Do I need a new battery?
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 237
Likes: 3
From: Kissimmee, FL
Do I need a new battery?
This is my first winter that I've had my Forty Eight. I usually keep a battery tender plugged into the battery. My pops unplugged the battery and it stayed that way for maybe more than two weeks. Long story short the bike won't start and wont hold a charge past 11.4 Volts or so. Is the battery kaput?
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: ct
Is the bike new or new to you? I would think it's unusual for a less than one year old battery that has always been on a tender to be shot but it's always a possibility. If it's several years old then it's definitely possible that the battery needs to be replaced and the fact that you leave it on the tender masked the issue for a bit. Either way if you try and charge the battery and it won't fully charge sounds like you need a new one. To be certain you can try and charge the battery disconnected from the bike.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,310
Likes: 2,446
From: Eastern NE
That's the problem, as I stated, you're trying to charge a battery with maintainer and this won't work...go get a battery charger, hook it up & then the battery will charge. Once @ 100% (12.8V) you'll be fine to put back on maintainer.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 9
From: washington
+1 get a charger and then see what the voltage is
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 135
Likes: 1
From: Reno, NV
A few weeks ago, I was psyched to go out for a putt after a long layoff without riding.
I got dressed, got all my riding gear together and pushed my bike out the garage. When I hit the START button, nothing happened.
I had forgotten to hook up my Battery Tender. For a good 3-4 months.
So, I decided to hook it up, and only the red light on the Tender lit up, indicating it was pretty low. I let it charge up overnight, roughly about 10-12 hours. The indicator light turned green, even though I wasn't expecting it to. When I hit the START button, she fired right up.
I say, hook it up to that Tender at least overnight. You never know if that battery may still have some life left without trying.
I got dressed, got all my riding gear together and pushed my bike out the garage. When I hit the START button, nothing happened.
I had forgotten to hook up my Battery Tender. For a good 3-4 months.
So, I decided to hook it up, and only the red light on the Tender lit up, indicating it was pretty low. I let it charge up overnight, roughly about 10-12 hours. The indicator light turned green, even though I wasn't expecting it to. When I hit the START button, she fired right up.
I say, hook it up to that Tender at least overnight. You never know if that battery may still have some life left without trying.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Not all battery tenders are the same! Some will recover a discharged battery, others will not. As Peacekeeper6 suggests, leave yours on the tender over a weekend, or couple of nights. If no improvement, get the battery tested, many auto parts stores will test it for you. If it is fine but discharged, either get a better tender, or a proper battery charger.