While out riding my bike, I was cruising at hwy. speeds and heard a god awful sound. It was quick and I thought "did i just hear that?" so I continue on and I hear it again. Two short burst of sound. I quick pull in the clutch and kill the motor and coast to a stop. Fearing that something was about to seize (It was 32C out that day) I let it cool and think "what the hell is going on".So I go to restart the bike and when I turn on the ingnition and kill switch, the motor turned over once without hitting the start button. So I make it the rest of the way home without it happening again. Just to make sure it was the starter motor trying to engage i quick tapped the start button while idling and sure enough it made the same sound. Now I have to figure out if it is a rely or solinoid or god knows what else. Anyone else have this experience?

 

I have seen this in cars before.

The starter might have a sticking contact inside.

I would also look closely at the wirring from you handle bars to the starter for a possible pinched wire.

 

I had the same exact problem on my 06 softail standard. I took it to the dealer and they wondered what the hell it was. Finally the guy said there was nothing wrong with it. I took of and started riding out of the parking lot like a bat outta hell. andthe starter starts engaging again with out me touching the switch. So i do a Uie real quick and go back to the dealership. It does it in front of the mechanic this time. He takes about an hour and examines the bike. Says he cant figure out whats wrong. The switch isnt sending a signal to the starter so he didnt know what was wrong. Replaced the selinoid and the relay. Still did it. Finally the other mechanic said just replace the handlebar switch. So he did and it hasnt done it since. That was at about a thousand miles when this happened. I now have 6000 on the bike and havent had a problem. So replace your starter switch and it should stop.

 

Oil or even water in the starter switch can cause this. The first time I saw it was on my buddy's 1995 Wide Glide. His starter would engage after his bike got wet. He had to replace the switch.

I had it happen to me last year heading out on a road trip. I serviced my bike right before leaving. I got a little over zealous spraying the lube I used for the throttle cables. About 10 miles down the road, I heard the starter engaging. I knew I had fouled the switch with oil. I stopped at Advance and got a can of aersol contact cleaner. I cleaned the switch several times of the week before I finally got all the oil out and got it to quit. That was thousands of miles ago. I've had no problems since.

On a side note, I was prepared to cut the switch wire or am prepared for when the switch goes bad. A push button end cap is all you need to engage the starter. You can see it in this pic. They are only about 20 bucks.

[IMG]local://upfiles/17633/C4333969D8D8446683A581EF8837D0EE.jpg[/IMG]

 

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem I checked the switch housing for water and such but there was nothing. I haven't washed the bike in a week so that can't be the problem. I like the idea of the push button end cap xxxflhrci that issmart. I'll look at everything closely and see whats up

 

Damn! That sound would have scared the bejesus out of me! Hope you get it squared away soon.

 

Can't imagine what that's doing to those gears...[:@]