General Harley Davidson Chat Forum to discuss general Harley Davidson issues, topics, and experiences.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

battery life expectancy?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 3, 2014 | 08:11 AM
  #51  
lovinlife1216's Avatar
lovinlife1216
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Fernandina Beach, FL
Default

Originally Posted by Tech Slap
Battery life is relative to ambient temp, charging system reliability, length of riding...listening to your radio while you clean it duh...your battery needs a good 30 minute ride at 2k-3k rpm to charge, a tender if fine but I don't recommend it solely, just starting once in a while does nothing but drain it...I recommend twisting that little star nut under the throttle and let it run at 2500 rpm for 20-30 minutes...if you can't get it out on the road...
I have a dead cell in my battery, have for 3 years but I have a good charging system and I ride a highway at least 30 minutes twice a week, with the carb problem I was having turning it over after a jet change long enough to refill the float bowl and test rides drained it more than once... but regular highway time charges it right back up...
I agree wholeheartedly. Battery life is subjective and depends on a lot of factors. Things like geography (humidity & temp), engine mods, riding style, storage protocols, and riding time all play unique roles. The biggest factor for me was riding time - gotta keep the engine running above a certain RPM for an extended period. If you're a bar hopper and only get it out for short runs, the battery doesn't get a chance to generate charge. Just yesterday, I wanted to take a quick spin to my watering hole at Hammerheads and Betsy (my 2000 modified FXDX) was dead as a doornail. Didn't give me any indication last week that it was going to give out. Hate it when that happens. It's been about 6 years. Had a tender hooked to it as well. The first battery lasted 8 years. Headed to HD in Jacksonville today to get my OEM replacement battery. Life...
 
Old Mar 3, 2014 | 09:11 AM
  #52  
HBomb74's Avatar
HBomb74
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 776
Likes: 4
From: Tucson, AZ
Default

Mine is almost four years old. I usually throw it on a battery tender the night before a ride if it has been sitting for a while...
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
JONNIEROCK
2014-2024 Touring Models
40
Sep 2, 2019 06:49 PM
andyp
Touring Models
3
Apr 13, 2012 03:42 PM
Tom Hudson
Ignition/Tuner/ECM/Fuel Injection
5
Feb 21, 2012 09:35 AM
JerryL....
General Harley Davidson Chat
14
Aug 30, 2010 01:46 PM
edude49
General Harley Davidson Chat
38
Jul 17, 2009 01:15 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:21 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE