Reluctant to start and drained battery

This might follow on from the intermittently dead thread a little while ago. I thought I had everything sorted. The bike seemed to be running fine, though sometimes a little reluctant to start. I have also noticed that despite a good run of a few hundred miles on what was a fully charged battery two weeks later the battery was close to empty.

So today when trying to start. Reluctant to start. Then battery unable to turn starter.

Battery should be fine, is less that a year old. Plugs are new and look fine.
Coil?
Alternator/Regulator?
Both?

2005 Softail. Suspect still with the original coil and alternator. So probably due replacing.

Thoughts welcome.

first I would charge battery, start bike and check voltage at battery. should be somewhere around 13.5 to 14 volts at a little above idle I would say. if you have a multimeter with an amp scale after you shut bike down disconect negative cable from battery, hook meter between. you should not see more than .010 draw. if you have a draw more than .050 I would try disconecting components or pulling fuses and relays. good luck

+1

Thanks. Not been able to trace the problem. A few days ago when we were due to go away the bike refused to start. Today, (with a mechanic present) it started fine, but he and I both noticed the error code signal on the dash. Decided it was best to leave this to someone qualified, knows what the code might mean and what this is diagnostic of. Hopefully it will all be sorted soon.

Here's the list of codes....Courtesy of Fuel Moto

Harley Codes - Fuel Moto

I just looked at those code...Jiffy Stand Sensor High, Jiffy Stand Sensor Low???

Really???

Aloha...Mike

Ya know, Some kids need it.Just sayin. How many squirrels ya see start their bikes standing alongside them ? JMO

Thanks for the list of codes. Very useful for the future.

Oh, yes, please protect me from my stupid little self. That is just so LAME! I'd have a hard time remembering which lights are for which function. Before you can hop on a bike and just ride, (which BTW, I CAN do, thank God), you have to go thru a plethora of electronic gizmos. We depend far, far too much on them, boys. we have some really anally retentive law makers out there. Kickstand warning lights! What happened to common sense? Uncommon these days, I guess . . . :rant:

I guessed right. Faulty ignition coil. As of course did those of you a while back on the earlier thread - cheers guys.

Just in case it wasn't the ignition coil and it happens aagin, think about the straighter (I know, it's missplelled but I never claimed to be a mechanic). Anway, my '89 Heritage would be running fine, I stopped to getr gas and then NOTHING. HD shop replaced the straighter.

The new bikes are way more voltage sensitive now compared to your '89...If your stator or regulator bit the dust on your '03...the bike would quit when the voltage dropped too low to run the electronics...

Haha...I got a boot sensor for 'em....It's nuts now with the with the stuff and laws to protect yourself from yourself...

You're pulling my boot . . . I mean, leg, right?

Only way to check a battery is with a load tester..

I got this charger from batteries plus. I puts out 5 amps and as the charge on the battery increases the charger will decrease ...
A charger on a bike the battery was low, I had a 2 amp motorcycle charger on it and it wouldn't crank.

Battery's Plus was saying a 2amp charger was just. Maintainer... I needed a 5 amp charger that would go into flat mode..
Also if you need a battery, look at the Extreme battery from battery's Plus.

We been puttin them into several bikes. They are better than the stock HD batteries..

DBT022-0157 12V 5A Waterproof Battery Charger - Waterproof - 12V - Battery Tender Charger - Batteries Plus

What fricken idiot came up with that idea? :fight: I have never ever in my intire life heard of anyone getting injured because they forgot to put the kick stand up. What next?? :gah:

Fricken political idiots!! uke: We need a high/low sensor for their brains. Once the low intelligence light comes on they will not be allowed to pass anymore laws...only gas which they should be required to save (Fart into plastic bag) and deposit at dept of energy for conversion into energy.

What year and model did this first appear on?
What happens if I wanna lower the bike and need to use an aftermarket kickstand?
Nuckingfuts They iz Just Nuckingfuts.

Aloha...Mike

If your charging system is bad, stator, cycle electric makes the best system in my opinion.

All that stupid FI electronic and code stuff keeps me babying my 99!