Let the bike cool for 20 to 30 minutes after a ride, plug it in with the charger that came with it, charge it on a hard surface away from anything flammable, and unplug it when it is done. For storage, leave the pack around half full, not empty and not at 100%. That is most of it. The rest of this explains why, and what actually kills a pack early.
The basic charging routine
- Let it cool first. A pack that just came off a hard ride is warm. Charging a hot battery is one of the few things that does real, permanent damage. Twenty to thirty minutes in the shade is enough.
- Use the charger it came with. The charger is matched to the pack's voltage and the battery management system expects its charging profile. A generic charger off a shelf is not a saving.
- Charge somewhere sensible. A garage floor, a concrete pad, a workbench. Not on carpet, not on a wooden deck, not in a closet full of boxes. A smoke alarm in the same room is a reasonable precaution with any lithium pack.
- Charge at normal temperatures. Roughly 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Charging a lithium pack below freezing can plate the cells and permanently cut capacity. If the bike has been out in the cold, bring it inside first and give it an hour.
- Unplug when it finishes. The charger light changing is your cue. Leaving it plugged in for days on end is not catastrophic, but it is not doing the pack any favors either.
On our bikes that is about 5 to 6 hours from empty on the Sykeruns X5 and about 6 to 7 on the Sykeruns X7. Plan the charge around the next ride, not around the current one.
The first charge, before the first ride
Give it a full charge before you ride it the first time, even if the pack shows some charge on arrival. Batteries ship partially charged on purpose, usually somewhere around 30 to 50%, because that is the safest state to sit in a crate.
That first charge is also a free test. If the charger never switches over to its finished state, or the pack will not take a charge at all, you want to find that out in the garage on day one, not halfway through a ride. Every bike we ship arrives sealed in its factory crate exactly as it reaches us, about 90% assembled from the factory, and you finish the front wheel, the handlebars and a few bolts before that first charge. The full walkthrough is at manual.pluggedby50cc.com.
What actually kills a lithium pack
In rough order of how much damage they do:
- Storing it empty. This is the big one and it is entirely avoidable. A lithium pack left near zero slowly self discharges further. Drop far enough and the battery management system will refuse to charge it at all, because it cannot safely wake cells that low. People lose packs over a winter this way and assume the battery was faulty.
- Heat. Charging hot, riding hard in high heat, or storing the bike in a metal shed in an Arizona summer all cost you capacity, and unlike cold, the loss does not come back.
- Charging below freezing. Permanent. Warm the pack up first.
- Sitting at 100% for months. Full is a high stress state for lithium cells. It is fine overnight before a ride. It is not a good place to leave it all winter.
- Water in the wrong places. Our bikes handle dust and the odd puddle, but a pressure washer aimed at the pack, the controller or the charge port is asking for trouble. Rinse gently, do not blast.
Storing it for a month or more
The routine that keeps a pack healthy through an off season:
- Charge or discharge to roughly half. Somewhere in the 40 to 60% range is the target. You do not need to be precise about it.
- Store it somewhere that does not swing between extremes. An insulated garage beats an uninsulated shed. Indoors beats both.
- Check it every four to eight weeks and top it back up to about half if it has drifted down.
- Do not store it on the charger.
If the bike is going away for the season anyway, the rest of the winter routine is worth doing at the same time: tires up to pressure, chain cleaned and lubed, bike up off the tires if you can. We wrote that up in how to store a dirt bike for winter. Most of that guide applies to an electric too, minus everything about fuel.
Getting more range out of a charge
Range on any electric dirt bike is mostly decided by your right hand, and the factory number assumes you are barely using it.
- Lower gear, lower speed. Wind resistance climbs fast. Riding a gear down at a steadier pace can nearly double what you get compared to full throttle in top.
- Tire pressure. Soft tires cost range on hard ground. Check them before a long ride.
- Rider weight and terrain. Sand, hills and a heavier rider all pull from the same battery. A hilly desert loop will not give you what a flat field gives you.
- Temperature. A cold pack delivers less. That range comes back when it warms up, so do not panic in winter.
Be realistic about the starting number too. Factory range claims are measured in ideal conditions, and independent testing puts real riding a long way below them. We publish both figures in our Sykeruns X5 review and our Sykeruns X7 review rather than quoting only the number on the box.
When not to charge it at all
Stop and get in touch before plugging in if you see any of these:
- The pack or its case looks swollen, split or deformed
- There is a smell of anything chemical or burnt around the battery or charge port
- The pack got soaked, submerged, or took a heavy direct impact
- The charger runs unusually hot, or the charge port is melted or discolored
- The bike went down hard and the pack took the hit
None of these are things to ride out and see. Text us at 623 320 8984 and we will work out what you are looking at.
If a part comes through bad
Plugged by 50CC does not cover or pay for warranty. If a part is defective, we contact the manufacturer on your behalf and get the correct part sent to you free. We are the middleman on that, and in our experience chasing the factory for you is worth more than a card in the box.
Common questions
Can I leave the battery on the charger overnight?
Overnight is fine and most people do it. Leaving it plugged in for days or weeks is the habit worth breaking. Unplug it once the charger shows it has finished.
Should I run the battery all the way down before charging?
No. That is old advice from nickel batteries and it does not apply to lithium. Lithium packs prefer partial cycles. Top it up whenever it is convenient.
How long does an electric dirt bike battery last?
Measured in charge cycles, not years. Treat it well and you should see several hundred full cycles before capacity drops noticeably. Store it flat through one winter and you can lose it in a single season, which is why the storage routine above matters more than anything else on this page.
Can I charge it in the rain or leave it outside?
No. Charge under cover, on a dry surface, with the charge port dry before you plug in.
Is it safe to charge in the house?
Plenty of people do. If you do, charge on a hard floor, away from anything flammable, not in a hallway or doorway you would need to get past in a hurry, and with a working smoke alarm in the room. A garage or a shed is the better choice when you have one.
Why is my range lower than the listing says?
Because listed range is a best case lab figure across this whole category, measured at low speed on flat ground with a light rider. Real off road riding lands well under it. Budget around the low end and you will never be stranded.
Gear, every ride
Electric bikes are quiet, which makes them feel slower than they are. Helmet, goggles, gloves and over the ankle boots, every ride, every speed setting. Riders under 18 always with an adult present.
Not sure which electric fits your rider? Both live in our electric dirt bikes collection, or text their height and weight to 623 320 8984 and we will tell you straight.
Plugged by 50CC is an independent retailer. We do not manufacture, assemble, modify or service the bikes we sell. Every bike ships sealed in its factory crate exactly as it reaches us, about 90% assembled from the factory, and final assembly and setup are completed by the buyer. Off-road use only. Riders under 18 should always be supervised by an adult.