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Dropped bike and would not crank

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Old Aug 2, 2010 | 03:39 PM
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Default Dropped bike and would not crank

I went for a short ride of about 5 miles, and while turning around I dropped the bike and it went dead. I picked it up and tried to restart but all the starter would do was click, click, click. I thought I may have loosened one of the connection on the batter or starter, but they were tight. After about 10 minutes of waiting (thinking it may start when it cooled off) I tried again, and the same thing. Click, click click. I was at the bottom of a small hill so I pushed the bike to the top (hill wasn't as small as I thought after I rolled it uphill for a ways), but anyway it pushed off and has been cranking ever since. Anyway my question is this, is the starter going bad, or just maybe the battery needs charging or something different?
 
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Old Aug 2, 2010 | 03:54 PM
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Your bike has a "Tip Over Switch" built into the Turn Signal Module. Dropping the bike causes it to kill the motor. To reset the tip condition, cycle the the ignition key off/on/off/on a few times.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2010 | 04:30 PM
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would that cause the starter to click like it has a bad connection? I believe it turned over a couple of times before is started the clicking sounds. That does make sense to have it automatically shut off instead of trying to hit the kill switch while you are falling.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2010 | 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by tidefan60
would that cause the starter to click like it has a bad connection? I believe it turned over a couple of times before is started the clicking sounds. That does make sense to have it automatically shut off instead of trying to hit the kill switch while you are falling.
I've never dropped mine, but I'm assuming that the tip switch kills the electrical circuit to the ignition coil (spark). That would still allow the starter to crank the motor but without ignition it wouldn't start.

If the motor cranked over a couple of times and then started clicking, I'd be looking for a loose connection on the battery cables. You might have a dead battery, but I'd check BOTH ends of BOTH battery cables and make sure they are clean and tight.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2010 | 06:46 PM
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Connections are tight and no corrosion on the terminals, and bike has been cranking as soon as I hit the start button since. It acted like a weak battery after it fell though. I just don't want to get off somewhere and it won't crank again. I only rode it about 5 miles to start with, maybe the battery was a little weak and didn't really have time to get a good charge before I dropped her. I am gonna put the battery on a slow charge overnight, it won't hurt anything if that is the problem.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2010 | 08:55 PM
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Fuses?
 
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Old Aug 3, 2010 | 05:50 AM
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Because of the security system, there is a constant drain on your battery. If you haven't ridden in a few days or maybe a week, the battery will drain too low to start. I keep my bike on a "battery tender" trickle charger always when parked at home. I've never had a problem since using the charger. Costs from 20 to 80 bucks at Auto
Zone, Pep boys etc.

Quiet Bear
 
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Old Aug 3, 2010 | 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by cHarley
Your bike has a "Tip Over Switch" built into the Turn Signal Module. Dropping the bike causes it to kill the motor. To reset the tip condition, cycle the the ignition key off/on/off/on a few times.
Yeah, the BAS (Bank Angle Sensor) is an internal part of the turn signal module on the Sportsters.

It is suppose to automatically shut off the engine if the bike tilts more than 45 degrees for longer than one second, even if the bike isn't moving.

To reset the BAS you are need to get the bike in an upright position, turn the ignition switch off, then on, and then use normal procedures to 'fire it up'.

Don't recall right off hand, but I believe to reset the BAS the ignition has to be in the Off Position for set period of time (30 seconds or so) before the bike will start as normal...


 
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Old Aug 3, 2010 | 12:23 PM
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Yeah the (Bank Angle Sensor) will kill the bike and not let it restart unless you turn the key off and then back on. My cuz went down in my driveway (limestone) last month on her 08 1200N. When we picked it back up she tried to start it and she said it said ERROR on the display and would not start. I told her about the BAS and she turned the key off then back on and it fired right up.

As for the clicking sound I have no idea why it would do that after the drop. her's did nothing at all-no sounds nothing. Almost sounds like whe a battery is dead or the starter is going out. Did you try tapping on the starter with something while trying to start it?
 

Last edited by XL50#674; Aug 3, 2010 at 12:28 PM.
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Old Aug 3, 2010 | 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by tidefan60
I went for a short ride of about 5 miles, and while turning around I dropped the bike and it went dead. I picked it up and tried to restart but all the starter would do was click, click, click. I thought I may have loosened one of the connection on the batter or starter, but they were tight. After about 10 minutes of waiting (thinking it may start when it cooled off) I tried again, and the same thing. Click, click click. I was at the bottom of a small hill so I pushed the bike to the top (hill wasn't as small as I thought after I rolled it uphill for a ways), but anyway it pushed off and has been cranking ever since. Anyway my question is this, is the starter going bad, or just maybe the battery needs charging or something different?
No offense, but did you

There is a short blurb on that very same subject written on there.
 
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