| Author | Message | ||
     Isham |
I'm out of town for 4 days and try to start my bike and the battery is dead. I didn't put it on the tender because I thought 4 days away wouldn't hurt. This battery is less than 6 months old. I don't ride with my hi-beams on for very long at night and when i'm at a stop I try to turn the beams off and cancel the dir. signals. Also the stator on my bike is new and has about 300 miles on it. Does this normally happen with HD batteries? How do those HD's with all those accessories even run? | ||
| Darthane |
First thing's first - check that your battery connections are clean and tight. Recharge it, check those connections, and put a voltmeter across it while the bike is running - make sure it's charging. Turn it off and check your key-off load if it is, make sure it's nice and low, like 1-2mA | ||
| Teeps |
The battery in my Ulysses is bad too; would not crank starter, started happening a couple weeks ago. Bike put in service November '05. From Nov. to May only 850 miles put on it. The local H/D-Buell dealer said it was because I didn't ride it enough and it (battery) was not maintained... The dealer went on to say that H-D would not cover such a battery failure under warranty. The battery in the XB series bike leads a very hard life. It's tilted, shaken and heated (by rear cylinder) beyond belief! I would be surprised if a battery in any XB series Buell lasted more than 2 years. | ||
| Darthane |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I would be surprised if a battery in any XB series Buell lasted more than 2 years. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <~~4 years, still cranked right up this spring after sitting, connected, all winter (yes, I was a bad boy). | ||
| Beachbuell |
I still have the original battery in my 04 XB12R. 4 days of not riding would not drain your battery like that, maybe 4 weeks of not riding would. You mentioned you had a new stator installed, I would guess that your charging system is faulty and not charging. | ||
| Isham |
I tested it all and it worked when I had the stator installed. I hope I dont have to do the stator again... We'll see when I get home from work. | ||
| Perry |
The stealership is giving you crap. Remind them about this part of the owner's manual that contradicts their claims. Here's a link, then scroll up to the paragraph just above where there is a chart documenting discharge rates: http://www.buell.com/om/99474-06Y_en/file-6.asp#hdtopic000135 It basically says your battery will discharge to 50% charge after 4.5 MONTHS in the worst case scenario of 104 degrees, or more slowly for cooler temperatures. There is NO legal reason why they can refuse warranty because you only rode 850 miles. There is no mileage requirement to keep your warranty in effect. I'd call Buell on these guys. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Yep, the battery is covered in your warranty for a full 2 years. Play your trump card and call Buell customer service. Stealers (i'll borrow that term from now on, can't understand why I didn't think of it) always try to get out of warranty work. Oh and BTW I've been running the same battery that came with my bike since 9-8-03. I run a lot of accessories and high beams ALWAYS on. | ||
| Beachbuell |
Keep in mind also that there is several parts to your charging system, stator, voltage regulator and battery. Did the dealership also replace your voltage regulator at the same time as the stator? It is wise to replace them both at the same time, otherwise your voltage reg. may have taken a dump now. | ||
| Teeps |
Pwnzor Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 Yep, the battery is covered in your warranty for a full 2 years. Play your trump card and call Buell customer service. Thanks for the advice guys. But, the time and trouble, to call Buell CR, make an appointment and get the bike to the dealer, is not worth it. My time is more valuable, than the $46.55 it will cost me for a new battery. (Message edited by teeps on July 05, 2006) | ||
| Beachbuell |
Point is that it may not be the battery. It may indeed be the voltage regulator or stator again. Best way is to check the entire system, rather than guessing. | ||
| Sakuc |
If the regulator is gone then you will be buying 46.55 USD batteries until you fix the regulator... cheap, innit  | ||
| Isham |
I checked the charge when the bike was at idle and it looks good. This is a silly question but I have a habit of leaving the engine cut off switch on when I have the bike off with the key out. Just wondering if that would discharge the bike? | ||
| Pupu |
mine charges fine and stuff too, but if it sits for more than a week it will be hard to start, and if it sits much longer than that i am running beside down he street to start it. | ||
| Beachbuell |
"I checked the charge when the bike was at idle and it looks good." I'm not sure I follow you there.....Once the bike was at idle what was the reading? Did you rev the bike up and if so did the reading increase on your voltmeter? If so what was the reading, do you remember? That is the correct way to see if the system is charging. It may be a good idea to get a battery tender and hook up the pigtail leads to your battery and just plug the bike into the charger after every ride, then your bike will be fully charged every time. I understand the bikes have clocks that will draw some juice from the battery, but I can't see it being too much as to totally drain the bike after just a week or two of not riding. | ||
| Mckennaxb12r |
Everyone's time is worth the $46.55 you stated the cost for a replacement battery. However, if you roll over to the dealer and pay out of pocket for something that is an obvious warranty related item what will be next. Don't put that steak dinner in the mouth of the dealer owner put it in yours. I'd a least make a call to Buell cust.service and relate the incident to them and about the dealership so next time someone else including yourself doesn't get screwed. Just my perspective and my experience with dealerships as a whole. |
