Winter storage done right
"So many stored motorcycles, so many batteries slowly losing charge. But who cares…until that battery is unable to crank the engine," says TecMate CEO and Chief Technical Officer Martin Human.
"Maybe you have a customer on the hook, ready to buy and ride that motorcycle right out of the showroom, and the clincher should be hearing that pulse quickening and wallet loosening rumble, but just as you hit the magic button … nothing!
"At best, the customer is left with doubt about the health of that battery and might demand a new one, at worst the customer's motivation to buy has evaporated like mist before the sun."
A pro-active dealer will have someone periodically running around the showroom checking batteries, but it takes time and quick access to the battery is required, not always easy on modern motorcycles. And these days it requires knowledge of three different battery types and their specific charged voltages and optimum charging cycles.
"That is where OptiMate rides to the rescue," says Martin. "OptiMate battery monitors are ideal for when you cannot always maintain the battery.
"Simply put, if every showroom or stored vehicle has one of OptiMate's state of charge monitors fitted, pretty much anyone can establish if a particular battery needs charging or not really easily. The traffic light style indication is straightforward to understand - a blinking GREEN is 'Good to go', in other words, no charging required; YELLOW is 'still OK, but charge soon' and RED is 'Charge now' or else your battery will be dead soon!
"There's added value too, once the engine fires up, it tells you if the charging system is working right."
For 12V AGM and STD lead-acid batteries there are a couple of OptiMate options, starting with the O-124 fused battery lead - now with M6-M8 (1/4"-5/16") dual ringlets that fits all powersport batteries. The O-124 is also delivered in a jar of 20, reducing the cost per unit.
The O-125 is a portable option with SAE connector. Dealers who fit the O-01 battery lead at PDI (pre-delivery inspection) can eliminate having to haul around a multi-meter to check voltage. The O-125 plugs right into the SAE connector and immediately indicates battery status.
The O-126 is another portable option - its AUTO plug fits all 12V/automotive (or cigar) size sockets.
For 12.8V/13.2V lithium (LFP/LiFePO4) batteries, the O-127 fused battery lead with M6-M8 (1/4"-5/16") dual ringlets is currently OptiMate's only option. The O-127 also warns if the vehicle's system is overcharging the battery, a necessary option for lithium. The O-127 is also delivered in a jar of 20, reducing cost per unit.
TECMATE
www.tecmate.com
www.optimate1.com
