We all have differing opinions on stock motorcycle batteries, good or bad, but we can all agree that if we don’t take them, they all die. I’ve had much success with my TaoTao TBR7 motorcycle’s stock battery. The Chinese dual-sport still cranks hard and gets that motorcycle started with almost no problems. This is because early on, I installed a battery trickle charger with a quick-connect.
I’ve avoided common dead motorcycle complaints by making it so easy to keep my motorcycle battery charged and topped off with a trickle charger.
Now I want to have this level of reliability with my latest Boom Vader Gen 2 motorcycle.
Let’s get right into the battery trickle charger installation, and then you can read some common questions about trickle chargers at the end of this post.
Installing A Motorcycle Battery Trickle Charger.
I used this motorcycle battery trickle charger for my installation, it can do both 6volt and 12volt charging, but for my Boom Vader motorcycle, I will only be using the 12volt setting.
Author’s Notice: This page contains affiliate links, for which I may earn a commission by their use. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.
Check Price for 6V/12V Battery Charger and Maintainer.
My Motorcycle Battery Trickle Charger Video
1.- Garage Safety!
A motorcycle cycle battery has chemicals that are used to store electrical energy that it can discharge rapidly. Because of these features, there is a potential for injury if the electricity or the chemicals go where they aren’t supposed to go.
You are working on a motorcycle with a gas tank containing flammable fuel; creating sparks might not be wise.
So let’s practice common sense garage safety. Read manuals. Use safety glasses ( Safety Glasses With Readers. ), etc.
FAQ: My Motorcycle Garage Safety Rules
2.- Get Access To The Motorcycle Battery.
For my Boom Vader, the battery is located under the motorcycle seat. The motorcycle seat is easily removed using the ignition key, and the seat lock is located on the left side of the bike.
Once the seat is off, time to move on with the installation.
3.- Identify The Motorcycle Battery And Its Terminals.
Batteries are DC electricity generators, so there are two terminals with two charges. The positive terminal is color-coded as red, and the negative terminal is usually colored black. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_battery )
4.- Prepare The Battery Charger Quick-Connect
Now the battery trickle charger I picked up is a two-part system(three but the third part not used and mentioned later), with an SAE quick-connect section bringing the parts together (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_connector#SAE_connector)
Disconnect the motorcycle side of the charging system, but disconnect the quick-connect.
Now on the motorcycle adapter side, some loose, color-coded ends exist. Black and Red. These ends attach to the battery terminals and will remain installed.
My Boom Vader Gen 2 (BD125-10) has color-coordinated battery terminal covers.
Now match up the red connector to the positive or red-side battery terminal and then the black connector to the negative or black-side battery terminal.
5.- Install The Charger Quick-Connect.
The plan was to reuse the existing connectors on the battery terminals for my Boom Vader, its Phillips head bolt, and nut.
I loosened the bolt, removed it, slipped on the new battery charger quick-connect ends on the terminals, and reinstalled it.
6.- Connect The Charging Side Of The Battery Trickle Charger.
I connected the motorcycle side of the quick-connect to the charger side of the quick-connect and then plugged the battery charger into a wall outlet.
I verified the lights:
— It was charging at 12 volts. My Boom Vader Motorcycle Battery is 12 volts.
— It was charging, as indicated by the lights.
7.- When Done Charging, Store The Quick-Connect.
The quick-connect will be disconnected, capped, and coiled up under my motorcycle seat when I’m not at home. Then reinstall the motorcycle seat.
My motorcycle has enough room under it to store the cable.
Optional quick-connect placement. Since a cap at the end of the quick-connect protects the contacts from the weather and contacting metal parts, I can leave the quick-connect out from under the seat.
This way, when I return home, I can plug the battery trickle charger into the motorcycle without removing the seat.
My Motorcycle Battery Trickle Charger Is Installed!
Now, if I remember to connect my Boom Vader Battery to the trickle charger, I can get the stock battery to last as long as possible, like my TBR7 dual-sport motorcycle’s battery.
Time will tell.
Quick Battery Trickle Charger FAQs
I just wanted to address some additional questions I heard about motorcycle battery trickle chargers.
How Do You Properly Attach A Trickle Charger?
The quick-connect on my battery charger is designed so that there is only one way to connect it. This way, the polarity of the battery and charger are always correctly aligned.
Should I Use A Trickle Charger On My Motorcycle Battery?
Yes, that is the point of this post.
Between rides, the battery naturally loses energy, and as the power level declines, it affects the ability of the battery to start the motorcycle later.
Since lead acid batteries are designed only to operate fully charged, only occasionally discharged for cranking the engine to life, as the battery loses its charge, it affects the life of the motorcycle battery.
So a trickle charger can extend the usable life of a motorcycle battery. So yes, I recommend you do what I do and use a trickle charger on your motorcycle battery.
Can I Charge My Motorcycle Battery While Still Connected?
Yes, now there are many battery chargers out there used to clamp on and charge uninstalled batteries, but the product I picked allows you to charge a motorcycle battery while it’s still connected to the bike.
I promised to talk about the third part…
The Third-Part Of The Battery Trickle Charger I Bought.
The third part is a set of clamps that connect to the battery charger quick-connect, and you can use the clamps to charge the battery both inside and outside the motorcycle, which does not have a quick-connect installed.
Now I installed the battery quick-connect, so I have no real reason for the clamps, so I didn’t mention using them during the installation portion, and I wanted to mention them here quickly.
I have the clamps still, for when I need to use them. I keep them like the set that came with my TBR7 battery trickle charger.
Check Price for 6V/12V Battery Charger and Maintainer.
How To Use A Trickle Charger On A Motorcycle
Whenever I park my Boom Vader 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 Boom Vader motorcycle, I know my stock 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.
If you have any tips or advice on extending motorcycle batteries’ life, please leave a comment below.
Ride Safe, Ride Fun!
Click To See My Recommended
Boom Vader Gen 2 Upgrades
Hi I’m Tom, A New Motorcycle Rider and Blog Author.
I am a new rider(Pa Learners Permit at the end of 2020, and I received a Pa Motorcycle License in 2021 after passing a Motorcycle Safety Course).
I bought my first motorcycle, a TaoTao TBR7, at the beginning of 2021 and have been doing upgrades on that motorcycle since.
I added to my motorcycle collection by buying a Boom Vader Gen 2 in 2022, and that Grom-Clone motorcycle has been upgraded by me as well.
I continue to ride my Boom Vader Gen 2 motorcycle as well as my TaoTao TBR7 dual-sport bike.
Read more on my About Me page.
Fun Fact: I’ve only been on one group ride.
