Quick Battery Question
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Joined: Jan 2007
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Quick Battery Question
When I start my '07 Street Bob, it seems like the engine turns over pretty slowly. It's hard to really say for sure, though, because the engine fires so quickly. Sounds like one revolution, and it's running. I'm worried, though, that the battery might not be fully charged, or might be shot. I put the trickle charger on it every couple of weeks over the winter, and had the battery inside. Here's my question. Can I pull the plug wires and turn the engine over just to let it crank a bit longer? If it could turn over several times, I'd have a better idea if the battery is low. Will that hurt anything?
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
Likes: 34
From: USA
Ok here is what you do;
1. Check your battery cables & ground strap to make sure they are tight. If they are at all loose charge the battery & try again
2. If that doesn't work remove the battery and have it load tested on a MC battery tester. (make sure you pull your maxi fuse before removing & replacing the battery)
3. If your battery is good & fully charged look elsewhere in the charging system.
4. If your battery is toast look up East Penn Deka manufacturing on Google. They make all the Harley batteries. Go to their website and find a local distributor and get your battery $25-40 less than at the dealer.
5. If you don't have a MC rated battery tender go on Amazon.com and look up Deltran Motorcycle Battery Tender. They make the HD one and you can get it for <$30 versus $50 at the dealer. Install the pigtail that stays on the bike so you can keep your new battery on the tender all the time. If you keep it on the tender it will double it's life.
Don't ask how I know this....
1. Check your battery cables & ground strap to make sure they are tight. If they are at all loose charge the battery & try again
2. If that doesn't work remove the battery and have it load tested on a MC battery tester. (make sure you pull your maxi fuse before removing & replacing the battery)
3. If your battery is good & fully charged look elsewhere in the charging system.
4. If your battery is toast look up East Penn Deka manufacturing on Google. They make all the Harley batteries. Go to their website and find a local distributor and get your battery $25-40 less than at the dealer.
5. If you don't have a MC rated battery tender go on Amazon.com and look up Deltran Motorcycle Battery Tender. They make the HD one and you can get it for <$30 versus $50 at the dealer. Install the pigtail that stays on the bike so you can keep your new battery on the tender all the time. If you keep it on the tender it will double it's life.
Don't ask how I know this....
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 449
Likes: 1
From: Ventura, CA (So Cal)
I thought mine was going out kinda early on but discovered that i was just lagging on starting it and the headlight drains it down a little. Now i just hit the switch right away and fire it up after the fuel pump is done running and it cranks up fine. My bike is just over 3 years old and still has the stock battery. I don't plug it in to the tender ever but i ride it year round at least twice a week. My wifes 07' dyna which is a year newer doesn't get riden as much but still has the stock battery but I always plug it in. She'll sometimes ride it all weekend long or sometimes go several weeks without riding. Girls are weird like that, so I'll just go without her.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,787
Likes: 5,612
From: along the shore of Mishigami
If you have a pigtail for the battery charger, use a muti meter at that connection and check to see what kind of charge you are getting to the battery while the engine is running. Should be around 14.2 volts. When you get done with the ride wait an hour at test again, should be around 12.8 volts. Don't pull the plug wires, if you do you could hurt the ECM. install a set of plugs and ground them out to the cylinders. Just my .02 cents.
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