Problem with 04 RK,need help.
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Joined: Oct 2008
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Problem with 04 RK,need help.
Went riding through the Cuyahoga National Park today. Stopped for lunch and came back to bike after about an hour. Turned ignition switch, nothing. I thought the battery had gone dead. Left to call dealer for a tow. Came back to bike, turned the ignition switch, got lights and the bike fired right up. Rode home, 40 miles and put the bike in the garage. Checked it two hours later and it started right up. Is there a short somewhere or a bad ground? Besides the battery, where else should I be looking? I'm trading the bike in 2 weeks for a new Ultra.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 28,520
Likes: 3,953
From: Vermont
If you're trading for new, why worry about it? Anywho, I'd check the battery cables for tightness (you'd be surprised how they can come loose). Check the grounds that come off the battery to the chassis. Check the cables from the battery to the starter, and check the bolts that attach the starter to the inner primary as this is what grounds the starter.
I would turn the switch back and fourth to see if you can make it happen again..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,051
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From: Florence, MT (Bitterroot Valley)
Most likely ground. Good poop above for tracing. You want it fixed right before you get rid of it. How would you feel buying a bike and then have that happen to you on the first ride out? Pretty pizzed, huh? Well that's how the dude or dudette buying yours is going to feel. Now if it's a dealer, well.......
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Northeast Ohio
Actually bad connections and grounds do occaisionally fix themselves for a short period of time. They can be very temperature dependent and also can sometimes repair themselves temporarily due to arcing, making a good temporary connection.
Follow Dawg's advice, check and clean your connections. If it was battery it would not start again after a short period. Lots of times a bad connection or ground will allow when you first turn the switch for the dash warning lights to operate, but as soon as you hit the starter button everything goes dead.
Follow Dawg's advice, check and clean your connections. If it was battery it would not start again after a short period. Lots of times a bad connection or ground will allow when you first turn the switch for the dash warning lights to operate, but as soon as you hit the starter button everything goes dead.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 265
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From: Northern Wisconsin
common road king problem, the ignition switch coming unplugged. Pop the dash off the tank flip it over and check it.
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