All owners of two-wheelers that are not used in the winter can attest to that special moment they try to put forward after months of immobility :-)

In fact, the reasons that lead to an empty or damaged battery are not complicated or difficult to understand...

If the battery is left in place, it may be exposed to very cold ambient or garage temperatures. We may not be living in some Northern European country with impressively low winter temperature numbers, but prolonged - for weeks on end - low temperature takes its toll and creates cumulative effects on wear and tear.

Combine the above with the fact that there is a high probability that the two-wheeler will not move for a long time and the - now discharged - battery receives even more strain. A battery's endurance at low temperatures is significantly reduced when it is undercharged, so the existing problem is greatly exacerbated.

It is not uncommon for some owners who travel exclusively by car in the winter months to need a new battery for their bike every spring after not driving the two-wheeler for several months.

What can we do;

- First we can make sure that the battery is not connected to the motorcycle, therefore exposed to low temperatures. We can remove it and store it in a warmer interior. Thanks to its light weight and size, it is not that difficult to transport and store. Ideally, we make sure it is charged before removing it.

- Having the battery indoors makes it much easier to hook it up to a charger to bring it back up to the correct voltage before we need it for our first spring ride. Ideally, we can charge it every 15 days, for example, to be even more sure that we will minimize the chances of a complete discharge, and thus greater wear.

- But the best solution includes both of the above, removing the battery, storing it indoors and permanently connecting it to a battery charger that also supports maintenance. The maintainer constantly monitors the voltage (and therefore the charge) of the battery and intervenes when it falls below a certain limit, charging it.

We note that this specific charger will have amortized its value very soon, given that the battery of our two-wheeled vehicle will be kept in excellent condition and will not need immediate replacement!

If we don't stick to the small & economical models, we can choose a model that also supports charging our car's battery, with a greater capacity in Ah charging at 12V.

Finally, given that the charger will remain permanently connected and in operation for a very long time, it goes without saying that we must choose something guaranteed, branded, that will meet all the safety and proper functioning specifications. There must be overload protection, overheating protection, short circuit protection and spark protection.

Because as much as we love our two-wheeler, as much as we want to keep its battery in excellent condition, it's not worth going on adventures and making acquaintances with our local Fire Department! :-)