starter hesitation
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Joined: May 2012
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From: Moses Lake WA
starter hesitation
I've this 06 xlr1200 for a couple yrs now. Seems like the starter was always weird acting. It would chug, hang there for a second, then bike would fire. Seems like all other sporties I've heard start, acted the same. Normal .?
Anyway, just last week, I went to start mine and head for work, but it was pretty sluggish, as if battery was low. I left it and came back after work. As I was pulling cables off, I noticed the negative one was pretty warm. I pulled battery out, checked with my meter, and it had 12. some volts. Checked main fuse, it's good. Cleaned all ends up, even pulled the stud in case and cleaned it up. Put battery back in, turn key on and nothing. I go to pull cables off again and negative post is really warm again.
Out of curiosity, I hooked battery charger directly to both cables, and got a loud hum/buzz from the starter. Could the starter be shorted out?
Anyway, just last week, I went to start mine and head for work, but it was pretty sluggish, as if battery was low. I left it and came back after work. As I was pulling cables off, I noticed the negative one was pretty warm. I pulled battery out, checked with my meter, and it had 12. some volts. Checked main fuse, it's good. Cleaned all ends up, even pulled the stud in case and cleaned it up. Put battery back in, turn key on and nothing. I go to pull cables off again and negative post is really warm again.
Out of curiosity, I hooked battery charger directly to both cables, and got a loud hum/buzz from the starter. Could the starter be shorted out?
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Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Arkansas
Check the cable connections, maybe some corrosion. Is the HUM/BUZZ from the starter when you hit start with the Run switch in the run position or just upon connection? Use a multi meter and check for continuity between RED and Ground from the battery, there should be none. Check here for further troubleshooting information: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/elect...-solenoid.html
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: On a Lake, not far from the Gulf
Check the cable connections, maybe some corrosion. Is the HUM/BUZZ from the starter when you hit start with the Run switch in the run position or just upon connection? Use a multi meter and check for continuity between RED and Ground from the battery, there should be none. Check here for further troubleshooting information: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/elect...-solenoid.html
Thread Starter
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Advanced
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 63
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From: Moses Lake WA
Check the cable connections, maybe some corrosion. Is the HUM/BUZZ from the starter when you hit start with the Run switch in the run position or just upon connection? Use a multi meter and check for continuity between RED and Ground from the battery, there should be none. Check here for further troubleshooting information: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/elect...-solenoid.html
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Joined: May 2008
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From: South Carolina
You are not connecting the battery cables according to the process in the service manual.
The way you are doing it causes the negative battery terminal to come loose.
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Joined: May 2012
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From: Moses Lake WA
I am NOT putting battery back into bike. The battery is sitting completely exposed. I hooked up + cable then hooked - cable. NOTHING happens when I turn key on.
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Joined: May 2008
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From: South Carolina
Connecting the charger to the battery cables with no battery installed in the bike is senseless.
Quit screwing around before you cause some damage.
Do it right.
Fully charge the battery.
Have the battery load tested, an auto parts store will do this for free.
Clean all the cable terminals.
Clean the terminals at the starter solenoid and starter relay.
Install the battery as the service manual instructs you to, by installing the negative terminal at the battery/cable first, feed the negative cable through while installing the battery, connect the positive cable, then connect the far end of the negative cable.
And for crying out loud...Buy a service manual.
Quit screwing around before you cause some damage.
Do it right.
Fully charge the battery.
Have the battery load tested, an auto parts store will do this for free.
Clean all the cable terminals.
Clean the terminals at the starter solenoid and starter relay.
Install the battery as the service manual instructs you to, by installing the negative terminal at the battery/cable first, feed the negative cable through while installing the battery, connect the positive cable, then connect the far end of the negative cable.
And for crying out loud...Buy a service manual.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Aug 19, 2017 at 09:37 AM.
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Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Arkansas
Reading through the posts I see some of our members are getting a little hostile, but I see that one problem that you may have is that you had cables MADE, they may in fact be too small a gauge for the application. If you can hook the battery up outside of the bike then your cables are too long. HD makes the cables that length for a reason, 1) shorter cables = less resistance, and 2) space requirements when the battery is installed.
Yes I meant check for ohms between the battery connections. If your cable is getting warm/hot then it is too small for the application or there is a short drawing some serious power. 1 or the other is going to be true. Connecting chargers directly to the bike without the battery will destroy the charger for one as they are not designed to take that kind of load, and 2 you never did answer the question I asked, the HUMM/BUZZ with the run switch in the run position or the off position? Did it occur with the striking of the start switch or before?
I do agree with the last post here though, get a service manual. They are $60 from the dealership and will help you isolate these issues if by nothing else giving you the system theory of operation.
Yes I meant check for ohms between the battery connections. If your cable is getting warm/hot then it is too small for the application or there is a short drawing some serious power. 1 or the other is going to be true. Connecting chargers directly to the bike without the battery will destroy the charger for one as they are not designed to take that kind of load, and 2 you never did answer the question I asked, the HUMM/BUZZ with the run switch in the run position or the off position? Did it occur with the striking of the start switch or before?
I do agree with the last post here though, get a service manual. They are $60 from the dealership and will help you isolate these issues if by nothing else giving you the system theory of operation.
