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.
I ride an '06 Ultra Classic. It was a wet, stormy night (I live in Seattle) tanked it up at the gas station and started it up as described; rode it home with the Red Key Light on and now my tach and speedo lights don't work nor do my brake lights or turn signals.
There is a mechanical clutch in the starter which does that when on it's way out. However as Keith suggests, check your battery and clean all power cable connectors, to ensure your starter is getting max output from the battery. If you have a friend with a similar bike you could swap batteries, to see if it does the same.
Thanks guys! Checked connections at battery and they were good. Now I'm looking at replacing the battery. Got my fingers crossed... don't want to mess with the starter - just yet!
Thanks guys! Checked connections at battery and they were good. Now I'm looking at replacing the battery. Got my fingers crossed... don't want to mess with the starter - just yet!
Before you spend any money, check the connections at the other ends of those main cables! They are the ones that are unloved and can get dirty, loose, corroded and can rob the starter of some of the power it craves.
Could be the Starter Clutch going out. Happened to myself.
This.
It is one of the weak links in the HD charging system.
Change it out, you won't regret it.
Mine started getting weak 2 years after I bought it.
Thought it was the battery. Wrong.
Starter clutch.
Alright Gentlemen, found a blown fuse (Accessory) and that fixed it. Still going to look at the starter/regulator, but for now, I'm trying to find the short that's blowing my fuses...
thanks for your input! It was very helpful!
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.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.