It started on my wife's 04 Deuce. We bought it used 2 summers ago and the battery quit last July. It had a Interstate battery in it, so I went to the local HD shop and ordered a battery, waited 2 weeks to get it, and put it in, problem solved. Now two weeks ago it starts acting up again. I took the battery to the shop and they tell me it has a dead cell. Since it is over 6 months old they won't warranty it but will give me $17 off a new one. I order it and they say it will be here middle of the next week (around 5/26). Checked back in Friday (5/28), as we had a bike run Saturday, and no battery. No big deal, we will just both go on my 08 V rod. I have been riding my bike lately, and we pull into the gas station just before we get to the run, and it doesn't have enough juice to re-fire. I get a jump from a very helpful pair of guys and head back home. Put the bike on the charger and let it charge up. It now reads 13.3V hooked up to the bike. I let it sit a couple of hours, and it still reads 13.3V. Try to start the bike, it rolls over a couple times and quits, battery now reads 12.1V. I keep this bike on a battery tender in the winter, and even when I park it after a ride. Is there something I am doing wrong with these batteries, or am I just having a run of bad luck? I have not ordered a battery for the V rod yet, is there a good alternative to the HD battery? Thanks for reading my ramblings...

 

Go to ebatteries.com and you can purchase a good sealed battery with more CCA than the HD for your model....and have it shipped to your front door for free as fast as UPS can carry it, as long as it's over $50....which it will be, but it will be less than the MOCO battery.

As for your other battery problem, I usually get at least 4-5 years out of a battery in my Ultra Classics and I know some folks that have more than that on one. I just change mine out around the 4th. year and I am sure I could get more out of them. I simply charge mine up 2-3 times during the off season (winter) with the charger set on 2-amps and I don't use a trickle charger. A voltage reading should be taken with the bike running and revved up to around 2400 or so. A good charging system should indicate 1.5 to 2 volts above the battery voltage reading with the motor not running.

A battery voltage reading alone may not mean a thing...even if it does say 13 volts. You can string d-cells together and come up with 13 volts or so, but it will not crank your bike. I'd take the v-rod battery and have it load tested.

And...I have no answer for your bad battery luck....can't explain all that.

 

I seem to be having a similar issue as Hammer - I just bought a 2005 Sporty and it would take a little coaxing to turnover each start and then I stupidly left my lights on which completely drained it. I too got a jump as I couldn't pop the clutch by myself - (I'm a new rider and that's the next thing I need to learn...) it was fine for a few weeks but then the day after a very long weekend ride, a gentle laydown and a washing - it was dead... Would the laydown or wash have anything to do with it (I have ridden in the rain before)? We also have put it on the charger for a full charge to no avail.

Also - ebatteries.com doesn't appear to what it used to be? But BatteryMart.com also offers free shipping.

Thanks

 

Save knocking something loose in the "gentle lay down"...that should have not affected it, if it's a gel-battery. Washing it should have no affect either.

Yep...there are more battery websites out there and I was not pushing one...just mentioning one.

If you start out with a good fully charged battery and your charging system is functioning properly...and you still lose batteries on a regular basis....look for something that is draining the battery "while you are not looking". Generally, the charging system is not designed to recharge the battery from scratch all the time and it is not going to really start charging until you get it up to the 2500 rpm range.

 

If your regulator is bad it could be overcharging and cooking the battery.