Someone please help me out here. I freak out whenever it comes to stupid stuff with my bike (09 SG) and here for about 3 months now, it has been making the dreaded compensator knock at start-up. Now over the past 3 weeks or so, after I ride the bike and it get's warm (stopping for gas, etc) and I go to start it, it clunks and drags before it starts (maybe 2-3 secs). Can anybody out there point me in the right direction, I don't have the extra cash to take it to the dealer right now.

 

Are you 100% sure your battery is good and strong?

 

Check your battery connections first. Read up on how to do it yourself. Not too bad of a job. A few aftermarket one's coming on the market.

 

I forgot to mention in the original post, my bad. I just put a new battery in it last month. It starts with no problem other than a knock when cold. I also keep the sob on a battery tender if I can't ride for a few days. The bike only has 11k on it.

 

So don't take it to the dealer, do it yourself.

 

I plan on changing it myself. Just wanted some input as to whether the dragging when hot is the compensator.

 

It's likely either the compensator or the starter clutch. You can order parts from a vendor such as Lake Shore HD here: www.lshd1.com and get a 20% discount on parts. A certain level of purchase will also get you free shipping.

I bought my SE compensator from them and installed it no problem when the bike had about 2500 miles on it. I wasn't having problems at the time, but I am glad I changed it out after seeing the piece of crap that was in there stock.

Ride the damn thing until you can get the cash put together to get the parts and a service manual. You will need a couple of good torque wrenches since the compensator bolt is the highest torqued value on the whole bike at 140 ft lbs. It's no big deal to do and you can do it. There is a great thread with pictures and a step by step process you can review whenever you want. I don't have the link handy, but it sure helped me even though I had the service manual. Pictures are worth a thousand words for sure in this case.

 

A fellow S. Carolinian. Thanks, I came across that thread earlier and bookmarked it. I have a service manual on a disc also, which is kind of aggravating, but it works. Have you seen anything about the starter clutch on the forums? I haven't been able to find anything.

 

The stock starter clutch sux and the oem comp doesn't help.

 

There have been a ton of starter related threads over the years. Here is a link that will give you plenty to read about general starter and starter clutch failure, how to know that's what it is, what happens at start-up, and how to fix it:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/tags/starter.html