LIGHT OF THE CHARGE BRIGADE
New from the motorcycle battery maintenance experts at OptiMate, the CHARGE NOW! indicator is a simple device that will warn riders if their bike's battery has less than 50% charge remaining. Once alerted, the owner can recharge the battery before its voltage drops so far that it is beyond recovery.
Automotive battery failure is one of the top reasons for calling out the RAC - they attend around 500,000 battery-related call-outs each year. Although modern batteries are capable of lasting between four to five years, this lifespan can be dramatically shortened depending on usage, conditions and care. Even with the ignition turned off, alarms, immobilisers and even clocks can drain power from a battery, particularly if it is left idle for a period of weeks. Figures released by the DVLA reveal that 449,000 motorcycles and scooters were declared SORN in 2009, so battery failure is a potential problem for a huge proportion of Britain's 1.2 million motorcyclists.
Simply connect the OptiMate CHARGE NOW! to the battery when the motorcycle is not in use and it will monitor the battery, flashing continually when the charge drops below 50% (the point at which it will struggle to start the motor). Another clever feature of the CHARGE NOW! Is that you don't need to remove it to recharge the battery using an OptiMate.
The CHARGE NOW! Connects to the motorcycle battery using a standard OptiMate weatherproof permanent lead (available separately priced at £8.99). Two versions are available - one for standard 'wet' lead acid batteries and the other for AGM and gel types - both retailing for £16 (considerably less than the cost of a replacement battery). For information on the complete range of OptiMate battery chargers and optimisers, visit www.tecmate-int.com.