When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes, the bike should start in gear with the clutch disengaged (lever pulled in). Did you change clutch levers or switch to an aftermarket clutch lever prior to this happening?
There is a clutch safety switch inside the left housing that is activated by a tab on the clutch lever. Some aftermarket levers don't have the tab and cannot activate the switch.
My guess is the clutch safety switch is bad. The switch is part 72942-11 and costs about $25 +/-. It is a very easy repair.
It's not critical to leave your bike that way but, if you stall while moving, you would have to put it in neutral to start the bike instead of just pulling in the clutch.
Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.