I've read enough posts on different forums to know that I'm not alone on this one... lots of riders on all different models having this issue.

My bike (stock 09 Fat Bob) will usually start up first thing in the morning just fine. Drop my girl off at school 10 minutes away, and then try to restart it and it's a big struggle. It frequently won't start hot, or after running more than 15 minutes or so.

Eventually this led to the battery getting drained all the way down to dead.

The guys at the shop charged the battery up and said it was holding a charge and they couldn't replicate my issue in the shop.

Next day I took it out and 3/3 times had issues with it starting up.

I've heard it can be the battery, the battery cables, the fuel filter, ignition module... Any order to how to check these out?

How do I tell if the battery was just dying or if it was getting drained down by a poorly functioning ______?

Thanks for all your collective wisdom and experience.

MK

 

Mine does that occasionally when I try to start while in gear with the clutch pulled in. Usually on the second try, it fires right up. You didn't say if your motor was turning over or the starter just wouldn't turn the motor over.

 

I try it in neutral (my normal start position), try it in gear...either way I have the same issues. On a good day, the second try will fire. Some times I'll struggle with it for 2-3 minutes before it finally turns over. Usually with a nice backfire somewhere in the middle of that...

Here's a link to a sound file with a perfect example of what happens: https://www.dropbox.com/s/16z803o8ia...oblem.m4a?dl=0

MK

 

By your sound clip - and I'm just guessing here- your comp sprocket may be winding out to the max because there is too much compression. or your chain tensioner may be loose.

 

Battery, cables, crankshaft sensor, compensator. In that order is what I suspect. If it were me I would replace battery and clean cable ends. It is the easiest and cheapest thing to do.

 

Compensator

 

Nitro 54, maddghost, checkers, fskitch... Thanks for the advice. I'm going to do my own tests on the battery and clean the cables tonight--possibly test the chain tensioner if I have time.

Hopefully it's not the Compensator, but if we have to go that far I will.

News at 11...

 

Did my own battery test and got:
12.57 with the bike off
12.01 with the power turned on
12.00 with the run switch flipped on
dropped to about 10 while cranking and turning over
14.25 while running

Checked the cables and they were clean-ish, secure. Checked the spark plugs and they have all the signs of normal.

Guess I'm on to the compression sprocket and chain tensioner next.

 

12.57V with bike off seems a bit low to me.

FWIW I chased difficult hot starting on my 07 for years. I put in new batteries, OEM brand and aftermarket. Replaced the starter a few times with aftermarket. Checked battery cable (both ends) repeatedly, plugs, plug wires, crank sensor.

Spring 2014 I replaced the battery cables. No problems all year, fires right up even if hot.

 

do you wait for the light to go off before starting while its hot? if so, start it as soon as you flip the switch to run and see if that corrects your issue. My 09 night train was that way.