Are you mechanically inclined? I'd buy the comp, gaskets, seals and inner primary screws and install it myself. The install is not that big a deal. Ride up to VT and I'll help ya out.

What could happen from hard starting if it continues?

seems we got 2 questions going here,the bang is the comensater,the 2 seconds of cranking b4 it fires is the power commander,the fix is DONT wait for the engine light to go out hit the starter as soon as u hit the run switch and it will fire right up,as for the se comp,if not replaced u may eventually have hard hot starts that will grind the starter and ring gear on the clutch basket.

You're right two questions here.

I had the same problems with my PCV. Hard start. You can't tune it out. It's a problem between the PCV and the ECM.on some late model bikes, Jamie replaced my PCV with a TTS when they were selling the TTS and problem solved with the hard start issue.

Apparently with a bad compensator you are attempting to turn both the flywheel and the compensator because it is slipping enough to put additional pressure on the starter and starter won't quite do it especially with higher compression.

Dealer wanted to change out the starter and battery, until I read a similar thread on this forum.

After changing out the compensator bike starts normally with just a touch of the starter. and no clunks at all !! Shifts very smoothly and neutral almost finds itself !!