Are the HD Batteries Crap?

[RonRock]

Tried to take the 010 FXDC for a spin on Monday. The battery was dead as a hammer. I eventually got it running with my 25 amp charger. The trickle charger was not going to get it done before the unexpected warm day in January was over. Anyway, I got her going, ran into town (7 mile highway ride) for fuel. Shut down and made sure to switch off the power knob so that the headlight did not run the battery down. Well it would not crank at all. I had to push start to get her going. Made a straight run for home and parked. So I'll admit I may have been asking for too much out of the battery after setting for a couple months without a battery tender. Maybe I should have given it more time on the trickle charger, but there just was not time. I would have expected the battery to have charged though on the run to town. Is the battery under warranty? I bought the bike new and it is still under factory warranty. Are the HD batteries a good buy for the money? Or should I replace it with another brand? What brand? I did do a search before posting. Pretty hard to sift through all of the battery threads.

[Notgrownup]

HD batteries are very good batteries...Mine lasted 4.5 years...still cranked the bike..could've gone maybe another year...Battery tender always.

[Iceman24]

Gotta maintain that battery...get a tender. HD won't cover it under warranty b/c it's considered a maint. part (like oil & filter).

[retxpres]

Just changed my battery on my 2003 Flsts about two months ago for the first time. So I guess I got 8 years on it. I do use a trickle charge only in the winter. I think they are pretty good. Oh, I replaced it with with a HD battery...

[wornknobby3]

still have the factory batter in my 06 SB, works awesome every time, hasnt even tried to crank slow, but also in the colder months, i pull my battery out and let it live in my house where its warm, i've never had it on a trickle charger, and maybe i should, but by keeping it in the warm and out of the cold where it could freeze my battery never really has a chance to "die". and when any battery "dies" you loose half it life by that happening. so if a battery is good for six years, and you kill it completely, supposedly it is only good for 3 years now.now i dont know if that keeps going like now you have 3 years, so next time u only have 1.5? not sure, but then again i've never had to find out the hard way

[RonRock]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was afraid I'd get pounded by the Search Nazi's.

Sounds like I may just as well replace it with a HD battery. Yeah I know I need to get a battery tender. I'm sure there is a small draw on the battery all of the time. I leave my bike in the garage where it gets cold, but never freezing.

I asked about the warranty thinking that the battery itself may have a warranty like when I get with a replacement.

[Austin Dave]

A Battery Tender Jr. costs about $25 and next to nothing to run 24-7. Inexpensive investment and a fully-charged battery will last a lot longer than it's warranty.

[jo_mama]

check the battery cables on both ends. sounds like they could be loose or possibly corroded. mixture of water and baking soda and scrub with a tooth brush. if they were tight take the battery out and check the cables anyway. if you don't suspect the cables were the problem take the battery to an auto parts place and have them load test it. it should be free.

[antrome]

I've got 6 years on the stock HD battery. When it's time is up, I would definatley go with another HD battery.h

[fxdc rider]

if your bike is equiped with an alarm, it will run the battery down if it sits for weeks at a time if not on a tender. my bike did the same when i was gone for two months. luckly the battery wasnt dead just cranked real slow. bought a tender the next day and now any time i dont ride for more than a few days i plug it into the tender