Battery Tender Wire Warning
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Karma is a B**ch. I read this yesterday and laughed. I always keep mine tucked under my seat. This morning i am sitting in traffic and smell something burning. I looked down to see my battery tender wire melting against my pipes.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,004
Likes: 12
From: Parkton, Maryland
I removed that wire. Why do I need a battery tender to begin with? I don't have one on my truck or car, so why would I need one on the bike? If you run them enough the battery will always be charged.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
Run wires directly to the battery (use Loc-Tite). To make a quick connect / disconnect you can solder wires to a banana jack and mount it some were out of sight. Use an additional banana jack on the Battery Tender leads. http://shop3.frys.com/product/237909...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
Guess I am missing something here. My harness comes out the left side, just behind and above the electrical panel cover. When I ride it tucks in above the e cover and the coil cover. No where near the pipes
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
There not installed at the factory, if there on the bike there dealer or owner installed, and each dealer / owner probably installed them a little different then the next.
OK. So why don't people just pull the seat and reroute the harness. I put the harness on my 99 sporty and brought it out the same way. Not a big deal.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025
Verdad Gallardo
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
Maybe some are just as satisfied just the way it comes from the dealer, or believe the dealer way or the Harley Davidson way is the right way or the only way.For me, I like making the best of what I have. I plug my bike into the battery tender when ever I'm not riding, so I made it as convenient as possible by mounting a fixed quick connect / disconnect plug that I don't have to remove anything to access.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,298
Likes: 0
From: CA Desert
I did something dumb today. I'm posting so no one else does the same thing. I did not tuck the battery tender wire back up inside the frame enough on my 2008 FXDF after the winter storage. I rode the bike around the block to smell something terrible. The wire was on the pipes and melted the whole end where the tender attaches. Luckly my tender came with another one that I'll install before next winter.
I need to get mine done also,im tired of taking the battery cover off to hook it up!