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[Majorrocky]

The battery in the ol' FLHRSE4 finally bit the bullet.  Time for a new one.  What kind of price should I expect when I hit the local HD dealer tomorrow?

[Twolanerider]

About $150 over the Harley parts counter.  Or something comparable that many here have had good use from for about $100.  It's the ETX30L from Deka (who happens to be the OEM for the Harley branded batteries).

Just did a quick internet search and saw this vendor offering the part number for about $100. 

http://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Crank-ETX30L-Battery.html

[Majorrocky]

About $150 over the Harley parts counter.  Or something comparable that many here have had good use from for about $100.  It's the ETX30L from Deka (who happens to be the OEM for the Harley branded batteries).

Just did a quick internet search and saw this vendor offering the part number for about $100. 

http://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Crank-ETX30L-Battery.html

Excellent!  Thanks for the tip.

[Twolanerider]

Glad to help.  I've got one of those batteries in the Road King and know of at least six others who have them in current use.  Don't know of anyone who has yet had a problem.

[grc]

Actually the OEM battery from H-D is now $170.95 MSRP.  Amazing how they keep jacking them up, and even more amazing how many they sell to unsuspecting folks.

Take Twolane's advice and save yourself about $70.

Jerry

[RayG]

I have the same bike that you do and installed the same non OEM battery that Don & Jerry recommended last spring. 

[rayz1951]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered mine.

Ray Z

[SERK3]

I have a FLHRSE3, 6 1/2 yrs. old, same battery that came from factory, has not give any indication of getting weak but they say the life of these batteries is about 7 yrs., Just wonder if i should go ahead and replace it, would hate to be caught out in the middle of nowhere and battery lay down on me. 

[grc]

I have a FLHRSE3, 6 1/2 yrs. old, same battery that came from factory, has not give any indication of getting weak but they say the life of these batteries is about 7 yrs., Just wonder if i should go ahead and replace it, would hate to be caught out in the middle of nowhere and battery lay down on me. 

Anything over four years is a bonus, and I've personally gotten between five and six years on my bikes in the past.  Unfortunately, when the battery decides to "lay down" it will tend to do so with very little if any warning.  Bike (or car for that matter) starts and runs fine today, tomorrow morning it doesn't even turn over. 

You could go to the trouble of doing a load test on the battery to get an idea of the state of the battery, but even if a battery passes a load test it can still fail due to internal short circuits or opens due to failure of the internal cell connectors.  If it were me, I'd consider myself lucky to have gotten one to last over six years and put that puppy out to pasture.

btw, I've noticed in recent years that the batteries don't seem to be lasting as long as they once did.  I'm not sure if its due to cost cutting in the manufacture of mainstream batteries, or just the added electrical load late model bikes and cars have compared to their predecessors. 

Jerry

[spydglide]

I agree Jerry.  I just had to replace one that was only 4 1/2 yrs. old....would only chg. at 80 percent and I'd always kept it on the batt. tender.  That's quite a bit shorter longevity than previous batterys on the Electra Glide.  spyder

[SERK3]

Jerry, I agree 100%

[Twolanerider]

For me the battery is a preventative maintenance item.  When it's four years old it gets replaced.  Especially for a heavyweight bike.  Maybe someone else is stout enough but I'm not safely push starting the Road Glide and you can't always count on parking with a downhill grade in front of you.

[spydglide]

For me the battery is a preventative maintenance item.  When it's four years old it gets replaced.  Especially for a heavyweight bike.  Maybe someone else is stout enough but I'm not safely push starting the Road Glide and you can't always count on parking with a downhill grade in front of you.

I'm with you now....I use to try and squeeze every month more out of one (like D00d), but those days are over for this old geezer.....along with tire tread/mileage also.  spyder