But you also don’t want to recharge a bad motorcycle battery, take it for a ride, and end up stranded somewhere far from home. A good motorcycle battery can last you almost a decade. You don’t want to spend money on a new motorcycle battery if you don’t need to. If it reads under 12.4 volts or fails the test, replace the battery. Then, if the battery reads over 12.4 volts on the multimeter, or if it passes the battery load tester’s test you can keep it.
First, charge the battery and wait 30 minutes. You can test a motorcycle battery with a multimeter or with a battery load tester. Sometimes you’re better off replacing your motorcycle battery before it leaves you stranded again.
Should you recharge or replace your dead motorcycle battery? Sometimes all your dead motorcycle needs is a quick recharge.