I purchased a 2011 Ultra Classic late last summer, so I'm a little unsure whether this is a problem or not. When the engine is running and in Neutral the "Volts" gauge reads around 14, however, when if I'm on the highway the gauge reads around 15. The highway reading seems a little strong. Should I be concerned?

Thanks!

RLJ

 

Both my UC's have been up around 15. Dealer (of course) says it's normal. Take a reading at the battery while the bike is running if you are concerned about it. Harley gauges are junk.

 

The volt/air/oil/fuel gauges are there just to fill the holes in the inner fairing. They weren't meant to be accurate.

However..... if your volts, oil, or fuel read ZERO, you might have a problem.

If your air gauge reads ZERO, you might have big nads.

 

the voltage regulator should keep the voltage to the battery below 14.7 volts ( no matter what rpm)- higher voltages will damage the battery...and possibly components.

the in dash meter is not accurate, so as suggested above testing with a real voltmeter at the battery will give a 'real reading'

from there you can use the dash voltmeter as a "coarse" measure.

most in dash meters read a little low, and this varies greatly by model and installed accessories.



mike

 

My 2012 reads 16v rock steady no matter what. A good Fluke DVOM shows 14.8v at the battery. There were some issues with voltage regulators over and under charging the system, so I would recommend testing it regardless of what the HD meter reads.

 

One cannot depend on factory installed gauges to be accurate, although they may be precise. 14.7 V is normal across a battery with the engine running. Just check it with a $20 RadioShack VOM for peace of mind.

 

Just picked up a 2010 Street Glide and have the same issue; dash meter never drops below 14.5 ~ 15 volts. Personal voltmeter on battery drops to 13.5 at idle after warmed up, immediately goes up to 14.5 with any throttle applied. Sound OK? Anybody??