'Fun' removing the battery on a 2000 Sportster

[PC_Hater]

My 1200S has been off the road for 3 years after it back-fired and blew the carb off.
Today I finished refitting the carb and go-faster air cleaner (it is SE or K&N), but this time it has the brackets that hold the air cleaner backing plate to the head breather bolts. The carb will NOT get blown off again!

The battery is flat, so flat it might be dead. It is on charge but not much is happening. Nevermind, sometimes they come back to life and sometimes they don't.

Removing the battery was a first class pain. The manual was no help.
I was tugging and pulling and pushing and shoving. How the *$@~! do I even get at the negative lead to undo it?
The answer is, of course, with great difficulty after removing the seat and the module thingy under the seat so I made j-u-s-t enough room to get a spanner in there after moving the wiring harness as far as it would move out of the way. About a quarter of an inch out of the way...

That gave me enough room to manouevre the battery so I could get the 10mm ring spanner on the positive lead to loosen it enough so I could use my fingers to undo the bolt and remove it.

I really am not looking forward to putting the battery back on.
Oh for the joys of kickstart and a magneto like my 45 has!

[messed up]

Every time I work on wifes 883 it takes me 15 minutes and lots of cussin to pop the seat off. Simple if I could remember the last time.

[calif phil]

The rubber mount sporties are even worse to R&R the battery.

[PC_Hater]

The rubber mount sporties are even worse to R&R the battery.

Happily the rubber mount bike is hers and gets serviced by the dealer!

Meanwhile... the battery has come back to life and is now on trickle charge. Plan A it all goes back together on Friday.

[cyclobutch]

Err – My rigid mound just has a single screw at the back of the seat that holds that down. Battery ain't too bad, but in any even I stuck a charging tail on it that my Optimate plugs into when required, so I guess it hasn't been out of the bike for a few years. Getting' tired though.

[PC_Hater]

Yesterday the harness for the Harley Battery Tender arrived so today I re-fitted the battery with the harness.
It went back easier than it came out, but there was still a fair bit of shoving to get thing in properly!
Everything works and the bike is now on trickle charge.
Plan A is the legal stuff to get it back on the road gets done next Friday

[PC_Hater]

I had to buy a new battery, the HD one is outrageously expensive in the UK so I got a Yuasa.
Today the bike passed the MOT (government roadworthiness test) and is all squeaky clean legal and ready to ride on those occasional sunny autumn days.

The old Harley battery is in excellent condition and would work fine on any kickstart bike. It holds charge, operates lights and horn but can't turn over a 1200cc V-twin.
I proved this by removing the 740 Cold Cranking Amp battery from my car and connecting it directly to the battery earth lead and then using two jump leads to connect the positive lead. She fired up immediately after not being run for 3 years.

The battery is grossly oversized for my Morris Minor but when the battery was playing up on the FLTRI I realised that using the car battery wouldn't work, it was only 220CCA. What do do? I went out and bought the most powerfull battery that would fit in the car so that next time it wouldn't be a problem. And even on the coldest days the little 1098cc motor in the Moggie spins as though it is mid-summer! A win-win then. 

[andyxlh]

Ha! I use a Toyota landcruiser battery on my 70 traveller. I figure it fits the battery tray perfectly and if the engine dies I can probably drive the car home on the starter motor...
Re the Harley, I find that neg terminal can be accessed with a long cross head screwdriver from the Rh side of the bike, as long as you have the 10mm bolts with the cross head. Lots easier than trying to get a spanner in there, and when the front connection is loose the other one is easier.

[Hal64hd]

I don't know if it's the same on a 2007 XL, but on my wife's 2007 Sporty when I had to change the battery. I found it alot easier to undo the negative cable off the case by the starter and then pull the battery out with the cable attached.

[PC_Hater]

I don't know if it's the same on a 2007 XL, but on my wife's 2007 Sporty when I had to change the battery. I found it alot easier to undo the negative cable off the case by the starter and then pull the battery out with the cable attached.

My bike has the high-rise 2:2 Supertrapp exhaust.
You can see the negative cable bolt but you can't actually get at it! I would have to remove the exhaust system - and what a pain that is!
Practice does make perfect at getting the battery in and out. It only changes from 'that's not possible' to 'Oh, I see, it can be done, just' though.

[nibroc]

daughter brought her 03 1200C sporty over the other day for winter storage and maintenance---I noticed it still does not have the top chrome cover on the battery ---am not looking forward to removing it----can't imagine rubber mounts being worse----sorry Calif Phil     

[PC_Hater]

daughter brought her 03 1200C sporty over the other day for winter storage and maintenance---I noticed it still does not have the top chrome cover on the battery ---am not looking forward to removing it----can't imagine rubber mounts being worse----sorry Calif Phil     

Just stay calm, be aware it will be a very tedious experience.
And most important of all: don't drink the beer until AFTER the job is done!

[Wicked]

And most important of all: don't drink the beer until AFTER the job is done!

Well THAT takes all da fun outa it!! 
Paul

[fbn ent]

The rubber mounts aren't bad if you follow the manual's "suggestions"....remove positive, disconnect ground cable at the engine case, remove battery. Can't remember if the '96 had the same procedure or not.