Walkincrow

I have a 1996 Harley Sportster 1200 - I cannot start bike. Battery has full charge, I have power to coils, starter, ignition and fuses are good. What else could be preventing the bike from starting? Someone mentioned my fuse able link but where is this located and do I have one? Does anyone have any idea's on this issue. I also have no headlights. Bike was put on bike trailer 1 month ago and ran good. I trailered the bike from Southern California to Rainy Oregon and took the bike off the trailer. Now it just doesn't want to start.

Please help!

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glider

With no power and no lights I would start by removing and cleaning the battery terminals, neg off first and on last. After that check for corrosion in the fuse panel. Very common on the sporties.

fin_676

A bit more info is needed on the does not start is the engine kill switch set to run does the engine crank over and not start or when you press the start button nothing happens are the warning lights on etc

Brian

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Self Help Information and Tips - Harley Davidson Community

Walkincrow

Kill switch is set to run there is no corrosion on battery terminals and fuses are good. When I push the start button nothing happens no cranking sound - Nothing. No warning lights - those were taken off bike years ago.

fin_676

If the battery cables are good and fitted correctly and there is power to the starter and most of the other components it may be the starter relay or starter switch the relay is under the seat mounted on the right side behind the oil tank
to explain how to test these components is above me hopefully hoople will be along shortly he is our electrical expert around here

Brian

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I try to put my brain in gear before my hands go on the keyboard


Self Help Information and Tips - Harley Davidson Community

Walkincrow

Thanks Fin 676. The starter Relay / Starter switch has power / juice. Yes I will wait for hoople maybe he has some input. Thanks everyone else as well, hopefully I'll get this figured out and let you all know whats up.

vegas

Hello.

I am by no means a mechanic, but I had a very similar problem on my 1967 fastback mustang.

I drive it bout 1 time every two months.

Once I went 4 months without driving and it would not start.
Twist key and nada. Battery read full voltage, but no go when I twisted the key.

Pulled it and took it to autozone and they hooked it up and said it was a bad battery.
I didn't realize you could have a bad battery that read charged when hooked to a meter.

Put new one in and car started right up first try...

BUBBIE

My 95 sporty gave me troubles with the Key Switch and IF i remember right I could get it going but it needed a new one..... NOT saying to toss parts at it but Just saying...

Check the wires on the back of the switch and WIGGLE it to see IF you can get the lights to come on,,,,, then it will start...... Report Back

signed....BUBBIE

Bike is MAD at you for taking it to such a COLD Wet climate......

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Quite Often I am Right so Forgive me when I'm WRONG!!!.......

glider

Corrosion does not have to be visible to cause a no start condition. By removing, cleaning and replacing the connections, you eliminate one source of a problem. Well worth the few minutes it takes to do it. Trouble shooting a problem like this is the elimination of the known problem areas and by not doing them, you could waste much time trying to find the problem by overlooking it.

casca

greetings,
new to this forum & bought my first Sportster at age 51
I just trailered my new to me purchase a 2002 xl 883 home it was running poorly when purchased . Got it home it would not charge fully.

after mucho (EDIT) around discovered that the terminal at the starter was cracked and not getting a good solid conection.

found the terminal that was OEM on Ebay for $20 , replaced battery for good measure.

when you change the cable it works well to have a 10 year old boy to help
so he can reach in and set cable on terminal and start nut on.
that is the seceret
GOOD LUCK
casca

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