Just started to do it a week ago. Bike is a 2017 Lowrider S, 9800 miles, just about to do the 10k service. Original battery, 22 months

Was a little colder than the norm but still above 50 and in a garage when it started to do it. Just started slow. But then a few days later it went away and started normal again. Yesterday it went back to being slow. Don't really care that it's slow, just use it as my daily driver and don't want to have it go dead.

I checked the battery on the weekend and it was at 12.95 V at rest after a couple hours (Bike has an alarm, I don't know how much that draws), which might be slightly overcharged as the manual mentions 12.7 VDC being 100%.

Did a quick by hand check of the cables, didn't pursue it as it went away before I had time to bust out the tools. Was after a heavy rain that it worked fine again, was also after rain that it didn't work fine again.



So, just the battery going bad or is something else causing it? I wouldn't have thought twice about it if it didn't go back to working fine. Thanks

 

If work is 20 minutes or less away you may be just getting a "surface" charge on the battery, go for a long ride if that's the case. The battery has been in your bike since it's build which could be longer than 22 months.

 

Hmm, might be doing that. My commute isn't too long though I do go for a ride for a couple hours on the weekend. Just seems odd that it would suddenly start to do it, unless the battery was starting to go. Might be a combination too of it being a little colder.

Guess 2 years is the norm for these batteries? They go quick or do I have some time?

 

Did you have the latest update done for the ECU? As I recall mchad had issues with hard starts on his LRS until he got an update.

 

I had one done about a year or so back, not sure if they've done anything since then. I know it was for making it start easier.

 

Batteries normally last a lot longer than 2 years.. Take the battery to Autozone or Advance auto parts or Napa and have them load check it. It's free. Also clean the connections real good.

 

Do you start in neutral or pulling the clutch?

A cold start the clutch may drag more? Mine does.

 

Neutral.

I listened more carefully this morning. It doesnt sound like it turns slow but rather slow between turns. It doesn't sound like its turning as fast as it used to though. I'm guessing it's the battery but I'll need to get it properly checked and my connections.

And it dawns on me we might have different definitions. What constitutes a cold start? 40 degrees out? 50?

 

I got my Switchback last fall (first bike) and had it on a trickle charger all winter. started fine in spring and rode it most short trips to work and home. After about 3 weeks it would sound like it was firing just in time ...like you a said a slow start. I would overnight it on the charger and back to normal so I presumed it was as others suggested here the trip was too short to recover completely. This happened several times over the summer.

Then I had it not start at work. I pulled the battery took it home charged it overnight and no luck. bought a new HD battery and put it in...first press of the button I realized my old battery had not been good all summer...night and day as far as the spin velocity goes.

-Andy

 

My battery was shot on my 2009 fxdl. I made it most of the summer before she finally kicked the bucket, luckily I was with a couple blocks of home. I replaced my battery and it worked great for the weekend. Temps dropped this last week, ton of rain and humidity and the bike didnt fire on my initial startup.. lights flickered then out. Turned bike off, the back on and fired right over. Did a few more turn overs to make sure shes gonna be ok. Battery tested good but now I'm in a state of constant paranoia lol. If it happens again, I will try and video and let the hdforums gurus look at it hahaha.