Have a 2006 soft tail deuce.........never had a problem. Keep a battery tender on it. Battery has been in it since I got it. Never sounded weak. Wanted to go for a ride this afternoon and pushed the starter button and it gave me a loud ratcheting sound. (I am guessing the starter........but I am an electrician so I am just guessing.). Don't know what a Harley starter sounds like if it's bad. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks for your insight........btw, I checked the battery and have 12.27volts.

 

How old is the battery?
Check all the connections for proper tightness and cleanliness before you start digging in to the starter.

 

I think battery is original.........I never put one in and the bike only 1100 miles on it when I got it.............so could be going on 11 years old.......since I have had it I have kept it on a batter tender year round. Could I connect the battery to my truck with jumper cables to see if it will start.......or since the battery is that old, just replace it? The cables are all tight......no corrosion or anything.....everything is clean.

 

I recently had the same thing with my 2012 ultra classic battery. It was the original battery as well. Always plug it into the tender when it is past a week or so since driving it, came out one morning, it grunted and clacked.... that was it, it was DONE. hooked it up to the big car charger that evening, still wouldn't take a charge.

4 years is pretty decent, in my eyes. If your battery was an original 06, that's 10 years of service out of a factory battery.

I'd say get you a good replacement and go for another 10 years lol.

 

Educated guess says its the battery. Even though it may show 12.27 volts at rest, putting a load on it may show a weak or dead cell. 10 years is an OLD battery.

 

Anything below 12.6 volts on a car or motorcycle battery indicates a dying or already dead battery, especially if it's been on a tender. Buy a new battery, problem will be fixed.

source: 15 year ASE master tech

 

My bike makes same sound when battery is dead

 

I am going to replace the original one on my 2007 Deuce. It is old enough and better than getting stranded. Not much room in a softail, what do most people use?

 

The batteries from O'Reilly's are pretty good, as well as Batteries Plus.