04 Sportster battery issues

I went for a ride today about 30 miles with a couple stops. Got back and saw my neighbor on his porch so I stopped, turned off the bike(using the key) and talked for about 5 minutes. I then turned the key back on and nothing. It was dead. Just put a new battery in it last year, so I don't think that is it but who knows. Any advice on where I should go from here? Thanks

Nothing at all?

No, no neutral light, nothing, wouldnt even attempt to crank if I would hit the start button.

Voltage Regulator is my guess. You said new battery too right?

How can I test the regulator, the only way to test it in the repair manual is a ground test where I put one probe of my ohmeter on the regulator and the other on a bolt on the frame an make sure there is no resistance(grounded), is there another way to test it, or does that mean it is good?

The battery was bought in July 2011.

Have you already isolated the problem to the battery? Even a near dead battery will often light your Neutral indicator.

Why did you replace the battery?
Was the problem there before you replaced the battery (the reason you replaced the battery maybe?
Did you allow the battery to go dead over the winter?
Did you clean the terminals AND the cable ends where they mount to the battery?
Is it a reputable brand of battery?
If the bike was running no problem, and you can jump start it and it continues to run no problem, that proves the engine is getting juice from the regulator. It does not prove the battery is getting juice from the regulator. If you jump start it and it dies when you disconnect the jumper battery, the regulator is probably bad or loose wire/connector at or near the regulator.
These are GENERALLY correct assumptions.

Ok, I watched a battery/charging system testing video and here are the results:

Battery volts with key off- 12.79
Battery volts with key on(running light on as well)-12.2
Lowest voltage while attempting to start the bike- 10.2
Voltage at idle prior to revving engine- 13.5
Voltage while revving the bike-14.3(at all rpm above idle, only varied +-.2 v)

All of this was normal according to the video, is there any other thing that I can test/have tested, or is this good.

Btw. I noticed that one of the bolts anchoring my voltage regulator was slightly loose, and I could not get the ohmmeter to read 0 resistance when checking the regulator for ground. I tightened the bolts and checked again and got 0 resistance. Could the regulator not being grounded cause the battery not to charge?

Re: 04 Sportster battery issuesa

I replaced the battery because I charged the old one to 12.7 v then tried to start the bike, it turned over a couple of time then would not turn over any more, I the checked the battery and it was again discharged.

I don't believe this problem was there before because it worked fine after I replaced the battery until the other day.

The battery did not go dead over the winter, I have a few batteries I would cycle through with my trickle charger but it never got belo 12.5 v.

It's an HD battery and the cables/terminals are clean.

One question, I have heard of people testing care batteries by starting the car then removing the positive cable from the battery and if the car continues to run the battery is fine, if not its bad, is this true? If so is it the same for motorcycles?

Re: 04 Sportster battery issuesa

Uh, that is not true for either. If an engine is running and the battery is disconnected, you have removed the battery from the troubleshooting process. You are testing the charging circuit (alternator) at that time.

Doesn't sound like a battery problem - sounds like a connection or fuse or ground issue. I vote you clean the connector junctions and try again.

Like they said.

On my sisters 02 Sportster the positive cable was made to short and it just snapped one day when she was riding, made a new cable 1&1/2" longer and good too go. I would double check the cables & that's all I got.

Re: 04 Sportster battery issuesa

One question, I have heard of people testing care batteries by starting the car then removing the positive cable from the battery and if the car continues to run the battery is fine, if not its bad, is this true? If so is it the same for motorcycles?[/QUOTE]

Bikes are not like cars, everything on the bike runs off of the battery. The only function of the charging systems is to maintain full power to the battery. If start your bike and disconnect the battery, the bike will stop running. The battery sends 12 volts directly to the coil, no battery, no spark.

You could have an ignition switch that is starting to go bad. Had the same thing happen on a 03' Softtail Standard. Customer rode over and dropped it off for new tires. When I took it off my lift and turned the key on, there was nothing, no lights, no horn, no power at all. Got my meter out and tested the ignition circuit. Had 12 volts coming into the switch, but nothing coming out. Replaced the switch and problem solved. Took the old switch apart and found that the contacts were heavily corroded.

Take all batter connections off and clean them with a small wire brush.
Then look at yer battery cables to see if they have any corrosion inside them under the cable. White stuff can build up and cause you to not get any fire threw the cables, making you replace them .
Scalding Hot water can be poured on the battery corossion to kill it till you can replace it.

Clean the end going to the starter too. And the ground on the frame.
Then take a load tester and check the battery to see if its strong or goes down under a load. If its anywhere near the red I would replace it.

You shouldhave toward 13 volts while not on a charger. And 10 volts is not acceptable.
You should have like 13.5 to 14 or so while on charge. Hope yer not using a car charger on yer motorcycle battery. If you did you probably burnt it up.

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They cost more but they live longer.

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