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Hopefully someone can see something wrong.
The battery clips are the wrong color because I used tender clips - the colors will be backwards using them this way on the tender plug.
Edit to add - the battery cables, ground under the starter, main fuse contacts, even the starter itself have all been checked multiple times or replaced and are good. There is no parasitic draw beyond the bus draw which is under 40mA and would likely go down after some time. I have even pulled the main fuse overnight - no appreciable change to float voltage the next day.
The bike is stored in a climate controlled garage each night and there are no aftermarket heated or high draw accessories.
I see nothing bad, or alarming in that video.
The static charge is 12.7V which is a full charge. That's good.
The battery drops when started, but never goes below 10V. That's a poor man's load test. It shows that current battery is good.
The charge voltage never goes over 14V and is up over 13v. That's good.
By the way, that "Motocross Platinum Elite AGM, GYZ32HL" is a rebranded Yuasa Battery, GYZ series. It's the same battery (series & size) that I put in my baggers and have had great service from. I buy it with the Yuasa name, but use a GYZ32HL battery.
There is nothing in that video that shows me why you don't get better service from your batteries...
That suggests to me it's your storage habits, use habits, and/or environmental conditions that shorten your battery life
I re-read your first post, there is nothing unusual, except for the low temps you routinely run the bike in...
You ride in really cold weather, 35° and less. Do you use the proper weight oil for those conditions?
If all is well mechanically (starter, auto compression releases, etc), that is all I can think of....
Last edited by hattitude; Dec 3, 2025 at 06:12 PM.
I just bought a battery from Autozone, their "Duralast" brand. It did not have the lead terminals. It had terminals that looked like nickel plated steel. I kinda like them because you can torque them down with more confidence than the soft lead terminals. Maybe Bigfuji has these "metal clips".
Yes those are the metal clips. They can vibrate loose due to the Harley vibration.
For me I'd expect that the charging system should go right up to 14.4 volts after that short startup. I've only checked my 07egc, 2000 FXDX and my evo bobber. They all went to 14.4. Now this was with an ambient temp of about 70-80 degrees.
According to Google AI temps should be higher for colder temps.
For me I'd expect that the charging system should go right up to 14.4 volts after that short startup. I've only checked my 07egc, 2000 FXDX and my evo bobber. They all went to 14.4. Now this was with an ambient temp of about 70-80 degrees.
According to Google AI temps should be higher for colder temps.
Max, that is what I noticed. My 06 Ultra goes right up to mid 14v after start. I don't think he's getting the charging voltage he needs. 13.5 volts is charging but not high enough.
There is a nice little device sold that plugs into your battery tender connection that displays the volts.
Sold by a lot of different manufacturers.
You can turn it on and off.
While I love the old school analog dials on my older Electra Glide, I can't tell tenths of a volt difference like this plugin.
Nice to plug/cover the connection if your batter tender connection cap is missing too.
I just leaveit on the bike.
Last edited by Robertbc3141; Dec 4, 2025 at 06:41 AM.
There is a nice little device sold that plugs into your battery tender connection that displays the volts.
Sold by a lot of different manufacturers.
You can turn it on and off.
While I love the old school analog dials on my older Electra Glide, I can't tell tenths of a volt difference like this plugin.
Nice to plug/cover the connection if your batter tender connection cap is missing too.
I just leave it on the bike.
That is a USB charger. Many of these are active when plugged in, and will deplete your battery if left plugged in for a period of time, as you suggest.
That is a USB charger. Many of these are active when plugged in, and will deplete your battery if left plugged in for a period of time, as you suggest.
Turned off it has not depleted my battery at all.
At least nothing like the newer bikes just sitting there.
They do sell them without the USBs. https://a.co/d/0BsQ6Xo
Last edited by Robertbc3141; Dec 4, 2025 at 08:02 AM.
I'm going to say something that some folks may not like. A LOT of info that AI has provided to me while searching has been completely wrong. I've been working with vehicles since the early eighties and have NEVER seen a charging system run much over 14 volts. I guess I should say a HEALTY charging system. As I mentioned before the engineers at a battery charger manufacturing plant I worked at in the early nineties found through extensive testing that charge voltages that high shortened the battery life.
In my job I drive all sorts of vehicles, vans, trucks, and forklifts. NEVER seen anything charge close to 15 volts. Maybe every situation I have been exposed to in the past several decades has been out of the norm, but I kinda doubt it. From what the OP is showing I don't think the problem is in the charging system unless it does go too high every now and then when he is out on the road. I wonder if it is possible that the battery box is somehow loose and shaking the battery more than normal?
Anyhow OP I wish you luck. Even on my bikes with heavily upgraded stereos in them I still get several years out of regular AGM batteries.
I'm going to say something that some folks may not like. A LOT of info that AI has provided to me while searching has been completely wrong. I've been working with vehicles since the early eighties and have NEVER seen a charging system run much over 14 volts. I guess I should say a HEALTY charging system. As I mentioned before the engineers at a battery charger manufacturing plant I worked at in the early nineties found through extensive testing that charge voltages that high shortened the battery life.
In my job I drive all sorts of vehicles, vans, trucks, and forklifts. NEVER seen anything charge close to 15 volts. Maybe every situation I have been exposed to in the past several decades has been out of the norm, but I kinda doubt it. From what the OP is showing I don't think the problem is in the charging system unless it does go too high every now and then when he is out on the road. I wonder if it is possible that the battery box is somehow loose and shaking the battery more than normal?
Anyhow OP I wish you luck. Even on my bikes with heavily upgraded stereos in them I still get several years out of regular AGM batteries.
I like a good discussion.. Use google AI and you can go look at the source. IMO this one is not to far off and the truth is that you do have to charge to a higher voltage to get full charge if it's cold. Now on a vehicle, charging may not be temp compensated. I have an off grid solar/generator house system for 27 years (been grid tied for the last 8) and getting full charge on $5000 of batteries is important to battery life. I had a temp sensor fall off the battery during the winter and almost smoked the whole battery pack of 12 6 volt Trojan L16s..
Like I said the HD systems seem to be geared towards putting out 14.4 volts. I've seen higher but usually after some idiot adjusted the regulator on a 65 pan or 78 honda 750. I had a regulator fail on one bike and cook a LI battery. I've been working MCs since the 60s. The old analog voltmeters, like a Simpson 260, weren't that accurate.
One suggestion I'd make to the OP is to find a battery charger / maintainer that does temp compensate if the bike is stored below 60F.
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