Sunday, February 21, 2016

Timing is everything

Yesterday it was sunny and in the 70s here at Castle Borepatch.  And the battery of the Harley was run down.

Today the battery is charged but it's in the 50s and rainy.

7 comments:

matism said...

"In the 50s and rainy" doesn't seem to be an issue for the Harley crowd at the Cabbage Patch in NSB. At least not as long as they've imbibed sufficient anti-freeze. Are y'all a buncha wimps up there or sumthin'???
}:-]

R.K. Brumbelow said...

After this happened the first time I assumed you would get a tech fix, I was wrong so here is the overpriced HD fix link: http://www.harley-davidson.com/store/750ma-supersmart-battery-tender

ASM826 said...

why yu no do preps?

B said...

Piss Poor Planning and all that:

get one of these. once installed, you can plug it in and leave it be when not riding.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1456076597&sr=8-5&keywords=battery+maintainer

tsquared said...

Go to your local auto parts place and get a Deltran float charger (Battery Tender). Or go to HD store and pay about $10 more for one with the HD logo.

I keep the ElectraGlide hooked up to a Jr. model when I am not riding. I got 7 years out of the original battery and I working on year 4 with the current battery.

jon spencer said...

I would say something about a BatteryTender, but I don't have one. My motorcycle battery was charged up, then pulled and now resides in my basement until the snow and ice go away.
If I am lucky that will be in about a month.

Will said...

I have a vague recollection that there is an alternator "fix" for your bike. Harley's tend to be run at low revs, and this limits the output.

An inherent problem with motorcycles is that they tend to have very primitive charging systems. Either low total output, or a regulator that overcooks the battery. Another problem is the very wide RPM range, much higher than an automobile, which adds further difficulties in regulating output. The alternator is normally very small, to enable it to survive revs that may be 2X or 3X what a car engine spins. If you are putting around town, this tends to suck the battery down, due to the output being too low at low revs to power all the systems that bikes now have. They are bulky, and can be a real problem for an engine designer to find appropriate space.