How many amps is a motorcycle battery? – this is a question that a lot of people seem to ask and it’s not hard to see why. The battery is one of the most important parts of the bike and, if it dies – you’re going to be left stranded.
Obviously, having to stop because your battery ran out of juice is not fun, but you can prevent the likelihood of that happening by buying a battery that has more reserve amp hour capacity.
But how many amps (amp hours) does a motorcycle battery have? We’re going to answer that, and much more in this article!
What Are Battery Amps (Amp Hours)?
Amp hours is a measure of the amount of time a battery can provide a certain amount of current before it needs to be recharged. For example, a typical motorcycle battery might have an amp hour rating of 20. This means that it can provide 1 amp of current for 20 hours, or 2 amps for 10 hours, before it needs to be recharged.
Battery amp hours are really important because they tell you how long your battery will last before it needs to be recharged. If you know that you’ll be using a lot of electrical accessories, then you’ll want to make sure you have a battery with a high amp hour rating. That way, you can be sure your battery will last as long as you need it to.
How Many Amps Is a Motorcycle Battery?
A typical motorcycle battery is going to have between 5 and 20 amps (amp hours). This means that, if you’re using a 12-volt battery, it will be able to provide 1 amp of current for 5-20 hours respectively, or 2 amps for 2.5-10 hours, and so on.
Of course, this is just a general rule of thumb – the actual capacity of your battery will depend on the brand, model, size, and your motorcycle.
Now, you’ve probably seen that I’ve mentioned amp hours and not amps. The reason for that is that motorcycle batteries (or any battery for that matter) do not have amps – they have amp hours. We use amp hours to get an idea of how much power a battery holds inside.
Is More Amp Hours Better?
Generally speaking – yes. The more amp hours your battery has, the more power it can store and the longer it will last.
However, there are some trade-offs that you need to be aware of. For example, a battery with more amp hours is going to weigh more than one with fewer amp hours and it will most definitely cost more.
Unless you are running heated grips and other power-hungry accessories, then a regular average amp hour battery will do just fine. However, if your motorcycle would benefit from extra juice in reserve, then you should consider getting a battery with more amp hours.
How Many CCA Does a Motorcycle Battery Have?
As far as reserve Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) go, most batteries will have between 50 to 150 CCA. Cold Cranking Amps are really important if you’re planning on riding your motorcycle in sub 0 temperatures, as CCA is a measure of the battery’s ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. Obviously, the higher the CCA, the better.
How Many Volts Is a Motorcycle Battery?
The overwhelming majority of motorcycles on the road today have batteries 12V batteries.
Now, while most motorcycles have a 12-volt battery, some may have a 6-volt battery. In fact, 6V batteries are really rare these days as they were only used in antique motorcycles and dirt bikes. Back in the day, engineers came up with a 6-volt design and it worked decently, however, with time, engineers realized that 12V electrical systems and batteries are more efficient and more reliable.
What Voltage and Amp Should I Charge My Motorcycle Battery?
It is important to charge your motorcycle battery at the proper voltage and amps in order to maximize its lifespan, as overcharging the battery can lead to battery damage or even make it overheat and explode.
You should keep the charging voltage under 14.7 volts at all times while charging the battery. As far as amps go, a general rule of thumb is to only charge the battery at 1/10th of its amp hour rating. In most cases, that means charging at 1-2 amps.
Now, you can charge with more amps than that in order to save time, but you will most definitely decrease the lifespan of your battery, which is not good for your wallet.
Conclusion
A motorcycle battery is going to have between 5 and 20 amp hours, with the most common being 12V. As far as CCA goes, most batteries will have between 50 to 150. It is important to charge your motorcycle battery at the proper voltage and amps in order to maximize its lifespan.
You should keep the charging voltage under 14.7 volts at all times while charging the battery. As far as amps go, a general rule of thumb is to only charge the battery at 1/10th of its amp hour rating which means charging at 1-2 amps.
Now that you know how many amps are in a motorcycle battery, you can be sure that your bike will always have enough power to start up and ride!
Jake is the site’s primary contributor.
Motorcycles and automotive repair have been a big part of his family for generations, therefore it’s only natural that he decided to become a heavy-duty diesel tech.
Outside of work, you’ll find Jake restoring and riding rare street bikes and ATVs.