My OEM battery, mfg date of 06/06, finally died this afternoon without warning.

Fortunately, I was headed home after 150 mi ride & decided to stop in my old shop for a spell. When I went to leave, the battery was dead. All they had was a Drag Spec sealed battery in stock but it's the correct one so that beats no battery. After a short time charging, the bike fired right up & off I went.

Its only weird because I had been recently thinking that it was time for a new battery. But each time, just like today, the bike fired right up & off I went.

Breaking down in front of my old shop was pure luck.....

 

That's a good deal of time on a battery. And that was good luck on it going out in front of the shop.

 

Lucky you were at your old shop, last time a battery went out on me I was 40 miles from nowhere. My 08 battery is still working ok but I am thinking of just getting a new one. Problem is, I not to sure what to buy. I'm hearing a lot of guys complaining that the new Harley replacement batteries are not holding up very long...anything to this rumor guys???

 

Battery life can vary greatly depending on where you live, how you ride, and using a battery tender to maintain your battery's life span.

Personally, I change the batteries on our "road bikes" before the start of the third season if I (or we) are going on a long road trip. I rotate the older batteries to other bikes and my generator which usually gives me 4 years (or more) of service for each battery.

Trying to get that last start out of a battery can sometimes get you stranded and I'd prefer to change frequently and not have to worry about being stranded.

 

I bought the 2007 Road Glide I have now used in 2011 with 7,350 miles on it.

I'm _guessing_ that after 4 years with relatively low mileage, that the battery was original.

It came with a pigtail connector and plug on it, so I bought a Schumaker battery maintainer to use with it -- plugged right into the lead on the bike.

So after what looks to be seven years, the original battery is still doing ok. But I always plug it into the maintainer after a ride. The garage is unheated, and this past winter was the first year I left the battery in the bike for the winter, but plugged into the charger. Bike started right up in March, just like any other time.

 

I always have my battery plugged into the charger after very ride. So far no problems with the 4 year old battery.

 

That was a nice run for a battery.

 

Thats almost unheard of for a battery these days, you got a very good run out of it, lucky you were at your old shop when it happened.

 

Around 4 yrs but before 5 yrs I get new battery no questions asked.

 

Good for you! That old battery was definitely running on borrowed time.