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I try to ride this bike that I bought new at least once a week (been riding year-round since 1974). I rode it two days ago without issue but today the battery was discharged and barely started the motor. Now the check engine light is on and the alarm activates anytime i start the bike.
I have it on the battery tender currently.
My main concern is my local large dealer closed last year and now will have to take it to a neighboring town. I have an extended warranty. I'm wondering if I should trailer it or have the wife follow me. I'm a retired master tech, long term mc dirt and street racer but have no experience with HD check engine lights and if could shut off why riding the 30-miles to the new dealership? Thanks for any suggestions.
It might be worth your while to pull the code(s) to see if they are current or historic. Look them up just to know what they are, then clear them and see if they return once you have a good battery in it. You're experienced enough to know that a battery can be good today, then be bad tomorrow. Have it load tested because it's likely gone bad.
EDIT ---- here is the procedure in case you need it.
P1608 (defective PCM) is the dtc.
Yes, I know it about time for a battery and when I bought the bike the owner of the dealership said it was lifetime free battery replacement. Then HD went woke and the dealerships closed within months (very large successful dealership prior). .
Pulled the main fuse and the pcm dtc is still active. Battery starts the motor fine now.
That fault code can be caused by the nearly dead battery when you started it. Is there an h or a c following that code? Either way, clear the code and it should be fine. I've seen this many times.
I cleared the code and will ride the bike tomorrow and put some miles on it. The dealer did say i do have lifetime free battery replacement. My late father and uncles rode Harleys since WW2 and always said you're not a HD owner unless you pushed your bike home, I beginning to believe them. Anyway, the bike starts fine and runs fine, I'm thinking the alarm system killed the battery and started my issues. If it reoccurs, I'll take to the dealer for a battery replacement. Thanks for the information. Take care
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