Hey all, new guy here with a starting issue on my 2001 softail standard(carbed) I bought last month. The bike has started fine since I bought it but today I go to start it and nothing, turn the ignition switch I have lights, gauges the works but the bike won't turn over, I wiggled the switch around and it caught a few times and turned over once or twice then nothing. Anyone have any ideas about what the problem could be, I checked the battery cables, the wiring from the switch and the fuses and everything looked fine. Thanks

 

Wiggling the switch around had an effect sounds like a problem with the switch to me. Disconnect the wires and hook an ohm-meter up to it to see what happens when you hit the switch. If nothing inspect the switch. See if you can bend/clean the contacts. If not replace it.

 

Simplest things first. Since you're new to this bike, you don't know the condition of the battery. Test it before doing anything more drastic.

 

I'm gonnma take the battery and have it tested this morning and get a starter relay, 2 simple fixes and test the switch before I go and see what happens

 

Battery is good so is the relay, cleaned the switch didn't help

 

Volt meter on the hot lead of the starter read anything when you turn on the ignition and hit the starter?

Did I mention I hate electrical problems?

 

got it resolved, took the ignition switch apart and srubbed all the contact points with steel wool, the took a small flathead and bent the connectors in the female end a little, put it all back together and bam works like magic, then went to check the air pressure on the back tire and the stem pulled out, hooray, had to take the wheel off and ended up getting a new tire because the old one was shot, lots of fun someday it'll get ridden

 

Never curse a flat tire in your garage.........