Hello. I have a 1989 FXRS Low Rider. I have an issue starting. The starter is fine. However, when I push the starter button nothing happens. I was able to start the bike twice this year. Now nothing. The starter relay is fine, it will click and I tried a new relay butt that didn't make any difference. With a test light I get power from the wire that plugs into the solenoid. But the starter doesn't even make a sound. If I run a wire from the solenoid to the battery positive post the starter will crank and the bike will start and run. Can someone tell me if it is possible for the starter to get power but not enough to activate the starter or Solenoid? Could that be caused by some sort of a short in that wiring?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

Build your profile up to 10 posts and I'll give you a more constructive answer.

 

"... a more constructive answer"? That would imply that you gave me an answer to begin with. Which you did not.
Does anyone else have anything constructive they can tell me?

 

There we go... You see, there's a running trend on the HD Forum with people coming on here with hail mary style questions who only have a single post, then everyone puts a bunch of time into answering and we NEVER hear from the original poster (OP) again. Quite frankly it's very disrespectful. For a person to take your question seriously enough to put time into their answer for you, then not be thanked or given any feedback regarding their answer, is just being an *******.

Now, since you're back and taking this seriously, here's my constructive answer: Be advised, HD made it really annoying by technically having two solenoids in the starter circuit. One, also called the relay, is a small cube with some smaller wires going to it. The other is the actual starter solenoid down integrated into the starter with one small green wire and one HUGE cable from the battery.

There's two pairs of wires going to your small cube solenoid relay for starting (not to be confused with the solenoid on the starter itself). This cube relay is by the headlight on my RK, and I believe under the right side cover under the seat on your FXR (but I may be wrong). There should be two pairs, the thicker wires are from battery (red) and to starter solenoid (green). The smaller pair is for the coil in the relay from the starter button, and black is the ground. Have you measured voltage across any of these terminal points yet? I always prefer to measure voltage in reference to ground. This way you know when it's lost.

Since you've done some troubleshooting and can get the bike to start I'm still leaning towards the relay or something in the wiring being the issue. In the meantime I'd get the mechanical button for mounting on the side of the starter solenoid (down on the starter). This way you can bypass all that electric bullshit and literally jam the starter inwards to crank the bike over.

Make sure the key's on first tho...

 

 

And your profile shows you have yet to come back for your answer.

Matt, maybe you shouldn't have broken your 10-post rule, at least not so soon.

 

 

come on guys..

cut the guy some slack.. he's probably pushing the bike back up the hill!! hehe..

im still a new bee but here and present so no bashing!!

 

Yea, I'll be more staunch about it next time. Caught me at a weak moment.