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National Motorcycle Ride Day, which falls on October 14 this year, was initiated in 2015 to encourage riders “to get out on their motorcycles for a united day of riding.” It occurs annually on the second Saturday in October.
Like any machine, proper care and maintenance of a motorcycle can add to its overall performance and operation. Among these components is the battery, which, for a motorcycle, is still likely to be a conventional 12-volt lead acid battery. Lead acid batteries employ plates made of a lead-antimony or lead-calcium alloy to serve as the battery’s electrodes. The plates are submerged in a solution of sulfuric acid and water, which serves as the electrolyte. The most common type, the wet-cell battery, requires periodic replenishment of distilled water to the electrolyte.
In 1972, Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries were introduced to the market. Batteries with AGM technology have plates packed tightly between fiberglass separators that are saturated with the electrolyte. The battery is sealed, which makes it resistant to spillage, leakage, high-impact shock and mechanical vibration. The seal also eliminates the need to replenish the electrolyte with distilled water, making the battery maintenance-free. The durability and convenience of AGM batteries make them especially effective for motorcycles, which are often subjected to rugged terrain, harsh conditions and inaccessibility to road service.
ODYSSEY® batteries from EnerSys® offer a premium version of the AGM battery that features proprietary Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) technology. The plates are made of pure lead, not alloys, which resist galvanic corrosion that occurs when dissimilar metals are in contact while submerged in sulfuric acid. Pure lead also enables the plates to be made thinner, so more fit into the same footprint as a comparably sized conventional lead acid battery. With as much as 15 percent greater surface area, there are more electrochemical reactions with the electrolyte to enable ODYSSEY® batteries to deliver cranking pulses up to 2,700 amps at five seconds. TPPL technology also provides ODYSSEY® batteries with deep cycling of more than 400 charge/discharge cycles at up to 80 percent Depth of Discharge (DOD) to support the growing number of onboard electronic accessories found in today’s motorcycles. Other advantages include slower rates of self-discharge that enable storage of up to two years without needing a recharge, and a faster rate of recharge that takes as little as four hours to reach 100 percent charge.
Earlier this year, EnerSys® added three of the most popular battery sizes for motorcycles and other powersports applications to its line of ODYSSEY® batteries. The models are ODS-AGM 14 (BCI BTX-14), ODS-AGM 20L (BCI BTX-20L) and ODS-AGM 30L (BCI BTX-30L), which offer 220 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), 275 CCA and 400 CCA, respectively. Their temperature range is -40°F (-40°C) to 113°F (45°C).
National Motorcycle Ride Day encourages motorcycle enthusiasts to join riding groups, participate in riding events, plan road trips that offer the most scenic rides and connect with other riders to plan activities for the entire year. October 14 also is a day for riders to appreciate the fun and excitement that a motorcycle offers. This appreciation is made possible, in no small part, by the motorcycle’s battery. To help increase reliability and performance, consider investment in a premium battery, like the ODYSSEY® Powersports battery from EnerSys®.
To follow the latest ODYSSEY® battery news, visit our website at www.odysseybattery.com or connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook by using the hashtag #MYODYSSEY.
ABOUT ENERSYS®
EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, designs, manufactures and distributes energy systems solutions and motive power batteries, specialty batteries, battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories and outdoor equipment enclosure solutions to customers worldwide. The company goes to market through four lines of business: Energy Systems, Motive Power, Specialty and New Ventures. Energy Systems, which combine power conversion, power distribution, energy storage, and enclosures, are used in the telecommunication, broadband and utility industries, uninterruptible power supplies, and numerous applications requiring stored energy solutions. Motive power batteries and chargers are utilized in electric forklift trucks and other industrial electric powered vehicles. Specialty batteries are used in aerospace and defense applications, large over-the-road trucks, premium automotive, medical and security systems applications. New Ventures provides energy storage and management systems for various applications including demand charge reduction, utility back-up power, and dynamic fast charging for electric vehicles. EnerSys also provides aftermarket and customer support services to its customers in over 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations around the world. More information regarding EnerSys can be found at www.enersys.com.
Sustainability
Sustainability at EnerSys is about more than just the benefits and impacts of our products. Our commitment to sustainability encompasses many important environmental, social and governance issues. Sustainability is a fundamental part of how we manage our own operations. Minimizing our environmental footprint is a priority. Sustainability is our commitment to our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. Our products facilitate positive environmental, social and economic impacts around the world. To learn more visit: https://www.enersys.com/en/about-us/sustainability/.