Initially I get everything, fuel pump lights and all, I hit the start switch, bam everything is gone, I get nothing, I shut off the power and turn it back on nothing.

 

For some strange reason I am still leaning toward a bad battery. When you hook up cables to jump everything works fine?

 

That is what I thought, but zero electrical has me wondering

 

I am no expert but it sounds as though there is something going on with the battery. Short in the cells or something of that nature. Because it makes no since that the bike starts from a jump just fine but when you use the battery it will run through the motions and the you hit start and everything goes south. If I am not mistaken I thought I read somewhere that these batteries needed to stay somwhere above 10 or 11 volts to properly work. I seems that I read that here on the forums. Anways I hope this helps, I was hoping someone would chime in and either shoot my theory down or agree with it, but I dont think that is going to happen. There was alot of talk a few months ago about batteries that were going bad within a year or so, I think. Do you use a battery tender? And do you have a security system? I know you said you ride everyday but a battery tender may help save the battery if that is the case. Good Luck and let me know how things turn out. I hope I have been at least some help.

Jeremy

 

Started no problem, so it was either the battery or the connections.

 

My Fatbob's battery died last friday. I had been riding at 1 pm , parked and when I wanted to start it again at 4pm the same day the batt. was dead. no lights no istrument panel...nadda. I jumped it with my car ign. off and HD dealer changed it out for me,but could not tell me why this happened. There were 8000 miles on the bike at the time,it was new in april '08.

 

I have a tender, but it is hooked up to another bike I rarely ride. I am going to check the battery levels in a few days and see what happens then, if nothing it had to have been the connections. If it is low then the battery is the issue. I'll check for battery related issues instead of won't start and see what other threads I can find

 

Don't forget to check ALL GROUNDS. Frame, motor ect. I had a similar problem once and I tried it in complete darkness and noticed a spark from a bad ground under the engine to frame. Installed a star washer and bam. This was on a FXR.

 

I had the exact same on my 06 FXDLI...there was paint under the washer and bad contact. Sanded the paint off under the washer, torqued back on and no problem. As for the battery you can take it out, trickle charge it overnight, and take it to autozone and they will load test it to see if it is bad. Just make sure you pull your maxi-fuse before you remove or install the battery so you don't accidentally zap your ecm.

 

have you checked to see if any of your fuse has burnt?