28 miles dead battery
28 miles dead battery
Last Thursday was going to hop on the Slim S to go for a ride and she wouldn't fire and it acted like the battery was dead. Hooked up the battery tender and Friday morning she was showing fully charged but it still wouldn't fire. Hooked up my jump box and it fired up. Tried without the jump box and it wouldn't turn over. Called the dealer and they said to bring the bike or the battery so I took the battery yesterday to them yesterday and sure enough the battery was bad. The service writer said they have had to replace a lot of the S model batteries. He had one softail battery on the shelf but said they have had it for a few months and are getting a fresh load of batteries in today and he would prefer to give me one of those so I have to stop by this weekend to get the new battery, at least its supposed to rain the next two days.
Anybody else experience this issue?
Anybody else experience this issue?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,891
Likes: 54
From: Mansfield, MA
Mindies Slim S battery seems to drain down a lot faster and requires more to crank. It's been dead on a few occasions this late fall/winter. My battery tenders don't seem to be able to bring the charge high enough. I need to put it on the Sears charger a few hours before I want to start it.
More electronics draining while sitting, and bigger, higher compression motor, I don't think the standard softail battery they have been using for 20+ years can handle it.
I'll be researching a better battery soon
More electronics draining while sitting, and bigger, higher compression motor, I don't think the standard softail battery they have been using for 20+ years can handle it.
I'll be researching a better battery soon
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,907
Likes: 8,756
From: Galt's Gulch - MI
The HD/Deka batteries seem to be hit or miss; some times 2 - 3 years but my last Deka lasted 15 months, as the temperatures dropped last fall hard starts began on my 103", the battery was always kept on the Tender.
Never had any issues with my sport bikes using Yuasa batteries so I've given up on Deka and moved to the Yuasa GYZ20HL. It fits in the box, it's an AGM battery with 310 CCA and 20 Ah; the Deka ETX20L is 310 CCA but 17.5 Ah. Phat Performance typically has the best pricing on the GYZ batteries: http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/.../yuasa-gyz.htm
Another option to consider when you've got the battery out of the bike; I also upgraded the 6 gauge OEM battery cables to Terry Components 4 gauge battery cables...
Never had any issues with my sport bikes using Yuasa batteries so I've given up on Deka and moved to the Yuasa GYZ20HL. It fits in the box, it's an AGM battery with 310 CCA and 20 Ah; the Deka ETX20L is 310 CCA but 17.5 Ah. Phat Performance typically has the best pricing on the GYZ batteries: http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/.../yuasa-gyz.htm
Another option to consider when you've got the battery out of the bike; I also upgraded the 6 gauge OEM battery cables to Terry Components 4 gauge battery cables...
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,907
Likes: 8,756
From: Galt's Gulch - MI
The Terry Components 4 gauge battery cables are bike specific: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...les-for-harley
My Fat Boy S is slow to crank either hot or cold but worse cold. Sometimes the speedo resets itself from clock to mileage if the bike won't start first time. I've had Harley check it but they said 'it's normal'. I have to hold my finger on the starter for longer than any other bike I've had.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 466
Likes: 16
From: Montgomery,Il.
Dealer told me on my Slim S to keep bike on battery tender when parked because of the draw from security system, no issues so far.
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 524
From: The 1980's
I'm wondering if they just have sucky batteries now. I was at my local dealer yesterday. One of my bikes has been there since last May, while we waited for new paint. Fortunately I have a second bike. I delivered the sheet metal to them last week. They wheeled it out yesterday and it fired right up after sitting all that time. A brand new bike that they'd just taken delivery of had a dead battery out of the crate. (although they don't really crate them anymore.)
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: Middle America
My Fat Boy S is slow to crank either hot or cold but worse cold. Sometimes the speedo resets itself from clock to mileage if the bike won't start first time. I've had Harley check it but they said 'it's normal'. I have to hold my finger on the starter for longer than any other bike I've had.
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