I currently ride a 2007 Police Road King with the 103" motor (1,500 miles). I recently started having starter problems and wanted to see if anyone else is having the same issues with any other 2007 models. The problem started after about an hour long ride at highway speeds. I shut down the engine and went to restart and nothing happened. It has happenedseveral times since then and it appears to only occur when the engine is at full operating temperature. When I press the start button, the only thing that happens is a clicking sound from under the left side cover. It is not a battery issue because the battery tests fine. The dealer has had it three times, checked the wiring harness and many other possible causes with negative results. Ihave thehighest respect for the dealer that we dealwith andtrust the judgementof their service techs fully.I hear other 2007 Police RK's are also having this intermittent problem. Anyone else have any info or adviceto share regarding this issue?

 

Sounds like a heat soak issue.

 

Thats what I was thinking too.

 

The starter on my '07 FLHP was noisy from the first day I took it from the dealer,I was told there was a bulletin from the Motor Company about starter noise, and even given a copy of it. I went to the dealer twice with it but couldn't exactly duplicate the noise, and was told in any event it wouldn't cause any damage. It occasionally did what you're describing, I would have to put it in gear and rock it it, like you would do with a car with a bad Bendix, then it would start.With this in mind I happily set out for Daytona and BikeToberFest. Bike ran fine, a did feel a little more heat than my '05 but nothing really objectionable, of course it rained most of the way down so that helped, no noises in the tranny, FLHP-I's are 103 CI as you know, so it had plenty of *****. My fun started on the way home, starter noise got increasingly worse and finally, in Fredericksburg Va., the starter quit and wouldn't engage, fortunately I was traveling with my friend and his Honda VTX, he went and purchased a nylon tow rope at an auto parts store, hooked it onto his seat, I wrapped it aroundmy front crash bar, got up to about 30 mph slipped the clutch and the RK started. Couldn't shut it off for the next 350 miles but at least I got home. Took it to the dealer, apparently it stripped some teeth off the ring gear (on the clutch shell) and the starter clutch, the dealer called Harley and said they had at least one other do the same thing (another FLHP-I). The dealer replaced;
The entire clutch pack (Hub, shell and steel plates)
Clutch spring (SE 'cause it's a 103)
Starter clutch gear
Gaskets (of course)
I think the total bill was around $850 or $900 covered by waranty. I worked for a dealer in the '60's and '70's, when Harley came out with the electric starter in 1965 on the Big Twins (pre AMF) I replaced every starter clutch gear atleast once and sometimes 3 or 4 times, starters too until they switched from Delcos to Prestolites. This was when Harley only waranteed parts, the dealer had to pick up the tab for labor, and we had a bunch of police bikes running around, so at least we're making progress. My '07 seems fine now, just has that "starter knock" that was described in the service bulletin.
Bike had about 3100 miles on it when it went to dealer have 5000 on it now. Hope this helps.

 

the big inchers are notorious for starter bendex problems due to kick back. the bendex and return spring need to be replaced as a temporary fix or go to the heavy duty starter.

 

The problem wasn't in the starter though, the problem was the stripping of the teeth on the clutch basket. Here is a link to a place that discusses this problem in detail. The fixes they descibe are all good but I can't see a dealer doing them under waranty, so I guess until the waranty runs out I'll just have to deal with it.
http://www.americanrider.com/output.cfm?id=1022005

 

I have never heard of the heat soak issue, what does it mean?

Hey nywarthog, thanks for your response. I will also mention that to the dealer.

 

Just curious, how's you make out?

 

[/quote]

I have never heard of the heat soak issue, what does it mean?


[/quote]
The starter is at a high temp due to the fact that it is dirctly attached to the drive. When you turn the engine off, it sits there at a slightly higher temp because the oil and air are not moving and cooling. I don't know if I'm explaining this right but in a nutshell, the heat affects the starters ability to work.

 

My 07 Softail already ate a starter... Was awful bangy sounding, then died..