My 1200c had been sitting for about a month in the cold.
When i went to fire her up, i could hear the starter spin, and a few clicking noises, but it just won't engage the engine.

The lights work fine, i even jump started it by popping the clutch, i thought after it got warm the starter button would work, but still doesn't.

Any ideas? I just got a new starter clutch and staitor put in 7300miles ago.

 

battery ... take the cables off and retighten them ... have your batt chkd.

 

Ditto what he said above. Most likely loose battery connections.

 

After you check the cables,check you battery. Even if lights come on,a low battery will not have enough cold cranking amps to turn over the bike.

 

If that battery is more than a couple of years old it's time for a new one.

 

I had to replace my battery , it was 2.5 years old. The bike got harder and harder to start. Finally nothing. No clicks like a car dead battery either, just nothing. Replaced it and everything was fine. Seems like factory shipped batteries should last better than 2.5 years. I wonder if it's the alarm? The guy at the HD dealer said it could be the heating up and cooling down of the batter. I ride EVERY day to work and back, about 30 mins, so it would cycle a lot. Who knows...

 

All the above recommendations are good and should be checked. But, the starter clutches, particularly on the higher compression 1200's are a POS and are known for stripping teeth on the clutch gear. (You said you can hear the starter spinning) I had 2 starter clutches fail in the first 24,000 miles. When the second one failed I replaced the entire starter with an "All *****" starter (from Eastern Performance) and have never looked back. 28,000 miles later, no problems, and the All ***** starter cranks like it means business.

 

Thanks for all the advise. I do beleive it was the battery.
I jumped started it and rode it for about 30 miles, and it seems to start.

cHarley - your right, my starter cluch was replaced 7,300 miles ago, and i sometimes here a nasty metal on metal - "Crank" sound when it fires up. I keep thinking the teeth are getting worn, and that i probably need to replace again.

 

Hey all, recently purchased a 2004 XL1200r. The bike was shipped from Kentucky to NYC. Got the bike off the trailer and it did start but took a couple tries. I figured its been siting on a tractor trailer for 2 weeks, so it's plausable. Rode it home 2nd gear at tops World Trade Center FBI cops etc didnt want to push my luck: I was in uniform- Paramedic, with no helmet. OK, I tried to start it three days later. All she would do is lights on, netural light and water light- last time I checked 1200 don't have a radiator, and the starter would spin but no engiene turn over and no horn??? Today, following cHARLEY'S advice, I removed the neg cable from the lower engiene- PS IT WAS LOOSE, removed it by hand, slipped out the battery following the battery case removal and installed a trickle charger. I'm praying that the battery is the problem, but so far loose cables aren't the answer. I tries to start her after the charger install, still same response??? Any other ideas???

TIA

Andrew

 

Hopefully, its just the battery.

With the luck i've been having; if not the battery, its been the stator. Two replacements in under 19K.