Facts About Lithium Motorcycle Batteries

These batteries were advertised as holding an excellent service life and the capacity to maintain a charge for an extraordinarily extended amount of time. Many battery makers even gave their products a three-year warranty. If you haven’t noticed, the lead-acid battery that you’re carrying around on your motorcycle is powered by nearly a century-old technology. There is a long list of drawbacks and limitations, the most well-known of which is the device’s massive weight.

In some circumstances, lithium batteries can lower the weight of your motorcycle by up to 9 pounds. This is essential for maintaining a competitive advantage in a race or other performance-related application. They’re great for the rest of us because they don’t leak and, in many cases, don’t need to be charged even when kept plugged in all winter. Because they are typically minimal, it is also necessary to evaluate the “cool factor.”

Today, I’m going to evaluate three distinct lithium motorcycle battery manufacturers; the first on the list is Ballistic Performance Components. Because they are not made to OEM specs and can often be stored in the palm of your hand rather than the glove box, ballistic batteries are marketed primarily towards the performance and gadget-oriented motorbike rider. A fast disconnect kit for the ballistic battery is available, as well as the BMS balancing chargers with a Ballistic name and emblem. A balancing charger is the best solution for lithium batteries since it charges each cell individually rather than stopping when the first cell reaches total capacity (as is the case with a standard battery charger).

Shorai has been around for a while, but their lithium battery is OEM-spec sized so that it will fit right into your factory battery box without any modifications. In my opinion, a shorai battery is excellent for the plug-and-play guy who wants to try out new technology without having to go through a lot of hassles. Another feature of the shorai battery line is the availability of a ‘duration’ battery, which adds a little extra oomph if you have other electrical accessories on your motorcycles, such as additional lights, a GPS, or other similar devices.

Mirai is a newcomer to the world of lithium motorcycle batteries, having released their debut product in 2012. A Mirai battery is comparable to a Shorai battery in terms of design. However, Mirai goes one step further by incorporating high-duty connectors on all four sides.

A quick disconnect kit for your ballistic battery is available, as well as a BMS balancing charger with the Ballistic name and emblem. A balancing charger is the best solution for lithium batteries since it charges each cell individually rather than stopping when the first cell reaches total capacity (as is the case with a standard battery charger).