Easily Prevented Problem Explained!
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 197
Likes: 17
From: Central Coast California
Easily Prevented Problem Explained!
I'm choosing to post in the 'General Forum' area because what happened to me is not model specific. It just happened to be my Tri Glide this time.
My Harleys have the 'pigtail' behind the left-side cover for connecting a battery tender or for other potential uses. Most people I know leave a few inches of it hanging out for convenience.
I just returned from a 3,000-mile trip up into Montana. When I got home I went to connect my battery tender and realized the pigtail was not hanging out as usual.
Pulled the cover off and discovered that at some point on the trip the pigtail had made it way down under the trike and the end was totally ground off presumably by the drive belt.
The parts manual indicated the pigtail was part of a more complicated wiring harness so replacing that was out of the question. I had other left-over cables laying around with the right 'connector' on them. Staggering the joints, soldering, and covering with shrink tubing completed the repair.
And this time I used a cable tie to keep most of the pigtail anchored to the frame, leaving only enough to hang out past the cover.
Probably a rare problem . . . but it might be worth looking into.
My Harleys have the 'pigtail' behind the left-side cover for connecting a battery tender or for other potential uses. Most people I know leave a few inches of it hanging out for convenience.
I just returned from a 3,000-mile trip up into Montana. When I got home I went to connect my battery tender and realized the pigtail was not hanging out as usual.
Pulled the cover off and discovered that at some point on the trip the pigtail had made it way down under the trike and the end was totally ground off presumably by the drive belt.
The parts manual indicated the pigtail was part of a more complicated wiring harness so replacing that was out of the question. I had other left-over cables laying around with the right 'connector' on them. Staggering the joints, soldering, and covering with shrink tubing completed the repair.
And this time I used a cable tie to keep most of the pigtail anchored to the frame, leaving only enough to hang out past the cover.
Probably a rare problem . . . but it might be worth looking into.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 35,796
Likes: 38,549
From: Post Falls, ID
AFAIK, those Battery Tender pigtails connect to the positive battery terminal and the frame with ring terminals, no complicated harness.
I have one on my bike, complimentary dealer installed before I took delivery.
I have one on my bike, complimentary dealer installed before I took delivery.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 538
Likes: 18
From: Lexington, Ky
Battery tender on my RKC is fusible red positive lead attached directly to battery positive terminal and negative lead also connected direct to battery. It might be long enough to cause trouble though its dressed on the right of my bike. Maybe they changed it. Individual dealerships used to install these but they are now installed at the factory.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,609
Likes: 1,601
From: Eastern Ohio
The Rushmore bikes incorporated the tender pigtail into the bike wiring harness and have a fuse in the fuse block for them. Before that they were typically added by the selling dealer.
Had that happen to my softail. Belt chewed a good bit off the end, but mine is still usable.
Had that happen to my softail. Belt chewed a good bit off the end, but mine is still usable.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,680
Likes: 602
From: South Florida
This happened on my 2016 SGS and was part of the main wiring harness.Was told by dealer this harness for battery tender is to be located by owner per owners manual.Checked it out and its there in the manual.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 17,008
Likes: 14,675
From: in a cave at the foothills
I have always tucked mine up inside the side cover. Rarely use them as I ride my bikes year round but have one on each bike just in case.
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