Ever done this - stalled out, stuck in gear at a light?
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From: Arkansas
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From: Coastal Carolina
Better to start in neutral, but it will start in gear with the clutch pulled in. I have experienced the need to rock or roll the bike slightly to get it to neutral. Not a big deal.
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Outstanding HDF Member
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From: The Whale's Vagina
Nope, it was fully DIS-engaged (lever squeezed to the grip)...multiple times and nothing. I don't know if it's a new safety feature or not. Just speculating. Once we rolled it backwards a little, I was able to get to shift.
Last edited by SquidHead; Mar 31, 2013 at 07:31 PM. Reason: Making Tech23 happy.
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From: On. Canada
I'd have the dealer look at that. Personally, I'm never in neutral with the bike running, unless I'm working on it. Or when i first start it up in the morning to let it idle a couple of minutes.
I always shut the bike off with the ignition switch. This one time i used the kill switch and when i came out of the store, no way would my bike start.....took a lot longer to figure it out then it really should. So it goes when ja gettn old...
I always shut the bike off with the ignition switch. This one time i used the kill switch and when i came out of the store, no way would my bike start.....took a lot longer to figure it out then it really should. So it goes when ja gettn old...
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From: The Whale's Vagina
Stalling the bike in traffic happens to everyone at one time or another. You should be able to restart it while in gear with the clutch lever pulled. It sounds like the clutch lever switch is not allowing you to start the bike. The clutch lever switch is considered a safety device to prevent you from trying to start the bike while in gear without pulling the clutch lever in. It is what allows the bike to start by pulling the clutch lever in.
Also it isn't unusual for new bikes to have difficulty finding neutral. That should get easier with time.
But (for safety reasons as you found out):
1. You should have been able to start the bike with the clutch lever pulled
2. You should have been able to push the bike in gear with the clutch lever pulled
Have you changed out the clutch lever? If it is the wrong lever, it may not have the "nub" on it that engages the switch to allow you to start the bike with the clutch lever pulled in. Have you opened the left switch housing recently? When reinstalling it, you may have pinched the wire to the switch. If not, it could simply be a faulty switch. Do you have too much play in the clutch cable? Maybe it is not fully disengaging the clutch preventing the bike from starting or getting into neutral or pushing it while in gear???
Also it isn't unusual for new bikes to have difficulty finding neutral. That should get easier with time.
But (for safety reasons as you found out):
1. You should have been able to start the bike with the clutch lever pulled
2. You should have been able to push the bike in gear with the clutch lever pulled
Have you changed out the clutch lever? If it is the wrong lever, it may not have the "nub" on it that engages the switch to allow you to start the bike with the clutch lever pulled in. Have you opened the left switch housing recently? When reinstalling it, you may have pinched the wire to the switch. If not, it could simply be a faulty switch. Do you have too much play in the clutch cable? Maybe it is not fully disengaging the clutch preventing the bike from starting or getting into neutral or pushing it while in gear???
Also just checked the freeplay. There's way too much for my liking. I'll open op my service manual and tighten that up this morning before I head out.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Every motorcycle I've owned (all metric) before this one could be pushed with the clutch lever engaged. When this one wouldn't, I couldn't believe it.
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From: Eastern Washington State
My son and I were out for a ride one day and stopped for lunch. When we came out his Ultra wouldn't start. Wouldn't even turn over. I told him to rock the bike a bit and play with the shift lever. Did that and the bike started right up. Must have been hung not completely in gear or something.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Jacksonville Beach
+1. No problems starting my 13 in gear. A slight rock back (or forward) and forth will usually enable me to pop in Neutral right away.
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From: anacoco, la
i bet thats what you'll find. hd has had this clutch safety switch since 2007.
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From: PNW
Sounds like the gears jammed up when you bumped first without the clutch in and you were stuck. Pulling in the clutch won't help (because it disconnects the gears from the engine, not the gears, which were stuck, from the rear wheel) and you won't be able to shift to neutral without damaging something. It's not a safety feature - You just got unlucky. You unstuck the gears when you applied leverage to them by turning the rear wheel - which was the solution. You probably couldn't repeat this if you tried. I wouldn't sweat it.