Hey everyone, quick question / advice search. I have an 2009 Sportster 1200 low, bike has low miles and ran fine before parked. Bike has a completely dead battery at the moment and when i try to roll it backwards or frontwards it is VERY hard to move, as if almost in gear. Unable to definitely say its in neutral because no power to light but im pretty positive it is. Even with clutch pulled all the way in it is very hard to move. Bike has been in family but hardly ridden these past few years. Curious if this is an issue from it being "ice" cold and about 40 degrees outside and the bike not be able to get warm due to the battery. Never had this issue with my 97 1200 i have now so was curious on any info.

 

It’s probably still in gear. Even with clutch pulled in it will be hard to push.

 

Maybe the brakes are dragging..calipers are stuck from sitting so long.

 

Think that would change when started and warmed up a bit? Ill try and grab a nettery today and get it started, worse comes to worse it will hop and stall i guess? Just trying to get it going before its the prime season.

 

Pull in the clutch, while rocking fwd and backwards using your butt and handlebars, down shift to low and then pull up shifting it into netural. It takes that since the motor is not running to spin transmission gears to allow it to pop up into netural. Don't force it .


May even need to let out clutch while rocking. Doing this, you can actually work your way up thru gears and then back down. Little practice and you will sense and fill it click in gears and up in netural. Note gears teeth are always engaged, it jut the large square drive dogs on the side that lock the freewheeling gear to the shaft engaging each drive range.

 

forgive me...but how can one "not tell" if bike is in neutral or not?

is there air in the tires???

..L.T.A.

 

Plenty of air in the tires, what i am saying is the feels as if its behaving like its almost in gear. The bike cannot start at the moment due to the battery and with the clutch pulled it behaves the same exact way. Like is aid i believe the bike is in neutral, i feel the same half step up from first just my 97, doesnt roll like the 97 though with the clutch fully engaged. The bike hasnt been like down and out sitting, ran at the end of august to be put in a car port. My sportster doesnt have a neutral light anymore so i am fairly familiar with the small step feeling but this one seems a bit different, could aslo be the brakes. Ill get abttery and try that out first, the light should let me know.

 

Put a heater next to it for a couple of hours.Then jack the bike up with wheels off the ground and with help of an assistant get things rolling again. Dont try starting until your positive it's in neutral and the clutch works. I'm thinking the friction plates have seized up along with the diaphragm plate spring plate. But who knows at this point.

 

Never "trust" that green neutral lamp. Never.

 

thats normal dude for any harley or even bikes of any make