Best Motorcycle Batteries for 2021 (Plus Some Handy Buying Tips)

While picking your dream ride might take weeks of research, shopping around for a motorcycle battery might seem like an afterthought. After all, they all do the same thing. So long as it works, right?

But like everything else in life, batteries are not created equal. And so are your needs. Buying the wrong battery for your bike and situation will do more harm than good to your precious ride, so be careful!

A little bit of planning and research are therefore vital. All that effort will pay dividends in giving your bike the best battery it needs to reach optimal performance.

So what do you need to look out for when you’re battery shopping?

First off, know the type of battery your motorcycle uses. This is probably the easiest yet most important step and one that will steer you away from many headaches and wasted $$$ down the road.

Know the exact make, model and year of both your bike and the battery it uses. Then determine the precise dimensions of the battery that will fit your motorcycle.

Some sellers, such as Amazon (through its Garage feature), allow you to specify your motorcycle’s brand and model, which it then uses to help you find suitable batteries for you. It’s a nice feature, but nothing beats measuring it yourself just to make sure.

We do recommend leaving a little bit of wiggle room to make it easier to fit the battery in later on. It’s easier to wedge something in to make a slightly smaller battery fit than it is stuffing a larger battery into a smaller slot. The physics simply won’t work.

How, when and where you use your motorcycle has a greater impact on your choice of battery than you might think. Do you live in a warmer or colder climate? Do you use your motorcycle every day or just occasionally? How will you recharge your battery?

Keep this all in mind when battery window shopping, as it will inform most of your decision making.

Motorcycle batteries come in a variety of flavors, and choosing the right type can be overwhelming. But we’re here to help!

Motorcycle batteries generally come in two types – the traditional lead-acid and the newer lithium ions. Of the two, lithium ions offer better performance and way longer service life at a fraction of the weight. They’re also, however, much more expensive – at least 2-3 times that of a comparable lead-acid version.

If you can afford it, by all means, go with lithium ions. For everyone else, there are lead-acid batteries. Fortunately, they're more than enough for your everyday riding needs. They are reliable and more economical – which is why the majority of the world still uses them.

Traditional lead acid batteries need to be maintained – that is, periodically topped up with distilled water to ensure it works properly. If you don’t like mucking around with all that, go with the sealed, maintenance-free version.

There are two types you can choose from – Gels or Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM). Gels generally perform better in warmer climates and discharge slowly. AGMs, on the other hand, give a bigger burst of power that makes them great for colder climates, or when you require a starter battery.

Again, this all ties back to point #2 above – know how, when and where you use your bike.

By juice, we mean the surge of power needed to actually start your ride. This is measured in Cold Cranking Amps or CCA, and is probably one of the most important specs of a motorcycle battery. This generally tells you how much starting power your battery can provide.

First, know your motorcycle’s minimum CCA requirement. More powerful ones need higher CCA ratings, as well as if your motorcycle already has worn out parts.

You need to account for any accessories you might have loaded into your ride; things like radios, extra lights, boom boxes, a portable blender (hey, why not??), and the like. Make sure your CCA is high enough to power all of these things. There’s nothing more embarrassing than a pimped out ride that won’t start!

In addition, you need to consider the weather in which you live. Colder weather makes it harder to start your engine and, therefore, a higher CCA rated motorcycle battery is required. You can either buy one, or keep your ride in the garage over the winter and get a lower CCA rated battery.

CCAs also play a role in your motorcycle battery’s longevity. They lose their starting power as they age, so having some extra juice in the tank can add years of useful life to your battery and your investment.

Even the best battery in the world (or any other product, for that matter) isn't perfect. Factory defects will rear its ugly head, so make certain warranties have got you covered! Majority of battery manufacturers give a 12-month warranty, so that’s a good standard to compare to.

There comes a rare time when the stars align and the bearded biker dude up in the sky delivers a fantastic deal. In the world of motorcycle batteries, it’s in the form of the Chrome Pro YTX14-BS.

This is a maintenance-free gel battery that delivers all the shots. It provides 200 CCAs of starting power, more than enough juice for most rides. It’s fully rechargeable and has an impressive lifespan of 2,000 charges.

It’s sealed in and completely maintenance free, so you can safely mount it any way you like, and it won't sprout a leak – even if the battery itself is punctured. No need to make a mess with topping up, either.

Aside from the basics, what we like about the Chrome Pro YTX14-BS is the built-in LED gauge that displays the battery's voltage. This can give you a fair warning if your battery is approaching a low voltage situation. 

While this is a useful feature in theory, in practice we find that the onboard voltmeter is not as accurate as a dedicated multimeter. Some bike models might also make it difficult to view the LED screen itself, so it kind of beats the purpose. Still, it’s useful to give a rough estimate of battery performance.

But the best part? The great price! The value for money on this battery can't be beaten for similar products in its class. For one, it performs even better than OEM batteries – at half the price! Couple that with a 12-month warranty and excellent customer service, and you have yourself a winner.

