Motorcycle Repair: Charging system, circuit conductors, harleytechtalk

Question
Ok, here goes,  I have a 71 FX Superglide, an old kicker this year I replaced the battery because it would not hold a charge, then after it would sit for a few days it would be dead so I replaced the stator. I thought I had fix the problem but now it still goes dead after sitting for 3 to 4 days. Their is nothing extra on the bike. Standard ignition, do you think it could be the switch or regulator ?  If I put a full charge on the battery and don't ride it or even start it just go out and check for head light it is good and strong for about 3 to 4 days then I go out and nothing completly dead. Please Help me.

Answer
Hi Anne,

Verify that the battey is in good condition and fully charged. Simply charging the battery is not a measure of the batteries capacity.

Use a battery Hydrometer designed for use with MC batteries to measure specific gravity of Electrolyte of each battery cell. Charge or replace the battery accordingly. Testing instructions come with the Hydrometer.

Investigate electrical current leaks using a multimeter. Place the VOM in series with circuit conductors and monitor leak activity, if any.

Perform an output test on the charging system. Test individual charging system components for proper operation.

H-D Tech Resources:

http://groups.msn.com/HarleyTechTalk/techtalk5.msnw

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kodis/sportster/tips.html

http://www.bikernet.com/garage/

http://www.harley-performance.com/harley-tech-tips.html

http://www.sscycle.com/

Respectfully,
Mark Shively