Electrical / Start Issue
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2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: TX
Electrical / Start Issue
I have a problem that is difficult to describe. I have a 2020 Heritage Softtail for just over a year and it's been amazing. I've really had no issues with the bike, other than one problem that seems to have creeped up. Around Halloween I was doing a scavenger event riding to different areas and validating with pictures. I got to one location, shut down the bike, spent about 5 minutes looking around and snapping photos. Hopped back on the bike and hit the button and for a brief second, the bike was dead. A second later (don't think I even let up on the button) the bike slowly turned over and then fired up ... sort of like an old car with a worn down battery. I thought nothing of it at the time figuring it was 100+ degrees outside, the bike was hot and it only spent about 5 minutes cooling. Perhaps pistons swelled or something. The biggest annoying is that the clock reset, which tells me the entire electrical was drained for a brief second.
Fast forward, it's now December and it's happened about a half dozen more times, two times in the past week. I now fear I have a growing problem I have no idea how to diagnose, nor can I find anything about it online. It's not a problem I can create/recreate. It just happens. It's also happened when the bike was completely cold. I use a battery tender so I know the battery is fully charged. Given the battery is now 3 years old I guess I could look at replacement but that's an outright guess as to the issue.
Anybody have any experience with this type of issue?
Fast forward, it's now December and it's happened about a half dozen more times, two times in the past week. I now fear I have a growing problem I have no idea how to diagnose, nor can I find anything about it online. It's not a problem I can create/recreate. It just happens. It's also happened when the bike was completely cold. I use a battery tender so I know the battery is fully charged. Given the battery is now 3 years old I guess I could look at replacement but that's an outright guess as to the issue.
Anybody have any experience with this type of issue?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,496
Likes: 30,782
From: Pennsylvania
1. Take the batter out and get it load tested at a couple of your local auto parts stores or batteries + store.
2. The battery can be fully charged and have good voltage but not enough amperage to start the bike.
3. Heat kills batteries and shortens their useful life.
4. Report back after the load test.
5. Lots of people experience this type of issue, first rule out the battery then we can go from there.
2. The battery can be fully charged and have good voltage but not enough amperage to start the bike.
3. Heat kills batteries and shortens their useful life.
4. Report back after the load test.
5. Lots of people experience this type of issue, first rule out the battery then we can go from there.
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: TX
It is good advice. I just haven’t made time yet to pull the battery and have it tested somewhere. Need to figure out where. Not to mention they don’t make it that easy to get to. Will get it done though.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,272
Likes: 3,684
From: backwoods
Just the facts. Don't tell your life story it makes it harder to dig through junk, and people lose interest
Is it only doing this when hot?
If bike sits for a few days it starts fine?
How many miles? Unless lots of miles,that new of bike probably is battery.
Is it only doing this when hot?
If bike sits for a few days it starts fine?
How many miles? Unless lots of miles,that new of bike probably is battery.
Last edited by Rounders; Dec 28, 2023 at 10:56 AM.
Thread Starter
|
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: TX
1. Take the batter out and get it load tested at a couple of your local auto parts stores or batteries + store.
2. The battery can be fully charged and have good voltage but not enough amperage to start the bike.
3. Heat kills batteries and shortens their useful life.
4. Report back after the load test.
5. Lots of people experience this type of issue, first rule out the battery then we can go from there.
2. The battery can be fully charged and have good voltage but not enough amperage to start the bike.
3. Heat kills batteries and shortens their useful life.
4. Report back after the load test.
5. Lots of people experience this type of issue, first rule out the battery then we can go from there.
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Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: TX
It's happened when it's both cold and hot. I don't think when it's fully cold but I know it's happened when the bike was sitting for a couple of hours. I don't recall it happening as I pull out of the house... but again, it's only happened a half a dozen times.
The bike is a 2020 114/M8. It's has about 13-14K miles on it, 6k of which I put on in the last year since I bought it in December of 2022.
The bike is a 2020 114/M8. It's has about 13-14K miles on it, 6k of which I put on in the last year since I bought it in December of 2022.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,562
Likes: 7,916
From: Long Island, New York
9 out of 10 times, you need a new battery. They can give you all sorts of test results that they are good, but they you get stranded. Battery is almost 4 years old, I bet a new one from the MoCo and she fires right up. Good luck.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 3,179
Likes: 2,223
From: College Station, TX
If it were mine, I'd replace the battery just because of the age. No fun being stranded due to an old battery. And since you can't recreate the problem with any confidence, that would be one item that is due for replacement you can eliminate.
Paul