While I'm thankful to have the time, I didn't intend on spending all late morning and most of the afternoon searching for the end of the negative battery terminal on my sporty. The owner's manual was horrible. Mind you, there was a mod done on this 2009 model.

The fuel pack brain was exposed as I opened the left cover. The other electrical parts where pretty much just sitting in the space. That's cool, someone did what they had to, no harm no foul. But for the life of me I couldn't find where the ground terminated. I finally found it, on the right side. The reason for me looking for it was to get my YUSA battery tender hooked up. I also reasoned the extra hook up that came with the unit could be permanently installed so as to just use it's connector each time.

I finally got the battery out of its space....there was sooo little play to get the back ground post within working reach. Finally did, got it all installed. Couldn't figure out why a 10 mm socket fit the post screws while the battery bracket used a 3/8. Didn't matter because I could only get pliers to the back post, no room for a socket.

If this is the way it goes when working on a Harley, I guess the stealer gets the business in the spring. Anyone with similar experiences? Or am I just a greaseless idiot?

 

Hi, I agree with the poster.
where is the best place to attach the clamp style tender to the negative ground, the frame??
Where does the ground wire attach to the bike?
Thanks

 

Hey traylestrat, Yeah the battery cavity is really tight, but I found that attaching the permanent connecters was not that hard to do and still put the battery back into its hole. I can get to the connecter easily and attach it to the tender with no problems.

Hey 67bullitt, I have a 2007 XL883 and the battery ground is on the right side, on the engine case, very close to the starter motor. You can see where it goes into the right side case where the battery cavity is. You can put the clamp on that ground wire if you want. Your 2006 may very well have the ground wire in the same place. I hope that this information will be useful to you! Good luck and ride safe out there!

 

I Installed several Deltran battery tenders recently and learned it's a WHOLE lot easier to attach the tender neg lead straight to the frame....And yeah, it works prefectly providing you insure a good bare metal attachment, so make sure to scrape the paint off where the lead attaches.

If you think it's hard to reach the neg terminal on an '09, then you sould see the 2010's!

 

Gee, on my 010 Ultra it only took me an hour to remove everything and install the tender lead and replace everything. My other bikes took about 15 minutes.

 

We are talking Sportys here.....You are more than welcome to visit and attemp to remove/reinstall my 2010 sporty battery....I got plenty of beer and tools so go for it ....It will be especially entertaining when you to attempt it using the instructions in factory service manual.

 

i have an 08 and it's really tight but repair manual is your best friend. best 30$ you'll spend on your bike (i got the clymer edition, owners man. suck @ss). took me all of 20min. to pull my batt. not to mention my tender connection is right under the left side cover. the manual does a good job of identifying everything.

 

For the ground cable on my battery tender pig tail I used the main ground stud on the engine case right by the starter and it works great! It's the stud that the starter NEG cable bolts to so it's a for sure good ground.

 

Exactly! I hooked up the plug for heated gear that way, and also the built in garage door opener accessory.

 

if your clamp style tender is from harbor freight (the floating charger) throw it away! it will ruin your battery i have seen it ruin over 10 batteries with customers in the shop, 2 of my own as well... it sucks!
you can do the possitive and your frame, just be sure you find a solid ground on your frame