I am in the process of getting two motorcycles started after leaving them sit way too long (my fault). Upon trying to start the 883, this is what is going on.

-- Battery voltage reads 13V, and drops to 10V while trying to crank
-- Bike is in neutral, no clutch pulled in, switch is on run
-- Swapped the two relays at battery and no change
-- Engine sounds like it is turning, but there is no fuel smell at all from the bike; tank has fuel; also pumped out all old fuel and replaced for when it does crank
-- Don't hear a fuel pump whine when you turn the key on (I don't remember if you could hear it on the 883, but I figured others could confirm)

It's sad that the bike has had this happen. It's an '09 with less than 2500 miles, and really all of those came early. This was something the wife and I loved to do, but just don't ride for other reasons. I'm working through what is likely a dead battery on my fatboy, but basically both bikes won't start.

Thanks, everyone

 

sounds like the battery is shot.

 

Battery is 6 years old anyway. I can at least start there. Any recommendations on where to buy one?

 

From 13v to 10v is almost certainly a battery cell gone. A lot of faulty batteries will show a full charge until put under load then the cell(s) will drop out. New battery time I reckon. Charge your battery back up and take it to a garage/shop and ask them to put a load tester on it to confirm.

 

If and when by battery dies it'll be getting a Motobatt one to replace it.

http://www.motobatt.com/dealer

 

I bought a cheap chinese battery to replace mine a little while back. DON'T. It was a pain to install since the posts were slightly different and the thing didn't last a year.

Got one from my Harley dealer and all my electrical gremlins went away. Also good practice to top off that battery with a battery tender.

 

I had mine on tenders, but it was just for too long. I believe in them, but these were just too long. I ordered some batteries with very high reviews, with recs from here, from batterymart. The price was very good, but they weren't the cheapest.

 

If you plan on leaving a charger connected for long periods, I would suggest that you get a charger that desulfates also like the ones that Batteryminder sells. I have a friend that ruined a fairly new battery within a year because he left it on a basic trickle charger for a long time while it was stored at his sisters place.

 

So, I have the new battery installed, and it wasn't the battery on this one. Still, I have a new battery from battery mart, that I grabbed on sale for labor day. I'm not complaining that I changed a 6-year old battery. The problem with the bike is looking like the fuel pump. When you turn the key on, the system relay provides 12V to the fuel pump fuse. All other fuses are good, BTW. I pulled the 4 pin connector to the fuel pump, and I get 12V across the black and orange/gray wires leading to the pump pigtail. I also pulled the black fuel line from the tank, and I get no flow from it when the key is turned to on or you try to crank it. Is there anything else I need to check before I call the fuel pump toast and order the new pump?

BTW, it's been so long, I don't truly remember if you could hear the fuel pump run on the 883. Can you? I know you can on the fatboy. I don't get a hum or anything when the key is switched to on. It could be just one sure quiet pump, if so.

 

On my Wife's 2010 883c you can definitely hear the fuel pump when you first turn the ignition on with the engine run switch on