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[laylonlor]

bike is 4 yrs old how long do the orig. battery s last, and I guess hd batterys are the best, whats the price for a new street glide batt......

[porthole]

bike is 4 yrs old how long do the orig. battery s last

About 2-3 years, dependably.

[Para Bellum]

I wouldn't say the HD batteries are the best, but they're probably more expensive than an equivalent aftermarket one.  The 3 things to go by are the size (so it fits the battery box), the CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and the RC (Reserve Capacity).

For example, Batteries Plus  http://www.batteriesplus.com/products/558-CC/4386-Motorcycle-Batteries/639237-Harley--Davidson/Touring-Street-Glide-CVO-FLHXSE/1803CC-2010-to-2012/1.aspx has a range of batteries to fit the SESG, ranging from $90 to $150.  Of course, you can get cheaper.

[bisounours]

FLHTCUSE 3, '08 with orig. battery 

[Cvostu]

HD batteries cost about 175.    Not cheap at all. Stuart 

[ultrarider123]

HD batteries cost about 175.    Not cheap at all. Stuart 

Amen to that......

As for long lasting, it's been my and others experience they can last 3-4 or more years if taken care of.  However, for me anyway, it's best to change them out after around two.  The HD batteries get lots of abuse (heat and vibration being just a couple biggies).  If you puts lots of miles on a bike, maintenance is more than just changing the oil/fluids and checking the tention of the belt drive.  The wear and tear items need attention, too.  Some will disagree with me here and have batteries that have never been changed out AND they put lots of miles on their scoots.  Good for them and they are perfectly fine with that.  Personally I don't want many distractions on trips and changing my battery at two years, changing the tires out while they still may have some life in them, brake pads still at 20 or 30% life being replaced gives me some peace of mind.  To me, it's a little bit of extra money on the front end in attempt to eliminate any issues I would have in the middle of a trip OR the middle of nowhere.  I do the same thing on my 4 wheel vehicles, too.

Bottom line, if you want to squeeze every last drop of juice out of your battery, go for it.  The HD battery is expensive but it's not a bad product.  You getting 4 years out of yours is pretty good.  However you asking the question has you wondering if it's time to change it out.  Going back to that piece of mind attitude, maybe time for your battery replacement?

[grc]

Batteries deteriorate over time, no matter how much or how little they are used and even if they are kept on a battery tender religiously, so it's a good idea to have your battery load tested to determine how much capacity has been lost over time.  You can do as some recommend and just replace them every couple years, but that may mean wasting a lot of useful life and money.  Or you could do as some others recommend and just assume yours will last six or more years, which usually results in walking out to the bike one day, usually when you have an important place to be, and the battery won't even turn the engine over once.  This method leaves you at the mercy of the local dealer, who will be happy to charge you $180 plus tax and fees for a replacement, versus being able to plan your purchase ahead of time and get a much better price elsewhere.

I've used H-D batteries, and I've used Deka batteries of the same size that cost slightly more than half of the price of the H-D battery.  Some of those H-D batteries were fine, one failed in two years.  A higher price does not guarantee a better battery.

Jerry

[porthole]

My bike was built around February 2005. Battery went stone dead with no warning in August 2009
Replaced with a HD battery (was on the road)

I just got a new battery to replace the 2009 battery, which still works, but I was having my concerns.

This time I gave this one a try.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XQME74/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not bad, 4+ years for each

[VRODDAVE]

Just throwing this out there on the subject of battery's ......

 I've always used the HD battery with good luck,  however with all the electrical retrofit i've done on the bike,  I went looking for as much reserve capacity as I could find.  Ran across the YUASA GYZ series ...  picked one up for a price inline with all the rest.   They claim  500 CCA  and 32AH ...  which I am always skeptical about claims ...

Interesting thing was that I weighed the battery and compared to the HD battery, just on a bathroom scale.

HD weighed in at 21.2 pounds and the YUASA GYZ weighed in at 24.8 .....   seems like their claims of more plate area might just hold water (or acid  ).   Granted scale might be off in actual weight, but does demonstrate a difference.

[SDCVO]

Just throwing this out there on the subject of battery's ......

 I've always used the HD battery with good luck,  however with all the electrical retrofit i've done on the bike,  I went looking for as much reserve capacity as I could find.  Ran across the YUASA GYZ series ...  picked one up for a price inline with all the rest.   They claim  500 CCA  and 32AH ...  which I am always skeptical about claims ...

Interesting thing was that I weighed the battery and compared to the HD battery, just on a bathroom scale.

HD weighed in at 21.2 pounds and the YUASA GYZ weighed in at 24.8 .....   seems like their claims of more plate area might just hold water (or acid  ).   Granted scale might be off in actual weight, but does demonstrate a difference.

Do you feel a difference?

[VRODDAVE]

Do you feel a difference?

Yes I do ...   in all fairness, prior to this YUASA I was running the SHORI lithium battery for a year ...(it sucked by the way) but in my opinion the YUASA a better stronger battery than the HD with more capacity.   listening to stereo in the garage or leaving my key on while eating lunch on the road  has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind that it holds a starting level charge longer.   

[Lars]

Just like everything Harley, "You can buy better but you won't pay more".

[CVODON]

Bike batteries are like cars, they have gotten better over the years. My first bikes I was lucky to get a year or two from a battery. My 01 RK got 4 years and all of a sudden became slower to crank, cleaned all the connections but battery was just weak. 05 SEEG lasted 4.5 years and I sold the bike with orig battery. 09 SERG original lasted 23 months and got so weak it would not start, replaced with HD and sold the bike in 14 with it.
I will never be a person who replaces a battery that is working, 2 years or 7 years old. If you ride enough they will tell you when they are getting close to end. I have never had a suprise, sometimes I chose to ignore the warnings but that is my fault.

[charles05663]

My first motorcycle was a  2003 Heritage Softtail Classic. The battery lasted 7 years and stored in an unheated garage during the winter in Vermont and never on a battery tender.   When I went to replace the battery I ended up with Pentunia. I wish I had kept that bike.

 

[porthole]

If you ride enough they will tell you when they are getting close to end.

My first battery gave me zero warning. Started bike with no problems, rode into the toy hauler.
Unloaded from the toy hauler and was stone dead, not even a dim light.
Charged the battery up for a bit, went for a ride with my kid and 2-3 miles from the campground the bike shut down.
Kid goes back to get my truck, run the truck on the bike for 20 minutes and I got enough juice to get back to the entrance of the campground.
Jump again to get back to the campsite and it dies agin pulling into my spot.

Then I go out and pay full retail on a nice Sunday afternoon when I should have been riding