First off, get the SE comp and your starter bang will be gone. It's also easier an everything related because it has the correct amount of damping characteristics as opposed to the stock Comp which blows through its springs and hits it's stops with some pretty severe force.
Second, if it were me, I would leave everything alone as far as gearing on the engine. If you want to change your gearing, work with the rear pulley (bigger) to get what you want. I say that because if you don't like it, it's easier to change back.

 

Like Scorpion07 said the SE comp will fix your starter, and many other things will be better. You can run 3,000 at 70 in 5th gear for free if thats what you are after.

 

Thats what I do now.

 

if your stock comp beat your last starter to death.....as for gearing evo industries makes a 30 tooth front sprocket,or a bigger clutch basket sprocket, but i would also go with a bigger rear pully its less money u still keep a compensator.

 

I hope replacing my comp with the SE unit helps my starter issue. Every time I hear it happening I immediately let go of the starter button and in my case if it doesn't fire right away the next time is a little more brutal and harder to start.
My bike sounds like the bike in the video

 

I too have the occasional grinding noise when I go to start my bike. Typically when warm. Does that mean my compensator is going South too or is it the starter clutch, or both? Going to be scheduling an appt. with my dealer & be using my ESP.

 

It should. I couldn't believe the difference my upgrade made. Like has been said a lot on various forums, it'll take care of the starter issue, the clunk of changing gears and give a lot smoother gear change. If you plan on doing it yourself I can PM you a link to a great guide that I followed from another forum. A lot of great tips.

 

It's not that the compensator is going "bad". The design of it doesn't have enough "give" to keep the starter gear from taking the brunt of the initially force needed to turn the motor.

 

Sound like this guy's?

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ting-bike.html

 

Mine doesn't "bang" like the one in the video it's more of a grinding sound. Reminds me of an old chevy starter grinding sound...Ideas?