could burn your skin. Also, don’t forget to make your room or garage well ventilated as faulty motorbike batteries may release harmful gasses. 

Last but not least, never forget to wear safety glasses and never charge motorbike batteries when it’s hot. 

Remove the Batteries: 

After ensuring you and the people around you are safe, it’s time for you to remove the battery. 

You probably need a small crescent to remove your dead motorbike battery. Losing the battery connector carefully removes the small battery caps, so the acid doesn’t spill on you. 

And now, carefully pour all the acid into your motorbike battery. 

Prepare the Salt Solution: 

If your motorbike battery is dead because of sulfation, you should consider changing the salt solution. 

The best you can use is the Epsom, also called magnesium sulfate salt solution, to replace your old motorbike battery acid. 

For making Epsom salt solution, you add 8 ounces of Epsom salt with one-quarter of distilled water. 

Experts recommend heating the distilled water to approx 130F to increase the mixability and remove any harmful minerals. 

Additionally, you should never use tap water when making Epsom salt solution. Tap water contains some minerals, which work the same as sulfate by sticking on the plate and blocking the electric current pathway. 

You can use a plastic funnel to fill each cell of the motorbike battery. And don’t forget to shake the motorbike battery to settle the solution in the battery. 

Connect to the Charger: 

After filling the motorbike battery with the Epsom salt solution now, it’s time to charge the motorbike battery. 

Experts always recommend connecting the motorbike battery with a slow-type charger. Or you can simply use a car charger in the slow rate charging mode.

Try to understand motorbike batteries are much smaller than car batteries, and that’s why you must reduce voltage and current rate. Otherwise, your motorbike battery could release harmful chemical gas. 

Connect the positive lead to the positive and negative leads with the negative terminal and leave the motorbike battery to charge overnight. 

And don’t forget to choose a well-ventilated and cool place to charge your motorbike battery. And ensure there’s no flammable substance around your motorbike battery while charging. 

Also, jumpstart your motorbike battery with the car, as a high voltage electric current can fry your motorbike battery. 

Install Back Your Motorbike Battery: 

After charging the battery overnight, remove the battery charger once it’s showing complete charging. Also, don’t forget to check the voltage reading through the voltmeter. 

Connect all wires back carefully and ride some miles to operate your motorbike effectively.

How Long Would it Take to Charge the Battery? 

Generally, the motorcycle battery charges best at 13.5-14.5 V. You need to ride your motorcycle for at least 3 hours to charge the battery completely. 

As mentioned above, the stator converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. And in this sense, the charging capacity will increase as you increase the motorbike speed. 

You can further decrease the charging time by switching off the additional accessories you installed on your motorbike. Additionally, the smaller the battery size, the faster it would charge. 

Also, read my previous post where I discussed why motorcycle light is always on and what bad effect it cause on the motorbike battery, CLICK HERE to read.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Final Verdict: 

Do motorcycle batteries charge while riding? The motorcycle battery charges with the help of a stator device that charges the battery while riding your motorcycle. 

While charging, the charge from the stator has to flow through from the rectifier, which converts the AC to DC. 

Without a rectifier and stator, your motorbike battery can’t be charged. I’ve also mentioned some steps to recharge your dead motorcycle batteries.