5 Best Motorcycle Batteries (2023 Guide)

Nov 16, 2023

Will Moore has been driving since he was first allowed behind the wheel of a golf cart. He's written for several major auto sites including Motor1 since 2020, unraveling the intricacies of auto insurance policies and products for the everyday driver. Will has logged hundreds of hours researching and testing products ranging from child car seats to torque wrenches. After completing a PhD at the University of Missouri, Will moved to North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and two semi-obedient beagles.

Reviewed By: Charles Noyes

A reliable, mid-priced battery with enough power for most bikes.

A state-of-the-art lithium battery with a high capacity and price tag.

An inexpensive, reliable battery suitable for smaller engines.

A medium-powered motorcycle battery with a very long lifespan.

A high-performance battery with some assembly required.

The best motorcycle battery for your bike depends on your individual needs. Motorcycle batteries come in a variety of weights, sizes, and types. Some batteries deliver a lot of power but are heavy – other batteries may be easier to manage but won't deliver enough power for a large engine.

To determine the best motorcycle battery, we looked at maintenance requirements, battery longevity, cost, and performance. Amp hours (Ah) is a rating that describes how many amps of energy a battery can output in an hour. More amp hours typically mean a higher-quality battery, so we also selected batteries that provide a high number of amp hours.

Because riders have individual needs, we’ll recommend a range of batteries with different outputs and price points. In some cases, the battery we recommend may come in multiple sizes.

This list is best used as a starting point – you’ll need to make sure any battery is the right fit for your specific bike before purchasing. Each of the batteries we recommend is backed by many positive customer reviews. Closed tests in a lab can provide additional details, but no recommendation is better than motorcycle battery reviews that mimic real-world conditions.

Before getting into our best motorcycle battery picks, there are a few things you should know. When choosing a battery for your bike, be sure to consider the dimensions of the battery, terminal location, and the cold cranking amps.

Every motorcycle has a battery box, but the size of this box is not the same for every bike. Be sure to measure the dimensions of your bike's battery box and purchase a battery with the proper length, width, and height. A battery that is too small may be fitted into your motorcycle, but be sure to secure it so that it does not bounce or rattle.

To connect a battery to your bike, you will need to connect the hot wire to the positive terminal and the ground wire to the negative terminal. The position of these terminals may be different for each battery. The cables in your bike are unlikely to have much slack, so you want to make sure they can reach the correct terminal once your battery is fitted into the battery box.

Cold cranking amps (CCA) is a measure of how much amperage a battery can generate from a cold start. Generally, the higher the CCA, the better. However, batteries with a high CCA are larger, heavier, and more expensive. There is no point in purchasing a battery with 800.0 CCA if your bike has a small engine.

Look for batteries with a higher CCA than your bike's engine displacement in cubic inches. For even more specific guidelines, consult your owner's manual. This should provide battery recommendations. You can also check the CCA of your original equipment manufacturer (OEM) battery, and check that your new battery has the same CCA or higher.

To select the motorcycle batteries featured in this buyers guide, our team first combed through dozens of resources such as DIY mechanic and auto enthusiast forums, manufacturer and battery-specific websites, instruction manuals from manufacturers, and reviews from online retailers. We pay particularly close attention to quality reviews and recommendations that highlight the quality of warranties, customer service support, build quality, materials, and overall reliability.

We also factored in the quantity and quality of online retailer reviews from websites such as Amazon, RealTruck, Advance Auto Parts, and more. We looked at factors such as standout customer reviews, prices, meaningful superlatives, and discount shipping eligibility.

Since 2020, we have published over 200 auto product reviews in an effort to make shopping for auto products easier. Our team of writers, editors, researchers, and product experts collaborates to thoroughly vet top products. We try to perform in-house testing on real vehicles whenever possible before making our recommendations.

When testing is not feasible, however, our aim is to make your life easier by doing all the online research for you and presenting that research in the form of easy-to-read product comparisons and buyers guides, rather than outright recommendations. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.

The Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS is a good choice for a variety of motorcycles. The price is about average for a motorcycle battery and less than what you would pay for an OEM battery. Given it's versatility, reliability, and relatively low-cost, we think it offers the best value for most needs.

This battery has 30.0 amp hours and generates 385.0 cold cranking amps, meaning it can provide plenty of energy to your engine. It is easy to install, reliable, and requires very little maintenance, making it our top choice for the best motorcycle battery.

Amazon Review Score: 4.3 out of 5 based on over 2,400 ratings

Many reviewers are pleased with this battery's installation, power output, and low price tag. Overall, it earns top marks for ease of installation, value, and battery service life. While the Chrome Battery is supposed to ship fully charged, several reviewers report that their batteries arrived depleted.

