This is the bot account page https://www.reddit.com/r/X440/comments/1tjj8ts/harley\_davidson\_x440/
For this S Variant of Harley Davidson X440 which has that E-Sim connectivity, While replacing battery. I learnt removing and putting another battery back it shows you a notification.
Which I realised is awesome and wanted to share.
Unfortunately battery replacement was unnecessary for what was wrong.
Background:
I have this X440 S i got back in 2023 off the first lot but after the first year I wasn’t able to ride this bike due to work problems, and this bike was kept sitting eating dust. Coming home and doing at max a 30-40km ride every 2-4months, and this visit being one of those.
The problem:
While starting the bike, pushing the starter button wasnt starting the bike but only a click sound near the starter motor and no crank.
The app used to throw error of Low battery everytime, but the battery voltage used to show 12.1v both in the bike and in the multimeter.
However bike starts but after many attempts of trying to hit the starter button, randomly on one of those attempts
My impulsive decision:
Me being me, working on all of my bike myself and fixing other’s too, i took out the battery, since i dont have that charger unit i gave it to my authorised third party Royal Enfield mechanic, expertise in old af RE and sources me parts for my own work.
Due to miscommunication me pointing to the “Trickle Charging” spec as written on the bottom left of the battery, he took it as an instruction of charging it ASAP or something, he called me 3hrs later to pick it up as its awesomely charged.
How to kill a battery:
I got it, his multimeter showed 13.something volts, i came home, learnt the battery was leaking and smelling like sulpher, A clear as day sign of battery’s acid being boiled while charging and breaking the safety valve.
The battery was cooked and finished. Riding it anyway would cause acid leak that corrodes chassis, and may cause explosion of which i was a victim to few years back on my classic350. Yeah so this x440 OEM battery was done for now and it had to be disposed.
My failed attempt to fix it:
I was heartbroken on my stupidity and the next day i got another battery, the box said 2200rs, bargained it to 2000rs and 200rs for exchanging the old one. I know i could have gotten 300-400rs for the exchange but I was upset with my loss of wasting money.
Exide Xplore XLTZ9 is the battery, same size and spec, even same casing. Its just a relabelled OEM battery is what it feels.
My pale face:
Got home, installed the battery, bike still wont start, exact same issue persists but what new was no low battery warning on the app and the bike’s voltmeter read 12.4v.
I was scared shitless and heartbroken that all this bs and money spent just to catch my own tail. I was really upset and took it to the service center.
Happy ending:
The service center guy kept my bike till the evening as i was there at noon, they fixed it and charged me 150rs+tax and labelled it miscellaneous as the mechanic said it was just some switch thing and i checked the cable and all.
Conclusion:
Always take your bike to your mechanic if dealing with electronics, it saves you money in a long run.
TLDR as the story is really long:
bike no start, show low battery charge, me charge battery, battery cooked, get new battery exide XLTZ9, bike still no start, take to service center, they fix it for 177rs, said minor issue, my ego of working yourself on bike broken,