Ok, now I'm pissed -battery/starting issues continue
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 24
From: Minden LA
I have been having intermittent hard starting of my LR-S which many wrote off to me not having access to a tender. However the problem happend more often when the bike is HOT not cold, after days of not idle.
So I took a shot and replaced the battery with a Yuasa 310CCA. Which seemed great, fast turnovers, no problem. However the one thing I didn't have the chance to try was a hot start. Until today. I rode for about 45min, stopped for about 15min, and when I started back up, turn, stop, then the GD VINERROR again. Mind you, when I started it cold before the ride (after sitting overnight) it fired right up, fast as before.
A little poking around the internet warns of heat soaking the starter making it less efficient? Is that really a thing?
Its getting pretty annoying now. Do I need a f'n car battery to get this to start reliably?
So I took a shot and replaced the battery with a Yuasa 310CCA. Which seemed great, fast turnovers, no problem. However the one thing I didn't have the chance to try was a hot start. Until today. I rode for about 45min, stopped for about 15min, and when I started back up, turn, stop, then the GD VINERROR again. Mind you, when I started it cold before the ride (after sitting overnight) it fired right up, fast as before.
A little poking around the internet warns of heat soaking the starter making it less efficient? Is that really a thing?
Its getting pretty annoying now. Do I need a f'n car battery to get this to start reliably?
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 23
From: Olathe KS
This is not just happening on the 110, I developed this same condition about 4 weeks ago on my 15 FXDB. I keep mine on a tender all week, and it starts up fine when I take it out on the weekend. Three times now, I have stopped for gas after riding between 30-90 minutes straight. I get gas, and bam... half crank, stop, and VINERR pops up. I let off the start switch, and try again, it fires right up. Because it starts on the second try, I too was wondering of this is an ACR issue. I don't have a PV, so I will have to listen for the "clicks".
EDIT: I went back and re-read a few posts here, and in theory, the ACRs seem very logical. I will admit, HD motors are very new to me, but the fact that I get a half crank, then stop... Then try again with no issue, that really seems like the ACRs. My question is, will the ACRs open after the first stall? Just to put it out there, I have not turned the ignition switch off when this happens, just let off the starter switch, then hit it again.
EDIT: I went back and re-read a few posts here, and in theory, the ACRs seem very logical. I will admit, HD motors are very new to me, but the fact that I get a half crank, then stop... Then try again with no issue, that really seems like the ACRs. My question is, will the ACRs open after the first stall? Just to put it out there, I have not turned the ignition switch off when this happens, just let off the starter switch, then hit it again.
Last edited by 203Cree; Aug 25, 2016 at 05:26 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,410
Likes: 143
From: Palm Desert,CA
Unless you installed them, your bike didn't come factory with ACR's.
I don't know enough about how the compensator works to speak with any kind of authority, but if it works the way I think it does, I think it boils there's a cam and a ramp on the sprocket. My theory is that when it hard starts like that it's at or near the top of the compression stroke and near the break over point on the ramp, which causes just enough resistance that the starter can't over come it and it kicks back.
Again, I could be completely and totally effed up. But maybe not.
I don't know enough about how the compensator works to speak with any kind of authority, but if it works the way I think it does, I think it boils there's a cam and a ramp on the sprocket. My theory is that when it hard starts like that it's at or near the top of the compression stroke and near the break over point on the ramp, which causes just enough resistance that the starter can't over come it and it kicks back.
Again, I could be completely and totally effed up. But maybe not.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 836
Likes: 92
From: Sonoma Co - California Formaly East Bay
Robbyville, have you had any of these issues with your 103? I know you basically live in a furnace, so I would think if it was a heat issue, you would have seen this as well.
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 809
Likes: 23
From: Olathe KS
Huh, didn't realize the 103's came with them. Stand corrected.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
Likes: 19,811
From: Centennial, CO
I have been lurking this thread. Has anyone looked at their battery cables for correct connectivity and/or size? As in possibly not getting enough juice through weak or undersized cables to get all the power needed to the starter? No expert here, just thinking out loud.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,410
Likes: 143
From: Palm Desert,CA
I wish I could offer anything of value, but no, never a problem, hot or cold starts (cold being a relative term these days)
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Joe Kucinski
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 56
Likes: 22
From: New York
Had the same pain in the *** problem with my 2014 Streetbob..got progressively worse over time and was just about to throw a new battery at the problem when I called up an old mmi buddy who works at my dealership..he told me to take off the battery caddy and on the bottom of the fender there are 2 Ecm grounds..I cleaned them up and as long as I was there cleaned up the main ground and connection to the starter solenoid..so far so good..a lot of people are able to get away with throwing a newer or higher power battery at the problem with good results..but it's just a bandaid..and just a matter of time before it reoccurs . throwing more volts and amps at a bad ground will leave you stuck on the road at 3am.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 836
Likes: 92
From: Sonoma Co - California Formaly East Bay
Had the same pain in the *** problem with my 2014 Streetbob..got progressively worse over time and was just about to throw a new battery at the problem when I called up an old mmi buddy who works at my dealership..he told me to take off the battery caddy and on the bottom of the fender there are 2 Ecm grounds..I cleaned them up and as long as I was there cleaned up the main ground and connection to the starter solenoid..so far so good..a lot of people are able to get away with throwing a newer or higher power battery at the problem with good results..but it's just a bandaid..and just a matter of time before it reoccurs . throwing more volts and amps at a bad ground will leave you stuck on the road at 3am.