Battery Life
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 1,811
From: space
If you go with the lithium ion you will need a lithium ion tender. The regular battery tender won't work on those. The battery and the tender are not cheap. The absorbent glass mat battery, (AGM) should do you just fine. Like I said before I have just over 5 years on the original battery and so far so good..
On another note, I bought my 18' Fatboy used 3 years ago on 7-6-20. The dealer put a new Harley battery in, so I'm at the 3 year mark. If I don't keep it on the trickle charger, after a week or so my bike it slow to crank. But I also have the S&S 475 cam.
Last edited by Glenn Gorman; Jul 6, 2023 at 11:24 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,496
Likes: 2,540
From: Lititz Pa
Don't use a tender very much because I ride all year. I do use one on the bike I don't ride very much maybe once a month. For a few hours. I don't leave the tender on for a long time just until the battery is charged. On my everyday ride I change the battery every three years need it or not. Seems like when a battery stops working there is not much of a warning it just stops working.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,504
Likes: 3,732
From: backwoods
Quite a few touring batteries over 7 years,no tender. Winter I'll put on tender for few hours, few times a winter.
Heat is hard on batteries. I only buy factory batteries for bikes.
Heat is hard on batteries. I only buy factory batteries for bikes.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 3,187
Likes: 2,228
From: College Station, TX
The tricky thing about keeping a battery on a tender all the time is not knowing how well the battery will hold up once the tender is removed. If I go on a ride and stop for several hours or over night, will the bike start?
Finding out that your battery has failed and the bike won't start when you are away from home is not fun. So for those who keep the battery tender connected, it might be a good idea to have a keen ear for when the engine is not cranking as fast as it once did. And perhaps even checking the charging system, cranking voltage or having a load test performed before going on a trip away from home.
Just my 2 cents,
Paul
Finding out that your battery has failed and the bike won't start when you are away from home is not fun. So for those who keep the battery tender connected, it might be a good idea to have a keen ear for when the engine is not cranking as fast as it once did. And perhaps even checking the charging system, cranking voltage or having a load test performed before going on a trip away from home.
Just my 2 cents,
Paul
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,874
From: Upstate New York
2019 Heritage, 27,500 miles-on the fifth season with original battery. I plug it into a tender over the winter and occasionally during the summer if Im not riding for a week or more.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 862
Likes: 417
From: In the mountains
I wouldn';t use a regular (SLA) tender/charger on LI battery. The reasons are explained here.
Can I charge a lithium battery with a normal charger? - Power Sonic (power-sonic.com)
Can I charge a lithium battery with a normal charger? - Power Sonic (power-sonic.com)
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,504
Likes: 3,732
From: backwoods
My iunderstanding about lithium, I just listened to a podcast, so take it for its worth, they need to be charged at slightly higher voltage. Though even though the tender does go that high, when you ride it you are charging it at 14.4. So if you ride it you are probably ok, just using one for lead acid. But if you you are going to buy one, might as well get lithhium
The lithiums are not for me yet.to pricey. I get 7+ years out of old ones. I really question the quality of batteries purchased. I have always bought HD. I am not a pro HD guy either. Worse I evder got was 5 years, and I was annoyed by that.
I think you need to get out and ride your bike, and buy good batteries, and most of your problems will go away. Some people in really hot areas are going to have shorter life than colder climates. Over 76 degrees and battery starts getting damaged.
Venting your garage, for when its on the tender would probably help more.
I have heard some people claim the lithium starts bigger engines better.
The lithiums are not for me yet.to pricey. I get 7+ years out of old ones. I really question the quality of batteries purchased. I have always bought HD. I am not a pro HD guy either. Worse I evder got was 5 years, and I was annoyed by that.
I think you need to get out and ride your bike, and buy good batteries, and most of your problems will go away. Some people in really hot areas are going to have shorter life than colder climates. Over 76 degrees and battery starts getting damaged.
Venting your garage, for when its on the tender would probably help more.
I have heard some people claim the lithium starts bigger engines better.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 705
From: Ramseur NC
Not exactly true, a regular trickle charger will keep a Lithium charged. Where the issue is, is the Lithium specs are a lot tighter and the AGM specs are a lot wider. A Harley's charging system will charge the Lithium as long as it's putting out over (I believe) 12.5 AMPS.
On another note, I bought my 18' Fatboy used 3 years ago on 7-6-20. The dealer put a new Harley battery in, so I'm at the 3 year mark. If I don't keep it on the trickle charger, after a week or so my bike it slow to crank. But I also have the S&S 475 cam.
On another note, I bought my 18' Fatboy used 3 years ago on 7-6-20. The dealer put a new Harley battery in, so I'm at the 3 year mark. If I don't keep it on the trickle charger, after a week or so my bike it slow to crank. But I also have the S&S 475 cam.