When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
1941 FL, 6V system, all original. My riding trip to eastern oregon with other old bike dudes got cut short this week. My battery got cooked to death and I mean cooked!!! I had put in an AGM battery to get away from the original lead acid one. Got her back home and am going to drop the LA one back in and test the voltage from the regulator, which must be malfunctioning. Question, what's the best setup going forward. Have some gone to solid state look alike regulators? Cycle Electric setup? What battery are others running in that battery box? Suggestions welcomed.................
Thanks John, just fired it up with the LA battery fully charged and at a third throttle it climbed to 8.5 volts. yikes. Which electronic regulator do you like and does it hook up like the delco remy? Here's a pic of what I'm a runnin...
V-tronic.com
I have his 6 volt regulator in all of my bikes. I have a knucklehead and still run the lead acid battery in there with the electronic regulator. An Indian has a gel cell one of those Shori natteries and it works just perfect with the regulator. I've got a panhead that is got a similar setup works just fine. All my generators have also been converted to to brush so I'm not having to adjust and that's it everything else is stock
Thanks NiteOwl, I got a little pissy with the LA battery as the vent hose came loose and it spewed onto my muff and frame a bit. Obviously now I know why, overcharging. Normal charge range it should just be venting not bubbling anything out the tube. It was fine for years until my regulator went wacko. I believe I'll be checking it periodically now, especially before heading out for long rides across the state.
On my Flathead, converted to 12V, I have the electronic regulator, older Cycle Electrics generator and a lithium ion battery. No hose, no acid, much cleaner setup. I have one of those fake battery boxes that looks just like an original 6V battery, Lithium sits inside with room for stuff. I have been setup like this for at least 3 years, no issues.
One warning, the electronic regulator is a bit sensitive, when working on electrics makes sure you disconnect the negative cable. Any short will go to the regulator first, and then you will be buying a new one. Good luck.
Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
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.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
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.
Charging System Issues
