Harley Davidson Forums

Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Harley will not start in neutral

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 05:47 PM
Share
  #1  
Steve Stayton's Avatar
Steve Stayton
Thread Starter
|
Stage I
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
Default Harley will not start in neutral
2010 Road King won't start when in neutral. The neutral light is on. When I pull the clutch In it starts up with no problems. Harley told they have never seen that issue before.
 
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 05:53 PM
Share
  #2  
Northbound Southerner's Avatar
Northbound Southerner
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,416
Likes: 88
From: San Quirino, Italy
Default
Do these bikes have a neutral safety switch? If so, yours is bad...
 
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 05:56 PM
Share
  #3  
TWIN CAM 96's Avatar
TWIN CAM 96
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 6
From: East of the USS Midway
Default
Micro switch safety so you don't launch yourself into next week
 
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 08:23 PM
Share
  #4  
bigheadted's Avatar
bigheadted
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
Default
Disable that crap. I know when I hit the starter I want it to fire in gear or clutch out. That crap is to satisfy corporate lawyers and protect idiots.
 
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 08:28 PM
Share
  #5  
dirtdobber's Avatar
dirtdobber
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,749
Likes: 16
From: sand mountain Alabama
Default
I'm getting old.
 
Last edited by dirtdobber; Feb 15, 2014 at 08:39 PM.
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 08:37 PM
Share
  #6  
rkoivisto's Avatar
rkoivisto
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 80
From: currently an Okie
Default ???
I am pretty confused by all the replies to the OP.

How do you defeat the clutch or neutral before it will start?

How can it be the neutral safety switch if the neutral light is on?

What does removing the lever have to do with it when it only starts in neutral when the clutch is pulled in?

I know I've got a lot of questions and no answers.
 
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 09:38 PM
Share
  #7  
DannyZ71's Avatar
DannyZ71
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Default
Is the kickstand down when trying to start it? Wasn't there something to do with that on Canadian shipped bikes a few years ago? If the kickstand was up, (or down, I forget), you had to pull in the clutch to start the bike.
 
Reply
0

Trending Topics

Old Feb 15, 2014 | 10:58 PM
Share
  #8  
skratch's Avatar
skratch
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
Default
how long has this been going on? are you sure you're in neutral? plenty of times that the light glows when you aren't. does it start in gear with the clutch pulled in? heck, does it try to start in gear with the clutch let out?
 
Reply
0
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 11:08 PM
Share
  #9  
Bingee's Avatar
Bingee
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 353
From: Ohio
Default
Originally Posted by Steve Stayton
2010 Road King won't start when in neutral. The neutral light is on. When I pull the clutch In it starts up with no problems. Harley told they have never seen that issue before.
You must pull the clutch in to start regardless whether in gear or not.
 
Reply
0
Old Feb 15, 2014 | 11:13 PM
Share
  #10  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,157
Likes: 2,564
From: CT/FL
Default
Originally Posted by Bingee
You must pull the clutch in to start regardless whether in gear or not.
ding ding ding - we have a winner!
 
Reply
0



Advanced Search
Reply Closed Thread Share
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:10 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE