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  • PaulT
    PaulT
    5 years ago
    Hi all, I have a 4 month old Fat boy S as pictured, I jumped on it tonight and the battery was as flat as a tack, it was started the day before yesterday so it hasn't been sitting long. It did this about two months ago and the dealer replaced the battery hoping is was a dud battery, obviously not. The fuel gauge has also shit its self three times and its still not reading right. So the bike has totally let me down (broke down) twice now in as many months. Last time the dealer had it for days and found no problem with the charging system, and of course that'll be the same this time. When do I ask for a replacement bike? this is getting fucking ridiculous.  
  • Jayman6
    Jayman6
    5 years ago
    Quote source removed.
    “Seems to be a current issue” 
    I see what you did there...
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    5 years ago
    Quoting PaulT on 06 Sep 2018 08:36 AMedited: 06 Sep 2018 08:37 AM

    Hi all, I have a 4 month old Fat boy S as pictured, I jumped on it tonight and the battery was as flat as a tack, it was started the day before yesterday so it hasn't been sitting long. It did this about two months ago and the dealer replaced the battery hoping is was a dud battery, obviously not. The fuel gauge has also shit its self three times and its still not reading right. So the bike has totally let me down (broke down) twice now in as many months. Last time the dealer had it for days and found no problem with the charging system, and of course that'll be the same this time. When do I ask for a replacement bike? this is getting fucking ridiculous.  

    Forget about asking for a new bike at this stage, it just will not happen.
    Either a fault in the charging or battery condition, or perhaps you are doing something wrong?. It is possible.
  • PaulT
    PaulT
    5 years ago
    Quoting PaulT on 06 Sep 2018 08:36 AMedited: 06 Sep 2018 08:37 AM

    Hi all, I have a 4 month old Fat boy S as pictured, I jumped on it tonight and the battery was as flat as a tack, it was started the day before yesterday so it hasn't been sitting long. It did this about two months ago and the dealer replaced the battery hoping is was a dud battery, obviously not. The fuel gauge has also shit its self three times and its still not reading right. So the bike has totally let me down (broke down) twice now in as many months. Last time the dealer had it for days and found no problem with the charging system, and of course that'll be the same this time. When do I ask for a replacement bike? this is getting fucking ridiculous.  

    Quoting Far Canal on 06 Sep 2018 09:29 AM

    Forget about asking for a new bike at this stage, it just will not happen.
    Either a fault in the charging or battery condition, or perhaps you are doing something wrong?. It is possible.

    They had it for the same problem couple months ago and found no problem with the charging system. They just replaced the battery, the battery is new the bike is near new.... I'm not doing anything wrong. So in this country you can spend ten of thousands of dollars on a brand new premium vehicle and if its a dud tough shit... you have no recourse?? The dealer can tell you to go fuck yourself? or "buy a battery tender", means the same thing..... That's insanity.....
  • Ken in Cairns
    Ken in Cairns
    5 years ago
    Voltage regulator diode failed maybe ??
    Though I thought it took longer than a couple of days drain the battery.
  • brucefxdl
    brucefxdl
    5 years ago
    having a fault in a charging system does not make a machine a dud,there will be an answer to this fault,just needs a good mechanic to find it and not all faults show up first time,some are intermittant.particularly with electrics.
  • Ken in Cairns
    Ken in Cairns
    5 years ago
    Yep too true Bruce, intermittent faults are a right pain to find and sort out, sometimes you find it with a bit of luck other times you don't until the part finally fails fully.
  • brucefxdl
    brucefxdl
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 06 Sep 2018 10:01 AM

    Yep too true Bruce, intermittent faults are a right pain to find and sort out, sometimes you find it with a bit of luck other times you don't until the part finally fails fully.

    thats it ken,had a fault in a circuit on a job recently.tracked it down to a broken wire,repaired that and the fault was still there....traced the harness back up into the mudguard under the cab,and you wouldnt belive it,another broken wire ....the same wire as the other break.first break found was caused by owner continuing to drive with a loose inner guard panel,obviosly occured after the second break that i found.took a while to sort it all.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    5 years ago
    Welcome to Harley....hear your pain. Seems more and more problems with late model bikes
  • Soapbox2627
    Soapbox2627
    5 years ago

    Paul

    may not help to actually fix it, but every time you take it back to the dealer they will not only try find the problem, they will also be recording that it has been in for a problem, so there will be a writen history, espesially for warrenty after your "2 years" expires

    with a bit of luck, fix it before it becomes to big

  • PaulT
    PaulT
    5 years ago
    If they don't well and truly fix it this time I'm going to trade it, I like the new street bob, I had a 2014 model new back then and loved it, flick-able powerful so much fun. Or maybe a Ducati Diavel X but they don't have the street cred like a HD does in my opinion..... This is so upsetting though :o(
  • Stew70
    Stew70
    5 years ago
    Sorry to hear your having issues with the bike.   Hopefully the dealer will do something for you.   It would be a shame to have to trade the Fatty in.   Best of luck,  Stew.
  • bloodog
    bloodog
    5 years ago
    Happened to me with a new 2016 breakout the hog shop told me the Automatic Compression Release was not turned on. Or some bull shit like that, in the end we all need a battery tender on out bikes.
    Automatic Compression Release (ACR) valves reduce the strain of starting ... The engine is easier to turn over resulting in less wear on your starter and battery.
  • PaulT
    PaulT
    5 years ago
    Quoting Stew70 on 06 Sep 2018 01:36 PM

    Sorry to hear your having issues with the bike.   Hopefully the dealer will do something for you.   It would be a shame to have to trade the Fatty in.   Best of luck,  Stew.

    Thanks Stew ;o) 
  • PaulT
    PaulT
    5 years ago
    Quoting bloodog on 06 Sep 2018 07:07 PM

    Happened to me with a new 2016 breakout the hog shop told me the Automatic Compression Release was not turned on. Or some bull shit like that, in the end we all need a battery tender on out bikes.

    Automatic Compression Release (ACR) valves reduce the strain of starting ... The engine is easier to turn over resulting in less wear on your starter and battery.

    But I’ve owned 36 motorcycles sine I was 9yo and I’ve never needed a battery tender.... some I’ve left sit for weeks and they start right up. I ride this thing every day, I shouldn’t have to plug it in every night or it’ll go flat. “Going away for the weekend better take the battery tender and hopeful find somewhere to plug it in or I’ll be stranded” 
    It’s not good enough for a 32 thousand dollar motorcycle. 
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Hi PaulT
    Trading for a new Streetbob may not solve the issue, both bikes have the same basic guts and battery issues aren’t the only problems lurking in the new models.
    Hearing you about not having a tender on previous bikes but it’s likely they didn’t run a constantly monitoring alarm system, but yeah if you’re riding it every day it shouldn’t be necessary unless you’re doing very short runs.
  • PaulT
    PaulT
    5 years ago
    I have only basically commuted on it since I bought it.... but that shouldn’t worry it. My 2014 Street bob and 2012 Vrod didn’t need battery tenders and they had the same alarm system. I guess I could sell it and buy another used Vrod they’re bullet proof, and great bikes, why HD dropped them after so much R&D went into the Vrod I don’t know. There’s the new FXDR but same faulty runing gear and just not worth 35 grand in any stretch of the imagination. 
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Yeah Paul, the Vrods are great bikes but didn’t make HD’s sales expectations, simple as that. Of my 40 or so riding mates only one has a Vrod, don’t think we’ll ever get him off it either. Sure goes hard.
    Stick with your new Fatboy and ask for a loaner while they get it sorted. While there’s no lemon laws a product has to be fit for purpose and if you can’t ride it when you need to, ie to get to work which may cause a loss of income, they ought to provide an alternate ride while it’s sorted. 
  • Jayman6
    Jayman6
    5 years ago
    My ‘14 Fatbobs first battery lasted 3 and a bit years, weekend only riding, a few long periods of no riding at all, never saw a tender once.
    You don’t need a tender, your dealer needs to pull their head out the sand and provide some actual customer service. Not good enough.
  • spacewolf
    spacewolf
    5 years ago
    I have had the battery issue too (Slim S 117), and have been told to get a tender. Battery usually goes 2 weeks, but as it gets down yea it won't last a day. 
    You'll need to either get a bigger battery or do the tender - if you don't you damage your ring gears. 
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