Heres my situation, i have a 2005 sportster 883 low. Just recently when i would turn the ignition to "on" press "run" and the try to start the bike, it seems like all power is lost. Then when i turn the key back 1 notch to "acc" only the odometer comes on. The battery is only 2 weeks old, and read 12.88 volts.
Today when i turned to key to "on" the headlight turned on very dim and started getting brighter as did the speedometer indicator lights, but the bike would not start.
anybody have these symptoms, if so what could the problem be?

 

When you changed the battery, are you shore you connected it right, + on red, - on black?

 

sounds like bad battery connections. Can you verify that you have a good solid ground connection between the battery and the frame on both ends. Also verify that you have a good solid connection between the battery and the starter relay.

If this is all good, I would be looking at the voltage regulator next.

Hope this helps,
Ultra

 

This really sounds like a bad ground. Have a real close look at the frame ground, it only takes a little corrosion or a loose fitting to give you the type of grief you are describing, good luck.

 

Does the starter turn the motor? If not, I would check the solenoid first.
The voltage regulator only takes effect after the motor is running and the stator is making power.

 

took battery out and put back in and it runs, might have been the bad ground

thanks for the help.