It is a common yearning, beginning during the teens, to own a motorbike of our own and experience the rush while cruising through empty roads for hours on end. Motorcycles have become an icon for liberation, and many riders regard it a great stress reliever. Between 2012 and 2018, over 124 million new bikes were sold in India with an annual increase of eight million units. This made the country one of the biggest motorcycle markets in the world.
Maintaining a motorcycle can be costly, but learning how to work on it by yourself shouldn’t be much of an issue. The body is much smaller to that of a car, and the repair work is a lot simpler. One can save money by learning how to perform important maintenance tasks by themselves. Let’s delve into the important parts of a bike without which, it can’t function:
The Battery
Knowing about the electrical components of a motorbike is the first step in understanding its working and sub-systems. The motorbike battery and alternator are at crux of the system. A battery is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy. A typical 12-volt motorcycle battery consists of a six-cell unit where each cell has a set of positive and negative terminals immersed in an electrolyte.
The primary job of the motorcycle battery is to start the bike and to supply extra current when the bike requires. Motorcycle batteries act as a buffer between the electrical systems and alternators. Alternators tend to give off very high voltages that can be detrimental to the sensitive system components and the battery protects them when voltage spikes occur.
Other components:
The alternator generates electricity when the engine of the bike is switched on. The alternator’s task is to provide electricity to various electrical components and also to charge the battery on-the-go. The alternator, however, produces alternating current (AC) which needs to be converted direct current (DC). The wiring harness is a set of wires, terminals and connectors designed to supply electric power by connecting various electrical and electronic components on a two-wheeler. A motorcycle’s charging systems are purposely designed to provide a little more power than the bike actually requires so that there is a margin of reliability. It also allows one to add some electrical accessories without overtaxing the charging system.
Capacity of the battery
Ampere Hour or Amp Hour of a battery describes how long the motorbike battery will last when connected while it is powering the system. This is often referred to as the capacity of the battery. The current and capacity for motorcycle batteries can be compared to the speed and range of a car. The Amp Hour rating depends on the temperature of the environment in which the battery is tested because batteries perform better at room temperature that in extreme temperature environments. The age of the battery has a major impact on the capacity of a battery. A brand new 5Ah bike battery might be able to power for 20 hours, but an older one which has been discharged and recharged several times will last for a shorter period.
Battery Types and Maintenance
There are many types of motorcycle batteries, but the two most common types are conventional (wet) and dry absorbed glass (AGM) batteries. If one has a conventional battery, they should keep an eye on the fluid levels and add distilled water as needed. One should also clean the terminals with cleaning chemicals and protect them against corrosion. Motorbike battery can exhaust within three years or earlier, if one neglects the bike or does not use it for a long time. At such times, one should replace it with a new battery. These days, buying motorcycle batteries have become quite easy, they can be bought online as well. Tata Green is one of the leading manufacturers for automobile batteries in India and have an affordable price range as well.
Motorcycle batteries need to be kept in top shape for the overall performance of the bike. Periodic maintenance of the bike’s electrical system ensures a safe and problem free ride in the long run.
Image Source: appadvice.com, jpcycles.com, elements.envato.com, youngchoppers.com,