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Why does the block of wood keep the battery charged? Was there a short in the electrical system? Was the chassis a bad ground or too good a ground?
Battery will go down sooner when side stand touches ground (earth, concrete etc). Dunno why, weird science I guess but that's what happens. Doesn't seem to indicate an electrical problem with the motor. Old timers like me got used to putting something between side stand and ground. Piece of wood or whatever, just something that acts as an insulator. I carry a plastic "hockey puck" that does the same job.
When I do a web search, every example I see has the peanut tank and round rear fender. The guy at the gas station had one that looked like knieval's bike.
Did they make after market parts or what? Or did this guy get taken? The motor was correct, he said it was all original but the DOT mark on the tires said differently.
Battery will go down sooner when side stand touches ground (earth, concrete etc). Dunno why, weird science I guess but that's what happens. Doesn't seem to indicate an electrical problem with the motor. Old timers like me got used to putting something between side stand and ground. Piece of wood or whatever, just something that acts as an insulator. I carry a plastic "hockey puck" that does the same job.
Well God damn - thank you for that!!
I got lambasted when I suggested the concept on a thread a few years back. I didn't have any "science" to explain my proposition so I was labeled an idiot.
Guess that can happen when you try to pass along experience to the inexperienced.
When I do a web search, every example I see has the peanut tank and round rear fender. The guy at the gas station had one that looked like knieval's bike.
Did they make after market parts or what? Or did this guy get taken? The motor was correct, he said it was all original but the DOT mark on the tires said differently.
Because you are in Wisconsin you can't be sure what the origins are the bike are from a casual conversation at the gas pump. I get the DOT thing and you are correct. But there are a lot of rare Harleys lurking the area that, if not 100% original, are factory modified or part of early racing development. That bike may have been a factory modified bike. Or it may have been a messed with XR. Hard to say.
I love having a few beers with my neighbor and hearing of his test rides through the area on VR1000 bikes. God, I wish I had one. But the point is, the casual Harley aficionado would be surprised at the variety of bikes Harley put on the road for racing development.
I got lambasted when I suggested the concept on a thread a few years back. I didn't have any "science" to explain my proposition so I was labeled an idiot.
Guess that can happen when you try to pass along experience to the inexperienced.
Are you guys actually trying to tell me that my battery would have gotten even "more" than the 9 years I put on it if I had used a block of wood under the stand? Well I'll be danged.
Are you guys actually trying to tell me that my battery would have gotten even "more" than the 9 years I put on it if I had used a block of wood under the stand? Well I'll be danged.
To answer your question about battery life, no. What happens is the charge stays in the battery longer when some insulator (wood etc) is placed between the sidestand and whatever the motor is parked on (earth, concrete etc). Battery just stays charged longer, that's all.
To answer your question about battery life, no. What happens is the charge stays in the battery longer when some insulator (wood etc) is placed between the sidestand and whatever the motor is parked on (earth, concrete etc). Battery just stays charged longer, that's all.
Even when I used to remove my battery (for winter storage), you never were to just sit it on a concrete floor. Set it on the shelf or a block of wood.
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