Hello everyone...i have a new '07 Sportsman 500 EFI with about 12 hours and 70 or 80 miles on it.The battery isn't being charged or the battery is bad.I'm looking for help/tips on troubleshooting to determine where the problem is.(the nearest dealer is a 150 mile round trip)
Thanks!

 

NEW? It still in warranty? 150 miles from ... Oh gee wizz.

Check to see if the battery fluid level is correct.
Also make sure you trinkle charge the battery to full potential.
These machines will not charge a dead battery, the system is designed to maintain the battery at its level of charge.
The charging system does not have the current to get a very low battery up to full potential.
Then see if it hold a charge when running it with all the lights on, also sometimes you can see the lights smoothly get brighter when revving the engine.
If they flicker in intensity when holding the R's at about 2500 there may be a malfuntioning rectifier/regulator or a bad grounding connection to the frame.

Check to see if the connections on the wire harness are ok
Especially from the stator and the ignition switch. Some may be hidden in the headlight assy or any juntion area.
Follow the harness see if there is any broken connections.
Block connectors may look ok but all it takes is one unseated connector pin to socket.
Test the continuity between the connections use an Ohm meter.
Check all ground to frame a high resistive ground connection may also be a cause...
A brand new machine in assembly, a loose connection to the frame can be easily overlooked

 

UPDATE: I finally got the bike to a Polaris dealer and he couldn't find any problem in the charging system so he replaced the battery........problem solved!!!
I like this bike a LOT....

 

sometimes when you buy the bike from the dealer, they are rushed to the customer, so they don't get the battery fully charged. therefore, the battery doesn't last as long as say one that you buy somewhere else or u take ur quad to the dealer and they can actually fully charge the battery

 

yea its just like a rechargable battery for say i drill or something if you dont fully charge it then it doesnt last as long and will have a shorter life to it. glad it was an easy fix for ya.