Starting a shovel
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 653
From: Potter County, PA
Try MotoBatt. They make a good battery for a good price. They make a battery that comes with 4 poles on top so it will fit a bunch of bikes, i.e. Shovels and later with opposite terminals. They also have spacers to use that same battery in many bikes. There is a spacer to make it taller and a spacer to make it thicker. They give some serious cranking power too. They are imported but not from China (yet, I guess). I have two of them.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 574
Ive been looking for either a Ultima Thundervolt or Scorpion AGM Battery for a while now. All the usual vendors are out of stock and they dont know when theyll have them. This happened a few years ago as well. I use them because the terminals are in the same orientation as the original lead acid battery. Not a big deal as its Winter now and I have other bikes to ride if theres a break in the weather and the roads are clear.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 653
From: Potter County, PA
Look into MotoBatt it will work in Shovelhead Lead Acid Configuration as well as the newer opposites. Motobatt MBTX20U 12V 21Ah AGM Battery
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 574
Look into MotoBatt it will work in Shovelhead Lead Acid Configuration as well as the newer opposites. Motobatt MBTX20U 12V 21Ah AGM Battery
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 605
Likes: 441
From: BRIGHTON, ENGLAND
Kickstarting a Shovelhead
Walk to the bike, fingers crossed, say a prayer....
Ensure all the normal leaks are present....
Look for tranny seal oil spot on the ground to ensure it has fluid.
Turn on the choke.
Kick the bike over a few times with the switch off to get it primed.
Spin it through until you get compression.
Turn the switch on.
Kick until you have to wipe the snot from your face.
Take a break to catch your breath, count the number of people who gathered around, try to look like this is standard procedure.
Realize you are now in middle of the street, roll the bike back onto driveway, that explains the horns blowing.
Try to act as if you don't notice the crowd snickering.
Think, must be flooded.
Turn off the choke.
Hold the throttle wide open.
Kick..kick...kick...
Notice new paint spots on the tank and realize your nose is bleeding.
Wipe the tear/snot/sweat/nose bleed combo from your face.
Cuss.
Kick some more.
Cuss.
Ignore the old man who says......you know, back in the day.......
Kick until you hear horns blowing again.
Cuss.
Don't even wipe, just swallow the combo.
Check the points.
Turn on the choke.
Hold the throttle WFO, kick until the neighbors wife says.......you don't look so good.
Wipe/swallow/cuss
Check the plugs.
Turn off the choke.
Notice you never turned the fuel on.
Cuss.
Turn fuel on.
Turn choke on.
Prime engine.
Threaten motorcycle.
KICK !!
Pick youself up from the ground in front of motorcycle.
Put out the fire in the air cleaner.
Remember to retard the timing this go-around.
Turn on the ignition.
Kick.
Engine starts.......dies.
swallow.
Kick.....success
Check gas in tank, realize there is only about a 1/2 a gallon, meaning you will have to go through this again in about 15 minutes.
straddle bike, look both ways for traffic, realize you are in the middle of the street again.
Ride away thinking........ screw those electric start pooftah's......I'm the real deal!!!
Walk to the bike, fingers crossed, say a prayer....
Ensure all the normal leaks are present....
Look for tranny seal oil spot on the ground to ensure it has fluid.
Turn on the choke.
Kick the bike over a few times with the switch off to get it primed.
Spin it through until you get compression.
Turn the switch on.
Kick until you have to wipe the snot from your face.
Take a break to catch your breath, count the number of people who gathered around, try to look like this is standard procedure.
Realize you are now in middle of the street, roll the bike back onto driveway, that explains the horns blowing.
Try to act as if you don't notice the crowd snickering.
Think, must be flooded.
Turn off the choke.
Hold the throttle wide open.
Kick..kick...kick...
Notice new paint spots on the tank and realize your nose is bleeding.
Wipe the tear/snot/sweat/nose bleed combo from your face.
Cuss.
Kick some more.
Cuss.
Ignore the old man who says......you know, back in the day.......
Kick until you hear horns blowing again.
Cuss.
Don't even wipe, just swallow the combo.
Check the points.
Turn on the choke.
Hold the throttle WFO, kick until the neighbors wife says.......you don't look so good.
Wipe/swallow/cuss
Check the plugs.
Turn off the choke.
Notice you never turned the fuel on.
Cuss.
Turn fuel on.