Though many buyers say the Chrome Battery works well and holds up long-term, a handful of reviewers note that the battery stopped working within a few months. These types of complaints were the minority.

If you want to be on the cutting edge of motorcycle battery technology, check out the Shorai LFX14L2-BS12. It weighs less than any battery on this list while offering respectable CCA and Ah. This battery can be charged more quickly than an AGM motorcycle battery, and it will also last longer, especially in hot climates. A lithium battery is a good choice for desert riders – all it takes to get that adventure started is the Shorai Xtreme-Rate.

Because this battery is so small, it may not fit snugly in larger battery boxes. However, the Shorai ships with adhesive foam padding for stabilization. This battery does require that you use a specialty battery charger, as it can be damaged by overcharging.

Amazon Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 based on over 300 ratings

Reviewers are most impressed by the battery's high capacity combined with its low weight. Shorai customer support is top-notch, with customer issues being resolved quickly.

A small percentage of reviewers were not satisfied with the Shorai, reporting that it wore down too quickly. However, these seem to be the exception, not the rule.

The Weize YTX4L-BS is a lightweight motorcycle battery suitable for smaller engines. This battery does not have as much power as larger batteries, but it's low-cost and reliable, making it one of the best motorcycle battery options for riders on a budget. The Weize ships fully charged and is easy to install.

The low number of amp hours (3.0) and relatively low cold cranking amps (50.0) mean this battery won't put out a lot of power. It’ll work well for small motorcycles, but don't purchase this battery if your bike has an engine displacement larger than 50.0 cubic inches.

Amazon Review Score: 4.4 out of 5 based on over 2,800 ratings

Reviewers like that this battery is lightweight and easy to install. Most use it for smaller bikes and mopeds. One commonly-praised feature is the TYX4L's ability to operate well even in extremely cold temperatures. Many feel that the price is excellent for this size of battery.

Some users complain about the lower power output (CCA) offered by this battery. It isn't suitable for powering larger bikes with engines that need a lot of juice to get started.

The Odyssey PC680 is a long-lasting battery that provides a respectable number of amp hours (16.0). While this battery is expensive, it can save you money in the long run – the Odyssey PC680 can last eight to ten years with the proper care. The average motorcycle battery lifespan is around four years, which means you’ll have to replace this model only half as often.

The Odyssey battery casing is built for durability, making it a good choice for off-roading and powersports. And while the CCA is average (170.0), this battery can put out 520.0 hot cranking amps (PHCA). Hot cranking amps are a measure of a battery's output capacity when warmed up to at least 80.0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Amazon Review Score: 4.1 out of 5 based on over 90 ratings

Positive customer reviews mention the long battery life, which can extend to eight to ten years with the proper care. Some reviewers complain that the battery they received did not hold a charge. In these cases, the issue seems to be a defective battery. The two-year warranty should cover a replacement battery if you happen to be among the unlucky few to receive a defective product.

Yuasa batteries are used as OEM parts for a number of motorcycle brands including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki. These are high-quality, dependable batteries. While you may be able to find a similar battery at a lower price point, Yuasa is a reliable choice. It puts out a lot of power and delivers 310.0 CCA.

Unlike the other batteries on this list, the Yuasa YTX20HL-BS does not ship ready to install. Owners must mix in the acid solution themselves. This may cause anxiety for riders who don't want to work with corrosive chemicals. However, according to reviewers, adding acid is easy and safe if you follow the included instructions.

Amazon Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 based on over 1,600 ratings

Many customers are impressed with the ease and safety of the filling process. While a few are annoyed that the battery requires assembly, most praise the reliability of the Yuasa.

As is typical for many batteries, the Yuasa does not perform as well in colder conditions, and some reviewers note that they’ve had difficulty starting their engines in temperatures below 25.0 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are four types of motorcycle batteries on the market: wet cell, gel cell, absorbed glass mat (AGM), and lithium-ion. When choosing the best motorcycle battery for your bike, you’ll need to decide which you prefer.

As the name implies, a wet cell battery is filled with liquid. In the case of motorcycle batteries, this liquid is typically a diluted mixture of sulfuric acid. Wet cell batteries are inexpensive to manufacture and are often the cheapest option for motorcycle batteries.

While modern technology allows wet cell batteries to be pretty well-sealed, they can still leak, especially after an accident or other mishap. Wet cell batteries tend to lose their charge more quickly under hot conditions and regularly need to be topped off with distilled water. Completely sealed batteries – like gel cell, AGM, and lithium batteries – require no maintenance and are less likely to leak.

