I have a '05 Buell XB12S. I didn't run the bike for a week and a half and when I tried to start it, nothing happened, no clicks, nothin. I tried trickle charging it for a few minutes with a 1.5 amp charger, then when I tried again, it clicked but not enough juice to start it. I finally just ended up jumping it with my car. I rode it for about 30 mins and figured that the alternator charged up the battery enough. But tried to start it again and it wouldn't start. I put a new battery in there and it started a few times but after a few days I encountered the same problem. I was thinkin the alternator wasn't chargin the battery but when I checked the current runnin through the negative post of the battery when the bike was off and the keys were out, I found that there is about 29 mA runnin through. The manual says the max that should be runnin through with the bike off is 2 mA. So I have a current draw somewhere on the bike when it is turned off. I have no idea where or how to start lookin for the current draw. Start unpluggin things and keep testing the current? Any suggestions?

Didn't know buells had an alternator? Put it on a trickle charge overnight (8+ hours)...

See if that helps...

..Dan

yup, to find a current draw, monitor current while unplugging stuff..... something is staying alive with the key off, 29ma isn't that much so it's not a light or anything that moves.... just unplug one thing at a time, you will find it

Ww

I just charged the battery and then started the bike. As it was running, I disconnected the battery and the bike died. Shouldn't the alternator keep the bike running?

Don't disconnect the battery when the engine is running! Not a good thing for your alternator. This is not a valid test of a charging system.

Are you sure it's charging? The current draw is not much, I doubt that would pull a battery down.

If you have a volt meter, measure the battery voltage before you start the bike. Should be around 12.5 - 13.1 volts. Start the bike and run at fast idle, you should see an increase in the voltage to around 14.5. If your not seeing an increase, it's not charging.

I tested the battery voltage before starting the bike and it was 12.6 V. I started the bike and ran at high idle and the voltage dropped to 12.3 V. I'm thinkin of just replacing the stator and voltage regulator and hoping that solves the problem.

Do not Jump your bike's battery with a car, a sure way to fry the battery/charging system.. They're not designed for it..

Just throwing parts at it isn't going to fix it. Get a service manual and follow the procedures for testing the stator and voltage regulator. One or both may be bad, but if it's just a voltage regulator, you'll be out a buncha money to change a stator that wasn't bad..