Sound like a dead battery?

[consitter]

Loaded the TG then jumped on it to head to work, and got a surprise...it wouldn't start. Turned over a couple of times, then just started clicking. The lights didn't dim until the clicking started though. If I let off the starter, all the lights came back up to normal brightness. The headlights never did dim, just the dashboard lights.

Should mention that it's a '15 TG with LED lights. Maybe they don't pull enough juice to dim down? That's what's worrying me. If I thought it was just a dying battery, I'd be fine with that.

Put it on the tender hoping that'll get it to start in the morning.

 

[Keystone]

Battery in my 2015 lasted right at a year Scott. Had to replace it in February. Same symptoms. Then it would not hold a charge.

 

[consitter]

Battery in my 2015 lasted right at a year Scott. Had to replace it in February. Same symptoms. Then it would not hold a charge.

Figured as much. At least it'll be an easy fix. I guess I'm grounded until then, though.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Pretty early for battery failure:Shrug:
As a comparison for you, I keep mine plugged into a maintainer whenever it's parked in the garage. Battery is now over 9 1/2yrs old and still checks good.
Suggest you have it load tested.
Warranty, if it's a 15?

 

[consitter]

Pretty early for battery failure:Shrug:
As a comparison for you, I keep mine plugged into a maintainer whenever it's parked in the garage. Battery is now over 9 1/2yrs old and still checks good.
Suggest you have it load tested.
Warranty, if it's a 15?

Yep, I've got the warranty that's good to replace one battery in the first 3 years, so I reckon I'll have to collect on that.

 

[rhino 2]

Yep, I've got the warranty that's good to replace one battery in the first 3 years, so I reckon I'll have to collect on that.

Just for giggles, Check the battery terminals.. Could be lose, Especially the Negative terminal...Otherwise you probably have a bad cell in the battery...
Battery's are mysterious black box's, Some will give up the Ghost in a year and then some will last 8 years....

 

[hogcowboy]

AGM batteries(which your bike has) are much better than wet cell but they do still give up. But to get maximum life from any battery it should be put a battery tender when not in use. They have a nice little pigtail connector that makes it simple. So when you or they replace the battery make sure that pigtail for a battery tender is also connected to the battery.

 

[consitter]

Tender shows green right now. Should I take a chance and ride it to work?

 

[rhino 2]

Tender shows green right now. Should I take a chance and ride it to work?

Take the tender off, And try to start it, Then turn off the engine and start it again, If it kicks right over the second time your probably good to go....

 

[consitter]

Take the tender off, And try to start it, Then turn off the engine and start it again, If it kicks right over the second time your probably good to go....

Tried it and it started both times. Took the chance and rode it to work. Hopefully it'll start in the morning.

 

[trikermutha]

Tried it and it started both times. Took the chance and rode it to work. Hopefully it'll start in the morning.

Did you leave something on to drain the battery? May want to also check your voltage output with the bike running.

 

[hogcowboy]

Did you leave something on to drain the battery? May want to also check your voltage output with the bike running.

It's a Tri-Glide isn't? What's to be left on. If it's turned off everything should be off. Now if he left it in Accessories mode then yes.

 

[HDB0B]

It's a Tri-Glide isn't? What's to be left on. If it's turned off everything should be off. Now if he left it in Accessories mode then yes.

The tri-glide has a continuous drain on the battery due to the security system. I always put mine on the battery tender when not anticipating riding within a few days (mostly Winter ... since I ride a lot!).

You can also park and put in transport mode to disable security.

Bob

 

[trikermutha]

It's a Tri-Glide isn't? What's to be left on. If it's turned off everything should be off. Now if he left it in Accessories mode then yes.

Depends on all the gadgets people install on bikes and how they are hooked up. ThumbUp

 

[consitter]

The gizmos I have all shut off when the ignition shuts off. The only exception would be the theft system.

- - - Updated - - -

Reckon that I should mention that I took about a 60 mile ride today. Got home, put in on the tender, and the light went from amber to green within an hour. That's a good thing, I'm hoping. Still going to take it to the dealership to have it load tested.

 

[Livin2Ride]

On both of the TG's I've owned ('12 and '15) I've found you can get a pretty accurate "load test" just by using the reverse motor and backing up about 10-15 feet.

When you first hit the button to backup if the volt meter drops to about 10 volts or a little above that you are probably ok, anything below 10 maybe a bad battery. As you continue to backup (keep the button pushed thru all of this) the volt meter should come back up to about 12.5-13 volts after about 5-10 feet if it doesn't you probably have a bad battery.

This has been my experence, yours may be different.

 

[hogcowboy]

The tri-glide has a continuous drain on the battery due to the security system. I always put mine on the battery tender when not anticipating riding within a few days (mostly Winter ... since I ride a lot!).

You can also park and put in transport mode to disable security.

Bob

Yep, I forgot about the security system. But that won't drain the battery down overnight or even a few days. I truly think the real problem is the short distance riding and not putting a tender on to make up for it.

 

[MarineDoc]

You can also park and put in transport mode to disable security.

Bob [/QUOTE]

What is, and how do you put the bike in "transport mode?

 

[Sloufoot]

You can also park and put in transport mode to disable security.

Bob

What is, and how do you put the bike in "transport mode?[/QUOTE]
\
To you & Consitter:
It is all in the back of your owner manual. There also is how to use the security bypass for when your security fob fails, or you leave it home then shut the engine down. Read it & set your security code then write it down on one of the cards & put it in your wallet.

 

[consitter]

What is, and how do you put the bike in "transport mode?

To you & Consitter:
It is all in the back of your owner manual. There also is how to use the security bypass for when your security fob fails, or you leave it home then shut the engine down. Read it & set your security code then write it down on one of the cards & put it in your wallet.

I had the dealership set my custom code in case I don't have my fob. Looking in the manual is how I knew to do that. Will have to look a little closer to find how to turn off my security system if I want, because I didn't see that. Of course if you're not looking for something, you don't see it.

Thanks for that info.

 

[consitter]

I had the dealership set my custom code in case I don't have my fob. Looking in the manual is how I knew to do that. Will have to look a little closer to find how to turn off my security system if I want, because I didn't see that. Of course if you're not looking for something, you don't see it.

Thanks for that info.

Derailing my own thread a little bit, I just wonder how many Harleys with security systems could be ridden away by an opportunist because the original code of '11111' has never been changed?