Overall, this is a fantastic motorcycle battery that covers all the basics – plus more – at an unbelievably good price. If you’re an everyman motorcycle owner who just needs a great battery without worrying about any of the technical specifics, you can’t go wrong with this one.

When buying on a tight budget, exceptional quality and performance is the first one to go. But that’s not the case with the Upstart Battery YTX14-BS. Here, you can have your cake and eat it too!

This is the best of both worlds that combine reliable performance with ridiculous affordability. We’re already thinking of stocking a few of these at home for backup. They’re that cheap!

But don’t let the price fool you – this is a battery with solid construction that hides its affordability pretty well. It delivers excellent performance with 200 CCA of starting power. At its core, it’s a hardworking motorcycle battery without any of the fancy stuff.

Unfortunately, what value you get from the battery itself can’t be said for the packaging. It’s generally thin and poorly made, which can lead to some damages during shipping. It's a pity since it might detract from an otherwise great battery.

But despite this flaw, it’s still an incredibly good deal. If you trust your shipper enough to handle this one with care, this is without a doubt one of the best value for money batteries you can buy.

If you’re a motorbike enthusiast with a serious beast of a ride (the Harley Road King comes to mind), then you need an equally charged up battery to match all that raw power. There’s no better one for the job than the Renegade RG30L-WS.

The “Wicked Start” battery (as it is lovingly named) churns out 600+ of pure, freaking CCA juice. That's enough to power a small car, or a buffed up motorbike with all the bells and whistles.

Construction wise, this thing is built like a rock. It feels durable and really robust, but also quite heavy – which is one of its drawbacks. Albeit it's a small price to pay for all the power this baby provides.

You can tell the Renegade is built for heavy-duty use with its extended service life and impact resistance. We tested this one out with a 2007 Road King with its almost 1,500 cc engine, and this battery handled it like a champ.

And even the price point is fantastic! There are more expensive batteries out there that are not nearly as powerful as the Renegade.

The only thing to note is that this battery is generally not compatible with Harley Davidson Softails. So if that’s what you own, unfortunately, this battery won’t work with those.

All in all, if you’re looking for a heavy-duty battery with more power than you could ever use at a price that won’t break the bank, get the Renegade RG30L-WS.

Wanting to upgrade to lithium batteries but find they’re way too expensive? The Firepower Featherweight Lithium Battery might just be your ticket.

First, a disclaimer: when we say budget, we meant it relative to other lithium batteries in the market. Of course, even at the lowest range, lithium batteries will always be more expensive than comparable lead acids. Ok, now that's out of the way…

The Featherweight is designed just like it’s named – a winning battery with a lighter build. This battery can quickly shed 3-4 kgs off your bike’s weight compared to OEM lead-acid batteries, which can lead to some fuel and performance gains.

Cranking power is respectable at 150 CCA, but is a bit lower than some of the other batteries we’ve reviewed so far. Fortunately, it does the job for anything but the most power hungry rides.

But probably the best reason to get this is for the charge performance. The Featherweight recharges fast – up to 90% capacity in just 6 minutes! It also has a longer service life than lead acids and can hold a charge a lot longer with minimal leakage (up to a year without requiring any recharge)

This makes it perfect for leaving your bike for more extended periods in cold weather – over the winter for example. Expect the engine to roar back to life come spring. An important thing to note is that this battery is slightly smaller than most OEM batteries. Fortunately, it ships with foam “spacers” so it can fit snugly into your bike’s battery slot.

Overall, this is a great “gateway” battery if you want to see what the fuss is all about with lithium batteries. Despite the higher price tag vs. lead acids, it’s still a great bargain.

Find yourself with a small fortune and are in the market for the ultimate motorcycle battery? Look no further than MMG-6 Lithium Ion Battery!

The MMG-6 boasts better cranking power at 420 CCA, which is almost twice the power of OEMs or even other replacement lead-acid batteries. It features four terminals for added connection points. This makes the MMG-6 suitable for overpowered bikes, cold weather conditions, or if you have lots of aftermarket accessories (or all three even!)

But power isn't the only thing that's great about the MMG-6. This battery can really hold a charge and also charges faster as well. It took us just 6 minutes to get it back up to 90% capacity. Other folks we know who've tried this one reported no difficulty in cranking up their rides, even if left for months at a time.

And you won’t believe how light this thing is! With all that power, you’d expect it to weight a bit more substantial. It made us wonder if someone was just playing a prank and sent us an empty battery shell instead. But a quick hook up to a Confederate Hellcat confirmed that this is the real deal.

The battery claims a cycle life of around 12 times versus comparable lead-acid variants. Only time will tell how well this holds up, but from what we've seen, it wouldn't be stretch to think that it can.
Of course, the biggest drawback of the MMG-6 is the price tag. One will set you back almost $200. Warranty is also a bit shorter at only 6 months.

But if you’re the type of person who doesn’t count “expensive” as a drawback, then you have a clear winner with the MMG-6. It delivers superior performance and extended service life in every way over lead acids. It’s built to be the last battery you’ll ever need. Now that’s a great return on your investment!