Winter battery care: remove, charge, store

A discharged battery sulfates over winter and loses capacity, and in spring the bike simply won't start. October is a good time to pull it before the hard frosts arrive.

• Switch the ignition off. Disconnect the negative terminal first, then the positive, so a wrench can't short against the frame.
• Lift the battery out and wipe the case and terminals. Brush off white corrosion with a baking soda solution, then dry everything.
• Charge it fully with a smart charger that has a motorcycle mode. Keep the current at or below what the manual or the battery case specifies.
• If it's a serviceable battery, check the electrolyte level and top up with distilled water only. Wear gloves and eye protection around electrolyte.
• Store it somewhere dry and cool indoors, off bare concrete and away from heaters.
• Every 4-6 weeks check the voltage with a multimeter and top up the charge. A full battery reads roughly 12.6-12.8 V.