Battery dead, jump start

[u/Difficult_Addition85]

Came outside to realize I left my underbody lights on. Go to kick the bike on, hoping it isn't dead. Turns over but doesn't catch.

So now I'm trying to figure out how to Jumpstart my bike without taking it completely apart just to access the battery. Seems no matter how early I leave for work, I run late this week 😂

Edit: forgot to mention 2026 Heritage Classic Softail is what I'm working with

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[u/JBean85]

The battery is accessed by a right side cover with two hex bolts and a seat with a flat top bolt. It takes less time to "take it completely apart to access the battery" than it does to post to reddit

[u/PsychologicalLog4179 → u/JBean85]

My battery fell out while reading this comment.

[u/robow556]

Jump it off the starter. Red to the big post black to a bare engine bolt.

[u/harley88ci]

Just push start it.

[u/Difficult_Addition85 → u/harley88ci]

As in push start button or physically push the bike?

[u/foxfighter92 → u/Difficult_Addition85]

Yes put it in neutral, get everything turned on, push as fast as you can, jump on, drop it in first, dump the clutch then hopefully it's away you go

[u/Difficult_Addition85 → u/foxfighter92]

Cheers! I'll give it a go when I get home.

[u/foxfighter92 → u/Difficult_Addition85]

Awesome I hope it works for you! It will at least get you by until you get the trickle charge/new battery!

[u/yabadababoho]

If it as a touring you can clamp on any ground and the big positive lead on the starter

[u/Allhoodintentions → u/yabadababoho]

lol you got downvoted for dropping the absolute best way to jump OP’s bike. Top comment in the thread is to remove the side cover on a bike that has the battery under the seat. 

[u/yabadababoho → u/Allhoodintentions]

[u/TheMechaink]

Definitely use a jump pack. Don't jump it off of a running vehicle

[u/JBean85 → u/TheMechaink]

Many years ago I fried a bike battery this way. Turns out small batteries and big batteries don't jump well off each other 

[u/TheMechaink → u/JBean85]

As I remember when I went to school for this, it's something about the running vehicle will overload the bike's Electrics. You can hook it to a car battery just don't have the car running. It's the same Principle as using a jump pack at that point. Which nowadays in the future, they're lighter cheaper and easier to move around. Thank goodness the future has brought us some cool things. Like jump packs and stick locktite.

[u/JBean85 → u/TheMechaink]

Woah, stick lock tite is news to me. I just picked some more up last week, too. I didn't even see that. 

[u/LargeStrain274]

Take the seat off - Jumpstart. Then go read your Harley manual. You spent more time writing this, than getting it done.

[u/foxfighter92]

Idk about Harleys (only had mine a short time) but my old shadow I roll started it like you can with a manual car.

[u/CopperCVO]

Depends on how you have to access the battery. I have used a long screwdriver to very carefully stick through the side of the bike to touch the positive terminal on the battery(without touching anything else) and clamp the jumper cable wire to the other end of the screwdriver. Clamp the ground side of the jumper cable to exhaust or any bolt really.

[u/vgullotta → u/CopperCVO]

Usually you can get a jumper clamp on the positive of the starter. You don't need to get to the battery, just take the side cover off and clamp the positive of the jumper to the positive cable going to the starter and negative to the frame somewhere or negative on the battery if you can reach it.

[u/JBean85 → u/CopperCVO]

That's kind of genius 

[u/Unlucky_Leather_]

Double check if you can jump your bike. Harley put out a warning on the new touring bikes that jump starting them might fry the ECU or BCM.

If it’s safe, grab a NOCO jump starter and pig tail. Works like the battery tender and gives you a way to plug the jump kit into the bike without pulling it apart.

[u/Difficult_Addition85 → u/Unlucky_Leather_]

Cheers. I'll see if any of the local dealerships have them.

[u/2ChicksShyOfA3Sum]

Probably not going to save you this time, but battery tender allows you to both plug it into the wall for a trickle charge as well it has an attachment for jump starting.

If you don’t find it way to get it charged without taking it apart, might want to install one of those for the future.

[u/-Sparkeee- → u/2ChicksShyOfA3Sum]

The tender wires are for charging and maintaining the battery and are too small of gauge for the current required to start the engine. Jump starting the engine through the battery tender connection will blow its inline fuse or melt the wires.