Turn choke on.
Prime engine.
Threaten motorcycle.
KICK !!
Pick youself up from the ground in front of motorcycle.
Put out the fire in the air cleaner.
Remember to retard the timing this go-around.
Turn on the ignition.
Kick.
Engine starts.......dies.
swallow.
Kick.....success
Check gas in tank, realize there is only about a 1/2 a gallon, meaning you will have to go through this again in about 15 minutes.
straddle bike, look both ways for traffic, realize you are in the middle of the street again.
Ride away thinking........ screw those electric start pooftah's......I'm the real deal!!!
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
Advanced
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 99
Likes: 40
From: NY
Kickstarting a Shovelhead
Walk to the bike, fingers crossed, say a prayer....
Ensure all the normal leaks are present....
Look for tranny seal oil spot on the ground to ensure it has fluid.
Turn on the choke.
Kick the bike over a few times with the switch off to get it primed.
Spin it through until you get compression.
Turn the switch on.
Kick until you have to wipe the snot from your face.
Take a break to catch your breath, count the number of people who gathered around, try to look like this is standard procedure.
Realize you are now in middle of the street, roll the bike back onto driveway, that explains the horns blowing.
Try to act as if you don't notice the crowd snickering.
Think, must be flooded.
Turn off the choke.
Hold the throttle wide open.
Kick..kick...kick...
Notice new paint spots on the tank and realize your nose is bleeding.
Wipe the tear/snot/sweat/nose bleed combo from your face.
Cuss.
Kick some more.
Cuss.
Ignore the old man who says......you know, back in the day.......
Kick until you hear horns blowing again.
Cuss.
Don't even wipe, just swallow the combo.
Check the points.
Turn on the choke.
Hold the throttle WFO, kick until the neighbors wife says.......you don't look so good.
Wipe/swallow/cuss
Check the plugs.
Turn off the choke.
Notice you never turned the fuel on.
Cuss.
Turn fuel on.
Turn choke on.
Prime engine.
Threaten motorcycle.
KICK !!
Pick youself up from the ground in front of motorcycle.
Put out the fire in the air cleaner.
Remember to retard the timing this go-around.
Turn on the ignition.
Kick.
Engine starts.......dies.
swallow.
Kick.....success
Check gas in tank, realize there is only about a 1/2 a gallon, meaning you will have to go through this again in about 15 minutes.
straddle bike, look both ways for traffic, realize you are in the middle of the street again.
Ride away thinking........ screw those electric start pooftah's......I'm the real deal!!!
Walk to the bike, fingers crossed, say a prayer....
Ensure all the normal leaks are present....
Look for tranny seal oil spot on the ground to ensure it has fluid.
Turn on the choke.
Kick the bike over a few times with the switch off to get it primed.
Spin it through until you get compression.
Turn the switch on.
Kick until you have to wipe the snot from your face.
Take a break to catch your breath, count the number of people who gathered around, try to look like this is standard procedure.
Realize you are now in middle of the street, roll the bike back onto driveway, that explains the horns blowing.
Try to act as if you don't notice the crowd snickering.
Think, must be flooded.
Turn off the choke.
Hold the throttle wide open.
Kick..kick...kick...
Notice new paint spots on the tank and realize your nose is bleeding.
Wipe the tear/snot/sweat/nose bleed combo from your face.
Cuss.
Kick some more.
Cuss.
Ignore the old man who says......you know, back in the day.......
Kick until you hear horns blowing again.
Cuss.
Don't even wipe, just swallow the combo.
Check the points.
Turn on the choke.
Hold the throttle WFO, kick until the neighbors wife says.......you don't look so good.
Wipe/swallow/cuss
Check the plugs.
Turn off the choke.
Notice you never turned the fuel on.
Cuss.
Turn fuel on.
Turn choke on.
Prime engine.
Threaten motorcycle.
KICK !!
Pick youself up from the ground in front of motorcycle.
Put out the fire in the air cleaner.
Remember to retard the timing this go-around.
Turn on the ignition.
Kick.
Engine starts.......dies.
swallow.
Kick.....success
Check gas in tank, realize there is only about a 1/2 a gallon, meaning you will have to go through this again in about 15 minutes.
straddle bike, look both ways for traffic, realize you are in the middle of the street again.
Ride away thinking........ screw those electric start pooftah's......I'm the real deal!!!