Bike Moves When Starting
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,192
Likes: 168
From: Knoxville, Tn
Neutral
If my bike is rolling, it is much easier to find neutral. If it is stopped before finding neutral, good luck ever finding it. It's been like that from the time I received it with 2 miles on the odometer.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 104
From: Mississippi
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,788
Likes: 1
From: Maine
Blip the throttle while stopped and try to find neutral while blipping, it works for me.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,476
Likes: 5
From: Republic of Texas
Glad I work on mine and ride it. Neutral is easier to find with a bike that is running and able to roll a little. Neutral is also easier to find if the clutch is adjusted right. Starting a bike in gear with the clutch disengaged still adds drag to the starter. 99% of the time I start my bike with the bike in neutral, clutch disengaged, front brake on. Starters are a bitch to replace. My Harley's will start in gear with the clutch engaged. Front brake helps make sure nothing moves. If I have a bad habit lighting off my HD's it is that I do it standing beside them. Developed that habit kick starting. Holding the front brake while lighting off my HD's is a new habit.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 8
From: Detroit, the asshole of America
Never start a bike in gear unless it's been running a while and then only in a pinch always hit neutral before you touch a starter button please that's why a lot of cars have interlocks you must be in park or neutral to start and the clutch in . Plain common sense and a number of safety factors involved . Seen more people dump a bike hitting that button while in gear than you'll ever wanna know , best is when the have the clutch in , start then forget neutral and let the lever out . JERK , JERK nosedive sideways or fold a kickstand ....................
Even funnier, a month later I lent my 550 out to a friend to ride, a bunch of us were out in a group. He did the exact same thing as I did after stopping for lunch, except he wasn't strong enough to hold it up and he fell over into the crash bar on my Road King.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Marquette, Michigan
Seems to me that when starting up that my right hand has very little to do so I use my fingers to hold the brake lever in and apply the front brake.
Letts
Letts
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 5
From: Hickory, NC
It is NOT normal for the bike to move forward when starting in neutral. The ONLY time I've ever had this happen was when the clutch was not adjusted properly. And, when the clutch IS properly adjusted, mine doesn't move forward while starting in gear with the clutch engaged.
With regards to finding neutral, that's primarily a function of clutch adjustment as well. The moron that previously worked on my bike screwed up the clutch adjustment so badly that you couldn't shift into neutral with the engine running at all. After I went back and corrected the clutch adjustment, I could get it to shift into neutral with the engine running.
With regards to finding neutral and the difference between a 5-speed and 6-speed, I believe it depends on the gear set. After having a Baker 6-speed installed, shifting into neutral is effortless compared to my factory 5-speed.
With regards to finding neutral, that's primarily a function of clutch adjustment as well. The moron that previously worked on my bike screwed up the clutch adjustment so badly that you couldn't shift into neutral with the engine running at all. After I went back and corrected the clutch adjustment, I could get it to shift into neutral with the engine running.
With regards to finding neutral and the difference between a 5-speed and 6-speed, I believe it depends on the gear set. After having a Baker 6-speed installed, shifting into neutral is effortless compared to my factory 5-speed.