In order to choose the best motorcycle trickle charger, it is important to find a charger that is designed for your particular motorcycle. There are many manufacturers of motorcycle trickle charger packages designed and intended to be used on specific models of motorcycles. Purchasing a model-specific type of motorcycle trickle charger will allow the unit to be hidden within the motorcycle's frame and body work when not in use; also, it can easily be attached to a power source when required to maintain the motorcycle's battery for storage periods. A low-amperage type of motorcycle trickle charger will maintain a battery the best and provide the proper current to keep the battery at its fullest and highest rate of charge possible. The best motorcycle trickle charger designs will turn themselves on and off periodically to avoid over-charging the battery.
A motorcycle battery that is left alone over extended periods of non-use will often drain itself of any electrical charge. This creates a dead battery condition when the owner attempts to start the motorcycle after it has sat in storage. In order to avoid this dead battery condition, a motorcycle trickle charger should be attached to the motorcycle's battery and left plugged in to an electrical outlet to provide a slow, but constant, charge to the battery. Attempting to connect a regular battery charger to the battery for an extended period will result in a battery that has been boiled dry due to the extended exposure to the high amperage output of the charger.
The main purpose of a motorcycle trickle charger is to keep the battery's charging cells stimulated and properly charged. The low amperage output of a trickle charger does not create enough charge to bring the battery cells to a boil. By introducing a low amperage flow into the battery, the lead platelets within the battery do not become corroded with deposits which prevent the cells from retaining a charge. Much like the motorcycle's charging system that provides a low charge when the engine is running, the motorcycle trickle charger provides a low feed to the battery as the motor sits idle.
The top-of-the-line motorcycle trickle charger designs will actually turn themselves on and off as the charge in the battery requires. As the battery's charge declines, the charger will switch on and bring the battery back up to full charge. Once the charge is at its peak, the charger will switch off, saving power and eliminating the chance of overcharging the battery.
