How can i check if a battery for a bike is good?

i have a gsx-r600 and i think the battery isn't working properly. the lights turn on but the engine won't turn over. i have been told to check the battery. how can i check it before replacing it?

be careful doing what RyuSaiKan said. this test will tell you if the battery is bad, the starter is bad or high resistance iN your battery cables. not a good test for component testing.

your best and only true test is to do like super-tech said and have the battery load tested. if the battery tests good, put one lead of you meter on the positive battery post and the other on the big post on your starter. BE SURE TO DISABLE THE IGNITION FIRST, EITHER BY REMOVING THE COIL WIRE OR FUEL PUMP RELAY. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! now crank the engine over. if it says more than about 2 volts, you can probably put your money into a new starter. this is called a voltage drop test and can tell if your starter is pulling to many amps without having to buy any more costly diagnostic equipment

click on the link for a better idea of what i mean

good luck!

bring it to a shop or parts store and have it load tested. they will tell you if its good or not

I agree with Super-Tech's answer. Have a shop or store to a load test on it.

Good luck with it.

If you have a Volt Ohm Milliamp meter you can do it at home. A fully charged 12v battery will be 13.8volts DC. Turn ther starter on with the meter across the battery terminal and the voltage will drop while the load is on if it drops top under 10 volts or so the battery is either not fully charged or bad.

Batts last abt 2-3 yrs tops these days, Japanese made are ok- Yuasa best, any other Asians useless. EU - UK makers are gen OK.
examine for white sulphates in cells, any ==dying/dead. check specific gravity if you wish, before and after charging, but if it won't operate the load, that's usually enough, assuming terminals clean and all else ok.

Check it with a voltmeter. A 12 volt battery in excellent shape should read about 13 to 13.5 volts. In my experience, M/C batteries only last for a couple of years. If the M/C has been sitting for a while, the battery may just need a good charge. If it's several years old and it won't hold a charge, replace it.

Have it load tested.