Been having a bit of sluggish starting lately so I took my bike into the shop since it is still under warranty. Everything checked out fine - the battery was put on the machine they use to run through the battery (no pun intended but it is funny) of tests. The tests indicate that it is charging fine and the cranking amps were around 9.5 9.7 (cant remember). The machine determined that the battery was good, but the cranking amps have me a bit worried. At what point should I be concerned about the cranking amps other than the obvious - bike won't start ? I hate to have to spring for a 170 battery (yep thats what they cost now) for a new battery on a 1.5 year old bike still under warranty because the machine says it's good but I don't want to be stranded in cracktown either.

 

Last time I started mine which was approximately 6 weeks ago, mine sounded weak for a moment then started like normal, but then was fine the rest of the day for starting up. However, it does have me concerned. I do keep it on a tender year round too.
I am right @ the 3.5 year mark which I heard that many of them start to go out.
I'm thinking that perhaps I should invest another $hunard in a new Big Crank battery,http://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Cra...-fl-flh-1570cc as my ESP does not cover this.
The Big Crank is good to go outta the box too, no acid to add, just plug and play.

 

Battery's plus

 

I'm not really looking for another battery - just wondering at what point cranking amps would be considered a bad battery. I can check cranking amps with my voltmeter easy enough. I will say however, warranty or no warranty - before my next motorcycle trip out of the area I will get a battery. Nothing worse than being stranded.

 

the amps required will vary depending on the condition of your cables ( clean connections?), starter, compression, temperature, oil grade etc., etc.

so once you determine all those, there's the magic number.

so ride, and when it starts to go find your local deka dealer and get a new AGM.


Mike

 

OK - at some point the machine that determined my battery was good will determine it is not. I am looking for the threshold (magic numbers) of when that is true so that when I get close to that I can maybe go back to HD and get a new battery before my warranty runs out (as long as I am local). I know that as long as the bike cranks I am fine, not my first rodeo. However I would prefer to keep 170.00 in my pocket and the only way to do that is to keep an eye on it and check it. When it gets close, I can go back to the shop and have them run their diagnostics again.

 

My experience showed that the cranking amps can and did go away in one evening. I ride my Bike year round even in our winters (Texas northern) therefor no battery tenders. My bike will start immediately when I switch it on. If I wait for the engine light to go out, then it cranks for a fraction of a second or longer on a older battery. JMO.

 

8.5 -9 amps after that get a battery, you will notice the extreme struggle.

 

The battery should be tested ( with a 'carbon pile' load tester ) at half the cold cranking amps of the battery ( around 170amps or so, depending on the battery ), the battery must maintain a Voltage of no less than 9.6 Volts for 15 seconds, less than that, it fails.

 

I understand from reading on these forums that a low battery will adversely affect several other components. Might be that the cost of a new battery will save lots more somewhere else on the cycle.