Stock Battery - How long?
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 569
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Stock Battery - How long?
I bought my FLHTCI new in October of '02. So it's been doing it's thing for almost 7 years now...
Not sure I have a question, but thought I'd let everyone in on my research. That being, I've never had a 'cycle battery last more than 3 years on any bike I've owned (and that's been quite a few since 1966), but this thing is still running the original battery. I do use a battery tender, so that probably helps, but 7 years?
I know it's going to fail unannounced someday, and being fuel injected that'll be the end of the ride, but now it's like that Seinfeld episode where Kramer and the car salesman keep driving until the car runs out of gas just to see it happen. I have to know just how long it will actually last.
Can anyone beat that? Any older than this and still running?
Just curious at this point, although I'm sure my curiosity will turn to &#*@!^% when it happens...
Not sure I have a question, but thought I'd let everyone in on my research. That being, I've never had a 'cycle battery last more than 3 years on any bike I've owned (and that's been quite a few since 1966), but this thing is still running the original battery. I do use a battery tender, so that probably helps, but 7 years?
I know it's going to fail unannounced someday, and being fuel injected that'll be the end of the ride, but now it's like that Seinfeld episode where Kramer and the car salesman keep driving until the car runs out of gas just to see it happen. I have to know just how long it will actually last.
Can anyone beat that? Any older than this and still running?
Just curious at this point, although I'm sure my curiosity will turn to &#*@!^% when it happens...
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 569
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Yup.
7 years IS a long time for a battery. I don't guess I'm worried about it much (although maybe I ought to carry around a new battery in the trunk - if that's even possible), but most of the people I hang with aren't even riders, so they don't appreciate the magnitude of my revelation.
I knew you guys would understand....
I knew you guys would understand....
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: Central, TX
8 years 4 months on the battery I just replaced. A Wal Mart battery at that. When it did die it died good though, no warning just stopped cranking. Called around to the bike shops and got priced a lot of 100 + batteries and figured what the hay, I put another $70 Wal Mart battery in. We'll see how long this one last.
Club Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,474
Likes: 6
From: Port Charlotte, Florida
Its one of those things where if i were you id be happy with the 7yrs and id retire that battery.
My dads 03 ultra had 5yrs on it when he sold the bike but like you he kept it on the tender when not riding and the bike was always stored in the garage and heated garage in winters
But id say you got to be very close to the end of the life on that battery.
7yrs is a long time for a battery no doubt about that but id change it before it fails but then again the way my luck goes id probably put a new one in and it fail 3weeks later lol.
My dads 03 ultra had 5yrs on it when he sold the bike but like you he kept it on the tender when not riding and the bike was always stored in the garage and heated garage in winters
But id say you got to be very close to the end of the life on that battery.
7yrs is a long time for a battery no doubt about that but id change it before it fails but then again the way my luck goes id probably put a new one in and it fail 3weeks later lol.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 9,254
Likes: 283
From: Lake City, Florida (Native)
Have gotten 5 years out of every OEM Battery from Harley ever owned but after 5 years replace it with another OEM so don't push my luck although even at 5 years were cranking perfect.. And say what they like you are not gonna do any better than Harleys OEM Battery
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2005
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Puzzled?
Not sure what the reasoning is behind "how much you ride it"... Are you saying if you ride it a lot it'll last a long time or are you saying if you don't ride it much it'll last a longer time? Since I never mentioned how much I ride, not sure how this equation works.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,750
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From: east cen.miss
05 RKC bought new in Dec 04,replaced the battery in April this year.It did give me warning though with slow cranking when hot,even though the battery checked good,14 volts 300 ccamps,a new one fixed it.