Hey all, I'm super new to riding, had my bike only a week or so, it's a 2004 Sportster 1200c. I was riding around today practicing, and I stalled it coming back into the garage, I put it in neutral and when I went to start it, it lurched, made this loud griding/bang noise. I let it sit for sec and when i hit it again it started fine. It'll do it if I start it, kill it, and go start it it'll lurch bang and grind. I have the ability to fix stuff, I just need to know what to fix. Battery needs to be replaced if that helps zero in on it. Any help would be great!!!

 

Sounds like the compensator.

 

Also won't start if the banging/grind occurrs...also I am pretty sure the 04 evos don't have a compensator...

 

Sounds like your not getting it fully into neutral and the vibration of starting is dropping it back into gear?
I don't think you can attach a vid with only 2 posts, maybe save a vid of the issue and post a link so we can see & hear what it's doing.

 

Put a new charged up battery in it and all will be well. Check all the battery cable connections to the starter & solenoid along with the ground connections.

http://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php/t...place_to_start

http://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php/techtalk:evo:elec01

 

+1, also my bike did the same thing when the float needle was not seating real good and I noticed the smell of fuel and a small amount on the floor under the bike. A couple ounces of sea foam and fill up solved this problem : )

 

AFAIK this sound is caused because sportys haven't compensator, otherwise, avoid this problem is the job for compensators

 

Thanks guys, it scared the crap out of me yesterday, to me it sounded like a Bendix gear stripping every single tooth off in a car, then the I thought primary was about to come apart. Read in a few olddd posts that in multiple models seem to have an issue with hot starting, basically the starter fighting compression and premature detonation, that sounds just like what happened, so maybe a new battery and the "bump start" method for hot starts.

 

Pull the clutch in while starting, it sounds like it is still in gear, they will start in gear and you don't want that. I make it a practice to always engage the clutch when starting.

 

I got into the habit, every time i shut it off, to leave it in gear and roll it backwards until it stops via compression.... Probably the "bump start" method you're talking about. Haven't had any issues since. Limped a weak battery along for quite some time using this method.