Motorcycle Repair: battery drain, battery problem, volt meter

Question
Mike,

I have a 1995 HDDWG I just picked up about a month ago.  Thought I had a battery problem so I put in a new HD battery.  The problem still is over night the battery drains to the point it has to be charged.  The other night I finally got it started drove ~ 20 miles, visited a friend for an hour or so and wouldn't turn over.  Had to jump it.  No accessories or anything are on and if I go out for an 80 mile ride or so and put the charger on when I get back the battery is fully charged.  I'm assuming it's being drained somewhere when it's sitting but?  Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks for your help
Dave

Answer
FIrst thing i would check is to see if its charging when you are riding. Get a volt meter, start the bike and test at the battery. At 2000 RPM you should be getting around 13.5 volts. If its less than 12 volts then you have a charging problem.
If thats not the problem, then you need to start tracing for a short in the electrical system. Since the power goes from the battery to the switch I would start there and see if anything is being powered when the switch is off.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike