I just brought an '07 1200 Sportster to my shop that has been put up - outside under a harley cover - for almost 2 years. Initially, he wanted a battery and a new tire and thought the bike would start. Anyway to make a long story short, its here. I pulled all fuses and cleaned, both relays on elect box were corroded and replaced, I pulled the ground, cleaned applied di-electric paste and replaced. The bike would just click loudly, so I figured it might be a bad connection to the solenoid or starter so I pulled both, cleaned and replaced and jumped the bike off with my shovelhead - it ran!!!! I let it run for 15 minutes, pulled all connections again, cleaned and replaced.
Now when I turn the key to the first position, the speedo and tach light up, BUT when I turn it to the second - start - position everything dies... No power to speedo or tach, no click, no pop, no NOTHING. I have checked and re-checked every wire I pulled and all are ok, I checked every fuse and relay and still nothing. I left the battery in the bike allnight and it still has 12.4 volts so a dead short is out.
Any ideas on what I missed? This thing is driving me crazy..l.
thanks in advance,
ShovelheadGreg

 

Just put the charger on the battery and now I got lights but back to the solenoid clicking!!! Think its time to replace the solenoid??

 

After putting in two brand new batteries received last week from V-Twinmfg I decided to pull my battery out of my shovelhead and the sportster fired right up. Both batteries are bad right out of the box from Taiwan Ted! learned my lesson, never buy another battery from him....