I have an 07 StreetGlide that began to experience issues last year. While riding the bike shut off and would not restart. After towing to the dealer the next day the bike started and they determined that the battery needed to be replaced. After replacing bike ran great and I placed a battery tender on the bike over the winter. When taking from storage, bike fired up but I left the radio on for 5 minutes and the bike would not start due to low voltage. I read the forums and identified that the issue was a draw issue when the bike was off. With the negative cable removed, there still is a 10.6 voltage draw on the ohm meter. Took the battery to local dealer and they said I have a "bad battery". Bought a new one, installed it, but still have the same issue with 10.6 Volts with the new battery. Read the forum, identified that the stator is ok, but the voltage regulator still shows voltage when unplugged from the stator. Unplugged the voltage regulator but battery still shows 10.6 volts with the negative cable removed from the negative post. Last thing tried was to replace the negative cable start the bike and then remove the negative cable again. When I did, the bike died? So, do I have voltage regulator issue or something else?

Thanks in advance!

 

You might want to check the AC volts at the stator. If you don't have a service manual, now would be the time to invest in one. I know on cars, if the alternator is working you can unhook the battery with the car running and the alternator will supply the voltage needed. That could be why you battery is dying, it's supplying the voltage to run the bike.

 

I would not recommend disconnecting either battery cable while the bike is running.

 

Your right. You could do this years ago, When the Auto/Motorcycles Did'nt have ECM's and various other Electrical sensor's. The voltage spike can damage them and it becomes very expensive to repair. I work as an automotive Tech and have seen this happen many times.

 

10.6 is still not too bad of a draw. I believe, from my auto/truck mechanic days, we liked to see something around 8 volts. Try unplugging the radio, or the fuse for the radio and see what you get. Electrical components can draw a lot. Another place to look is the cigarette lighter, although on a bike this seems to be less of an issue. If your battery is bad, that will cause the starting problems, obviously. Once a battery goes completely dead, they are not too good after that. If it goes dead more times, it is junk.

I know everyone swears by tenders, but I prefer to either pull the negative cable, or better yet pull the battery and keep it in the house during the winter. The battery seems to last longer this way.

 

Yep I pull my batteries They seem to last 4 or 5 years that way I was getting 2 or 3