How To Install A Trickle Charger On A Motorcycle (TBR7/Hawk 250)

About the time I cover this topic, I’ve had a trickle charger on my TaoTao TBR7 motorcycle for some time now. I’m deep into the second year of motorcycle ownership; I still have the stock TaoTao battery.  

You read correctly. In my second year with the TBR7 motorcycle, I still have the stock battery, and I credit the battery trickle charger I installed.

I heard terrible things about the stock Chonda batteries from TaoTao TBR7 and Hawk 250 owners, and I wanted to extend the life of the OEM battery. So I figured out how to install a trickle charger to the motorcycle battery and keep it from dying early. 

Here Is How I Installed A Trickle Charger To My Motorcycle Battery.

The Motorcycle Battery Trickle Charger I Bought.

The motorcycle battery trickle charger I picked up was one of the lower-priced battery chargers I found on Amazon. I wanted to both get a battery charger and save a few bucks initially. After I figure out how to connect and operate the trickle charger, I consider upgrading to a later one. So far, the trickle charger I bought has been running like a champ.

So if you are looking for a cheap motorcycle battery trickle charger, this is a great one to buy.  

Author’s Notice: This page contains affiliate links, for which I may earn a commission by their use. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.

Now you know the kind of trickle charger I picked up, you can better understand how I installed it on my TBR7 motorcycle.

How To Install A Trickle Charger On A Motorcycle.

Simple charger note. Generally, a motorcycle battery trickle charger is set up as a two-part system.

The first part remains with the motorcycle battery, and its charging port is accessible for connecting and disconnecting the other part. This allows quick connection to the motorcycle battery without removing any body panels.

The Second part is the actual battery charger. It plugs into a wall outlet and controls the voltage and charging current to the battery. This second part has a connection to the battery through the first part, and a quick connect/disconnect port.

Let me tell you what I did now we know the parts we are using.

Installing Anything On Your Motorcycle – Garage Safety First.

Now I sound like a broken record, but Safety Is No Accident.

Follow common sense; you are working on a motorcycle containing flammable fuel while installing a charger on the electrical side of the bike.

FAQ: Motorcycle Garage Safety Rules

Also…

Read the manufacturer’s instructions for the motorcycle battery trickle charge installation and operation, and stay consistent with them.

Time To Install A Trickle Charger On A Motorcycle.

Remove The Motorcycle Body Panels and my comfortable motorcycle seat.

Now only need to remove the body panels that allow for the placement of the charger quick connect and the ability to access the battery for the final connection. 

My bike’s battery is installed under the seat.

Working Backwards To The Motorcycle Battery.

I found the spot where I wanted to have the quick connect accessible after re-installing the body panels.

Tip, have the quick connect on the same side of the bike where you plan to plug in the trickle charger.

Once you figure out where the quick connect will go on the motorcycle, secure the quick connect in place.  

I use trusty plastic wire ties. They hold things securely, are solid yet removable with snips, and don’t rust.

Route Trickle Charging Cables Safely.

After the quick-connect is secured, route the cables toward the battery safely.  

The charging cables should not be in any area where they can become damaged. Be sure to keep in mind where the body panels or motorcycle seats go when you re-install these parts.

Again, plastic wire ties are your friend, and well, they are mine.

Connecting Charging Cables To Motorcycle Battery.

Now on my TBR7, I had oil collection in the air box, and I got around to routing the crankcase vent away from the air filter box. Additionally, I installed a Foam air filter, later a cone one, but the point is, the air box was no longer being used as designed.

I completed my full “airbox-delete” by moving my battery and other electrical components into the stock air box. So my charging cables had to be routed to the air box, where my battery is.

Once I got the ends of the charging cables back to the battery, I followed the color code and made my connections. Red to red. Black to black. The colors stand for the polarity of the battery, red for positive and black for negative, but no need to think about it if you match the colors.

Tighten the connections to the battery terminals, and check for no loose connections at the battery.  

Clean Up The Battery Charging Cables.

Now I prepared for battery charging cables that might be too long by planning to coil up the excess and use another wire tie to secure it. Loose wires could cause shorts.

Test The Trickle Charger Cable Install.

Before I put on the motorcycle panels and seat, I connected the end of the motorcycle battery side of the quick-connect to the battery trickle charger quick-connect.  

After connecting, I plugged the battery charger into a wall outlet.

The charger determined the proper voltage and charging rate it would provide to the battery, and a couple of lights indicated this. Some are solid, and some flash, but this is explained in the manufacturer’s instructions.

Clean Up The Installation, And Done!

I re-installed the body panels and motorcycle seat, checking for any wire pinch points as I installed them.

My Motorcycle Battery Trickle Charger Plans.

This is easy, and I plan to plug in my TBR7 motorcycle between rides. Doing this has kept the stock battery alive and kicking and, so far, has not let me down.  

I want to go for a ride; the bike starts immediately—no kick-starting my motorcycle.  

Wrap-Up Item: Last Battery Trickle Charger Part.

There is a third party for some battery trickle chargers. The trickle charger I ordered had this third part, it is not installed on the motorcycle, so I should have mentioned it earlier.

It’s a set of clamps that connect to the quick connect and allow charging the battery directly through the posts using a set of charging clamps.

This way, you can charge batteries not installed in a motorcycle or need to get a quick connection hooked up.

The motorcycle trickle charger had the option of charging clamps for uninstalled motorcycle batteries.

How To Use A Trickle Charger On A Motorcycle

Whenever I park my TBR7 Dual-sport motorcycle and know I’m not going out riding for the rest of the day, I plug in my motorcycle battery trickle charger.

This way, the next time I get onto my TBR7 motorcycle, I know my battery will be fully charged and ready to ride.

So the important part about how to use a trickle charger on a motorcycle is to use it. I thought I would plug charger in later, only to find out I forgot, and I could have lost a little battery life by not using the charger.

Use Your Motorcycle Trickle Charger for a longer battery life.

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