The primary advantage of a wet cell motorcycle battery is its affordable price point. However, other types of batteries can be found for relatively cheap, are maintenance-free, and can be safer than wet cell batteries.

Gel batteries are filled with an electrolyte gel instead of a liquid. This design prevents spilling and leaking. It also eliminates the need for maintenance. This type of battery is good for motorcycles because it is resistant to vibrations. This can be essential, especially if you use your bike for off-road riding.

The major drawback to a gel cell battery is that it can take a long time to charge. These batteries can also be permanently damaged by overcharging, so it is important to monitor any charging process closely. Also, like wet cell batteries, gel cell batteries can lose their charge quickly under high-heat conditions.

An AGM battery is filled with lead plates and fiberglass mesh mats soaked in an electrolyte solution. Imagine the liquid in a wet cell battery soaked up in a sponge and then densely packed between lead plates. Like the gel cell battery, an AGM battery is maintenance-free, leak-proof, and resistant to vibrations.

AGM technology is generally better for motorcycle use than a gel cell because it has better heat resistance and charges easily. It is also extremely compact, so the size of this type of battery is reduced compared to a wet cell battery.

One of the biggest energy demands on any motorcycle battery is to generate enough power to start a cold engine. An AGM battery is able to deliver a high CCA more frequently before losing its charge compared to wet cell and gel cell batteries.

Gel cell and AGM batteries can be distinguished from traditional wet cell batteries because neither is flooded. However, both might still be considered "wet cell" batteries because they rely on a "wet" electrolyte solution. Gel cell batteries add silica to this solution to change it to a leak-proof gel, and AGM batteries utilize fiberglass mats to absorb and hold the electrolyte liquid.

A lithium-ion battery is a dry cell battery, which means it uses an electrolyte paste rather than a liquid. Until recently, this type of battery was unable to generate enough power for car or motorcycle use. Today, these small, solid-state batteries can be extremely powerful, delivering enough amps to start even the largest engines.

One main benefit of a lithium-ion battery is that it can be very small and compact. There is also no liquid, which means no risk of spillage, and a lithium-ion battery has a longer lifespan than any type of wet cell battery.

However, lithium-ion batteries are far more expensive than other types of batteries. They also do not perform well in cold temperatures and may have fewer amp hours. Overcharging a lithium battery can result in corrosion, which significantly reduces the battery's lifespan. As the technology develops, these types of batteries may become the standard, but they aren't quite there yet.

In general, we recommend an AGM battery for most motorcycle riders. With the exception of the Shorai LFX36L3-BS12, all of the batteries on our list of best motorcycle batteries are AGM batteries.

There are no maintenance-free batteries: the lifespan of a battery depends on the battery type and how well the is maintained. On average, a new motorcycle battery should last around four years. An old battery or dead battery may also be revived with a battery tender, but overloading the charging system can damage the alternator.

The best motorcycle battery for your bike depends on the size of your bike and your most common riding conditions. For most bikes, we think the Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS is a good bet. At around $90 and producing 385.0 cold cranking amps, it is a reliable option that should work for most.

Those looking to install a lithium battery in their bike (which has the advantage of low weight and better cold weather performance) should check out the Shorai LFX14L2-BS12. This battery can put out 210.0 CCA and weighs only 1.0 pound.

If you’re looking to spend a bit less, you might consider the Weize YTX4L-BS, which is suitable for bikes with a small engine displacement. This battery costs around $20, but be aware that it has a relatively low power output (50.0 CCA).

The best motorcycle battery for you depends on your bike. Some riders will need a large battery that provides a lot of power, while others may be looking for a lightweight battery that is inexpensive. Generally, you should look for a battery that is reliable and easy to maintain. Brands we recommend include Chrome Battery, Shorai, Weize, Odyssey, and Yuasa.

If you are looking for a long-lasting motorcycle battery, consider a lithium-ion battery like the Shorai LFX36L3-BS12. This battery provides 36.0 amp hours and can be recharged more often than a lead-acid battery while maintaining its power. However, this type of battery may require a little more care to maintain, as overcharging can permanently wreck the battery.

If you prefer an AGM battery, we like the Odyssey PC680 for its long service life.

The right battery will depend on your model of motorcycle and the level of performance you expect out of it. Smaller batteries may sometimes fit in a larger terminal, but that doesn't mean it will be the best battery for your bike. See our buying guide above for more information.

There are different kinds of batteries for motorcycles just like there are different types of car batteries. Dimensions range across manufacturers but also materials like lead-acid batteries and glass mat separator materials impact how motorcycle batteries function.

*Data accurate at time of publication.