I own a 2002 wide glide that I bought new and have kept her in great condition with 42000 miles . I think effd up, late last fall I put her bed for the winter with a dead battery. This past weekend I put a new battery in and she won't even turn over or fire. When hitting the ignition switch I'm getting a faint clicking sound (perhaps the solenoid?) Ive check the electrical connections and all seem to be secure.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thans, Dave

 

Have the new battery load tested; have seen them come flat out of the box. If you have kept the bike in great condition, there is no reason why no start with a new battery.

 

Why would it matter if you stored it with a bad battery? You could store it with no battery. You put a new battery in the spring, that is all that matters. Any issues you are having have nothing to do with this, unless you didn't tighten the cables when putting battery it.

I would put it on a charger overnight and try again. I wouldn't bother pulling the battery out and driving it across town to be load test, yet.

 

Did you charge it before installing it, or at a minimum check the voltage before and during your attempt to start? Should show above 12.5v with the bike off, and no less then 9ish when starting.

As said, put a charger on it and try again the next day.

 

Welcome to the forum Dave. Do you have a volt, ohm meter? A maintenance charger? A new small battery can be undercharged, old, or defective. I always charge a new one on my maintenance charger. Voltage check it after I draw off maintenance charge with headlights on a minute and then off. Should be 12.7 +/- 0.1 Then crank it and watch what it drops to. No lower than 9.7 for a stock Harley. shows good CCA Then once running a 2000 rpm, should read 14 +.05/-1 or so, and not over 15 shows a good charging/regulator system.

PS hope you enjoy a long ride here to with us. And only as a suggestion, make a new post over in the welcome area to say hello.

 

First clean all the connections,invisible corrosion can cause that symptom,I've seen it many times in bikes and cars.
Then make sure it's charged and load tested if it still fails,I've also had a bad brand new battery just recently in fact from Drag Specialties.

 

Check the the ground wire to the frame. Take it off and clean it good with sandpaper

 

first thing make sure the engine isn't locked up, put I in 6th gear, take out the plugs and rock the bike see if it moves, If it does you good and its a battery/solenoid/starter issue, if it doesn't , well then we have to deeper

 

Make sure both ends of the cables are tight.

 

is she alive now?