Going by the information I've read on this site. I don't think my bike should've started?
The bike had been disconnected from the Battery Tender for about a half-an-hour, outside temperature was around 63 degrees, put multimeter on tender pigtail, it registered 12.30 volts.
Turned ignition on, voltage on Power Vision System showed 11.9 volts. Than drops to 5.6 volts before startup.


I'm happy it did start. Went for a forty minute ride to my nieces house. was there a couple of hours. Turned ignition on to go home, Power Vision showed 12.10 volts. Bike fired right up, went home.
Let the bike set outside for two hours when I got home, Than I put the multimeter on the Tender pigtails it registered 12.97 volts.

 

Bump, with another question.

I've had the bike out three times since taking that video. That's 6 startups. The battery is always around 11.80 to 12.00 volts on startups when I turn the ignition switch on. It has never failed to start.
Should this battery be replaced?

 

Your battery is fine. If you are really worried about it, charge it overnight at about 10 amps.

 

At under $100 for a new batter from Battery Mart, I change the batteries in what I call our "road bikes" every THIRD season, regardless of how good they seem.

I "rotate" the old batteries into other bikes (or generator) and get a little more use out of them.

It's always seemed to me that those of us who ride on longer trips tend to get shorter battery life than the riders who ride local or only on weekends.
I know a guy that has a nine year old bike with the original battery, but he never really rides it on trips.

I have an '03 RK with less than 300 miles on the odometer and it has the original battery but I would never even consider leaving the driveway using that battery.

 

We've had a number of threads in recent times about batteries. along these lines. A recent one commented on how living in a hot State shortens battery life, but as I don't I can't confirm that. I have however had around 11 years out of a battery, despite mixed use including long trips. At the other end of the spectrum I had a battery on a new bike die in just six months, so applying rules of thumb don't work IMHO.

bbuckis, if you have doubts about your battery, get it load tested at a local auto parts shop. And stop reading the internet - it isn't good for your/our health!

 

Are the volt meter and PV readings the same?

 

EXACTLY!

At 11.9 volts your battery is all but dead! Dropping down to under 6 volts when starting should be a slap in your face. IT'S NOT HOLDING A LOAD! If the PV is correct, REPLACE THE BATTERY. Your almost 1 step beyond getting stuck!

 

Have a kick starter installed. Then you can just wait until the
battery does fail, kick it over and go buy a new battery.

 

Yes, they are very close. Where the PV shows 11.80 the multimeter shows 11.83

 

You might think so, but NOT!

Later model bikes with electronics require a minimum voltage for everything to work properly! Not enough volts, no ignition - no matter how many times you kick it over!

Your running on a surface charge! Change the battery!!