Need to get a jump starter. Not always somebody around when you need it.
Also eliminates jumping someone off with your vehicle and all the bad ju ju that can come with it.
Bonus as a phone charger and light too.
Keep one in the boat, too.

 

Lot's of mixed messages here! My experience of battery life is as short as 6 months (on a new Honda bike) to around 12 years (BMW bike). We have a vehicle with an original 7 years old battery and my most recent solos (Harley and Buell) I replaced at 6 years old. So IMHO an original Harley battery should last a good deal more than 3 1/2 years, on the other hand I wouldn't run a radio or other item for very long when stationary. I would have investigated a little further before blowing out on a replacement, as I suspect the current one is just fine, with plenty of life left.

 

Battery life is greatly affected by operating conditions of vehicle and temperature.

Heat kills batteries so even here in the USA you will see a wide variety of responses between north and south.

I learned when moved to the south 12 years ago that all of a sudden I can expect only a solid 3 years from any battery I bought for any vehicle, where up north lifetime was much greater.

Pretty much 3 to 4 years in the hot part of southern USA (being near the ocean much of Florida is not hot) and your running on borrowed time after that.

This is if you are in an area with common 95 to 105 outdoor temperatures for 3 to 4 months of the year. (and of course you ride, like I do in those temperatures, many do not)

 

A little deeper on why I recommend keeping a small jump starter with you.
Of course you might need it when no one is around to help you start your vehicle. (Including on a boat)
However, one of the biggest reasons I also carry one is to jump others off in need. For example, when my vehicle needs jumped from another vehicle, I INSIST on connecting to MY VEHICLE MYSELF after insuring the other end is positive to positive, and negative to negative. I don't want any mix ups, or problems.
When jumping others off from my vehicle, I will extend that same courtesy to them if they insist on connecting to their vehicle. If they really want to connect to their vehicle, I fully understand. What I have seen next is what gets under my skin: I have seen many take the ends of the cable and STRIKE IT positive against negative "To see how hot the other battery is". That's BS, and I don't want my vehicle subjected to that, running or not. I started connecting mine last to avoid that crap, but once a guy quickly pulled His off and "Gave it a strike". Nah, no more of that BS for me.
I insure the jump pack is charged, connect it, see the green light, WALK AWAY FROM IT, and they fire the vehicle right up. I retrieve the jumper, put it away, and go on my way.
I saw a battery blow up during a jump about 20 years ago, and everything was connected properly. "They are not supposed to do that", sure, right. What have you to gain by standing over it?
Rant over. Have a good day...

 

Any pitfalls to look out for while replacing the battery on these newer bikes ? Should fob be present when battery is disconnected ? Pull the main fuse or boom fuse ? Just swap the battery out with no worries ? I don't have the factory siren, so that won't be a problem.

 

Unsure of newest models, but swapping battery on bike without siren shouldn't require any extra steps. I got little over 5 years out of original battery on mine, but was careful to use battery tender whenever parked for any length of time--otherwise they don't seem to last more than 3 or 4 years max. Not at all surprised that an hour running stereo drained battery to where it couldn't turn engine over; if not completely dead and charges up and starts okay I wouldn't have bothered replacing it.

 

It was on a tender when ever it was parked at home. It was showing signs of weakness in the first start of the day by slow cranking. Not saying i couldn't have gotten the winter out of it ,but i ride all winter as long as there is no snow on the roads. Not taking any chances and the battery is cheap enough.

 

i received my new battery today and the voltage was 12.6 v so it's on a 1 amp charger right now and then i will put it on the tender for a day or so. How long should i leave it on the 1 amp charger ?

 

I have learn pretty much the same moving from the north west to Arizona however after talking with some natives I learned that there is no such thing as a maintenance free battery , they dry out fast . I unseal and refill every year cars and motorcycle and limit tender time because it drys them out faster . When filled, after one year the acid will evaporate below the plates by over 1/4 inch. My Yausa 500ca filled every year is on its 5th year running strong . Also I now unseal all new batterys because I've found them not even filled to the top of the
plates.

 

On the one hand a new battery is never 'fully charged' as the packaging often claims, but on the other the interval of charging you mention should be enough. However you could simply install it as received and then take a ride for a tankful of gas, which will probably achieve the same end result! And much more fun.....