Looks like it is time for a battery. The starter will barely crank past the first compression stroke. Bike seems to start fine, but when cranking over it will nearly stop when the first cylinder builds compression. Once it gets past the first compression stroke, it starts spinning. I suppose it could be the starter going out (maybe the armature dragging).

Seems like the battery should last longer than 19 months. Anyone else had any of these issues?

 

I always put mine on a battery tender when not riding. Really increases the battery life. Had 52,000 miles on my 04 when I traded it in 09 with no issues. Have 20,000 on my 08 and cranks great. Can't beat the $35 investment in a battery tender.

 

55k miles 3.5 years on my original one...sounds a tad weaker but still cranks...i thought last winter i was gonna need one but here it is a year later...hell i am gonna use it til it really dies...Do you use a tender?

 

I do not use a tender, the bike is a daily rider. I have around 36K on it now, it does not sit more than a couple of days at most. I do a 50 mile round trip to work and back. The volt gauge on the bike is reading 13.7 when running.

 

Starter stall is the first sign of a battery going south. Replace it at your convienence, or when it leaves you stranded. Both bikes always on battery tenders. The White Lightning battery lasted seven years. Replaced the FLHTI battery when it developed starter stall, six months later it left me stranded in the desert. These AGM batteries can last a long time, or crap out unexpectedly. Ignore the warning signs at your own peril.

 

You're close to needing a new battery! A tender will ensure it starts at home, if plugged in over night, but if your bike struggles to start when it is time to come home at the end of your day then get a new battery soon.

My worst battery experience is one that died after just six months, but I had another bike on which the battery lasted over a decade. Average life is much less than the average of those two!

 

I have used a tender since almost new...i ride my bike often also...not daily but sometimes several times a year...Tender is still good for the battery... If it's acting like this though it might be better to bite the bullet...

Check www.batterymart.com

 

I guess things were going my way today. I stopped by the dealer to have them check the battery and sure enough it was bad. Since the bike is still under warranty, they replaced it at no charge

Even they were a little surprised that it only lasted 18 months.

 

The stars line up sometimes....

 

A tender is a good idea even on a daily driver. Even more so if your trips are less than 30 minutes or so for each starter cycle, and more again if you drive with brights like I do, or if you're in stop and go traffic a lot.

I was surprised to learn the hard way that the charging system had such a hard time keeping the battery fresh. A tender adds a LOT of life and just an overnight once every couple of weeks is enough for a daily driver. You may even be able to recover your existing battery with one.