hello to all,
my name is ernie and im writing this for my friend mark.
he just got not to long ago a 1980 fxs lowrider from his father. nice looking bike if you ask me.
ill get right to it: the bike has a starting issue. he will turn the key and flip the killswitch and press the starter and nothing more than one barely audible click, thats it...
yes the bike has a kick but he doesnt know if it works. or how to use it properly at that and either do i... hes charged the bat many time and all seems ok on that end. any suggestions?
thanks!!! ernie

 

You may have wanted to post this in the classic, shovelhead section. Many people there can help.

I have a 81 FXE so we both have the same set up. It sounds like your batter is weak. Put a battery tend on it, let it charge over night and try to start it with the tender still on. If the battery does not charge, geta new battry(I think this may be your problem). Shovels are know to be hard on batteries. The starters on the old bikes turn really hard and slow and needs a full battery to turn. Even with a full charge I still sometime get the click, let off the button, hit it again. The starter is just stong enoungh to turn the engine(old design).

For the kicker. Make sure you"man up" forthis. I can be difficult and a heck of a work out. Gas on, full choke, 3 wide open throttle twists, key on. Put the bike on the stand, left knee on the seat, right foot on the kicker....then KICK THE **** out of it. These bikes can kick back so becareful. She should fire after a few kicks at the most.

 

thank you for the reply,
ill have mark leave the tender on and try again
ernie

 

It could be the the starter module they used back then. Its a little plastic box that goes bad. Get rid of that and use a Ford solinoid I had this problem with my Ironhead for years once I swaped this out I never had this problem again. This was a fix that was used for big twins that I used and cost about $5.00

 

thanks again!

 

I'm no expert by any means but have an '80 FXWG that has cost me a lot of blood andmany bad words.Did the battery charge do the trick? If not... can you tell which side of the bike the click is coming from? The starter relay is on the right side of the bike just below the battery box. The starter solenoid is on the left side of the bike on the top rear of the primary. That's the next placewould look.