Motorcycle Repair: 83 Honda Nighthawk 650 battery, honda nighthawk 650, battery guard

Question
This is a real easy question.  I just got this bike last fall (my first) and i took the battery out for storage and for the life of me cannot remember which post (negative or positive) goes in first.  The battery mounts sideways going west to east compass style.  The ground cable connects to the bolt holding the battery guard in place, so i assume the negative would have to face the outside is this correct?

Answer
Hi Troy.
 Fact is, it doesn't really matter, as long as positive is hooked to positive and ground is hooked to ground.  Most bikes that have the battery crossways have the terminals towards the front of the bike with the ground wire being long enough that you can hook it up, then slide the battery into the slot the rest of the way.  That is if the battery feeds in/out on the high (right) side.  Terminal side will probably be towards the rear if it feeds from the low (left) side (but that is not an absolute.  Either way, the battery drain line (that little clear plastic tube on the battery) will always be towards the high side.  Use that as your guide.

Just make sure that you hook hot to hot and ground to ground and it will become obvious.

Good luck.
FALCON.