Saftey first
On a serious note what year did they change the starters on the EVO's? I have an 89 and possibly an 90 starter and would like to put a button on. Reason I say possibly 90 is I have the splined gear shaft with the 1990 clutch.

 

One of the best things about this next time you do an oil change. Leave the bike in neutral,w/the key off! Put fresh oil in the tank,leave filter off,engage push button starter til fresh oil comes out the filter location,put on the filter and top off, whala 100% oil change. I ditched the handlebar starter awhile ago no problems using the direct start

 

Good suggestion, Lundee. I've never done the old "5-quart oil change", but I will at the next change. It's kind of messy but beats leaving a bunch of old oil in the crankcase! I still don't understand why there's never been a crankcase oil drain plug standard on Harleys... wouldn't cost them much at all to provide one to making doing a complete oil change easier and less messy. When I got my bike and discovered this, it seemed very odd to me that a bunch of old dirty oil would remain in the crankcase. I have the '93 and later oil pan under the transmission, but some oil still remains in the crankcase after completely draining the pan.

 

You should be good to go with the '90 starter, but not the '89. They can still be used, but you have to adapt the '89 end cap.

Sorry, I just double-checked. '89 was the starter change. '88 can be modified.

 

- had a look at the stock end-cover for the solenoid on my starter.

- without actually buying a push-button cover , would it be possible
to remove the stock-cover , drill a hope in the center and put a rubber
bung on it. Can the solenoid then be actuated by pushing a small rod/screw
driver down that hole ?

- thanks.

.

 

My stock cover had a small hole in the center and I inserted a small punch in it and turned the motor over that way, so yes, it would work. Just not quite as convenient as these little switches.

 

- thanks man.

.

 

So I've had the button on my 94 ultra for a while, just a couple of important points.
1. don't be conservative with the lock tight on the plunger screw. I lost my first plunger on the maiden voyage.
2. do some adjusting to the plunger. You might want it so you have to get serious when you push it in, or a lighter push will do. I'd like to think mine set up for a serious push is a deterrent for someone pushing the button and cranking it over because you really gotta push hard to get it to go. also a good deterrent, choosing a place to park your bike where people know better than to f!@k with s#!t on a guys bike.
3. get a stick to push the button in and put it somewhere. If you have any exhaust other than a true dual exhaust system you will notice how close your hand gets to what could be a stupidly hot exhaust pipe. Even if you don't touch the exhaust pipe you can still bubble up your hand like you just reached in to the ark of the covenant (just got done with an Indy marathon, unrelated was there a post about the twin cam in the new Indiana Jones movie ?!?!?)
4. be careful not to use a standard because mine was metric and someone had got to mine before me they were striped.They are not cheap at Harley.
5. if you were having problems with the bike starting by using the starter button at the handle bar don't worry from the time you install the magic button that you'll use as a back up the other button will work every time ( i thought i was the only one bikerlaw )
i don't post much but you guys seem really cool and i have three evos 99 sporty* 93 fxr conv and 94 ultra classic so thank god for this section.
* note sporty evo and big twin evos are different found out the hard way

 

funny mine was the other way around. All I had was the push button on the starter then got the button on the bars!

 

well ii bought one off ebay, think it was about $13.00. looks just like the ones they sell here for $60.00. anyway it works fine and even has a rubber oring in the center for the plunger. dont think ill be using it but nice to know its there in case i have to.