07 K9 won’t start

Money

Member
Hola Everyone, new 07 K9 owner here. So I got my bike delivered today from the shipper. It won’t start. Put a volt meter on the battery and it was on the low end of the curve so I replaced it. The handlebar controls don’t work all that great. The headlight bright/low beam doesn’t work, the turn single controls work sort of. So I have ordered all new controls. Here’s my question. When I hit the run switch I can hear the selnoid clicking but no starter motor follow up. I’m hoping that replacing all the controls will fix the no start problem but it makes me wonder if there is also a problem with the selnoid/starter motor because I can here that click. Before the bike was put on the truck in Texas all this stuff worked just fine so it’s a real mystery what has gone wrong. The bike looked great when it came off the truck so there is no evidence of shipper damage. Anyone with any insight into this issue would be appreciated. Thank you!
 

Mastiff Rider64

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Well sounds like it could be a couple issues here. The controls may not be the problem it could be you EHC. That controls or supplies the signal/voltages to the headlight, turn signals, and other items which someone with more knowledge will chim in on, it also can keep a bike from starting from what I've gathered from this form page. The other issue could be the starter its self. Those are the 2 items I would check before changing out the controls.
 

Sven

Well-Known Member
When I hit the run switch I can hear the selnoid clicking but no starter motor follow up.
Low battery. Has to be 12.6~12.8v sitting static. Should show 11v drop when starting. 10v says junk. Should show 14v when idling.
 

tcrowelljr

Member
Make sure you have a good ground. Doubt its the controls, i'm thinking EHC, but check a few things before replacing. Also you can send the EHC to Curtis at Wild Steed Worx for testing.
 

Mr. Wright

Knows some things
Before you get excited with all that, what battery did you put in it? Just because it's a new battery doesn't mean it's a good battery. And just because it shows full voltage doesn't mean it's a good battery. If everything worked before it left my money is on the battery you got isn't any good either. What battery did you put in it
 
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Mikeinjersey

Well-Known Member
Hola Everyone, new 07 K9 owner here. So I got my bike delivered today from the shipper. It won’t start. Put a volt meter on the battery and it was on the low end of the curve so I replaced it. The handlebar controls don’t work all that great. The headlight bright/low beam doesn’t work, the turn single controls work sort of. So I have ordered all new controls. Here’s my question. When I hit the run switch I can hear the selnoid clicking but no starter motor follow up. I’m hoping that replacing all the controls will fix the no start problem but it makes me wonder if there is also a problem with the selnoid/starter motor because I can here that click. Before the bike was put on the truck in Texas all this stuff worked just fine so it’s a real mystery what has gone wrong. The bike looked great when it came off the truck so there is no evidence of shipper damage. Anyone with any insight into this issue would be appreciated. Thank you!
Stop the presses!!!! Cancel your order until you at least troubleshoot this very common problem. First and foremost make sure the battery is fully charged and load tested. The click you are hearing is probably the compression releases. Stick your finger in the hole on top of your cylinders and feel when you hit the start button or just listen closely. The fact that your getting a response from the start button means it's good. Your headlight probably has one filament burnt out. As for the blinkers, hit L&R at the same time to activate emergency flashers to test.
Pull the green wire off the starter and read dcv when you hit start. If you get approx 12 vdc start looking to troubleshoot the starter itself. Pull the cover off the solenoid and look for burnt contacts or a broken wire (usually repairable) where the green wire comes into the solenoid. If you don't get the voltage at the green wire but you hear the click for the compression releases your issue could be the EHC not sending voltage to the starter wire.
First things first starting with a verified good battery!! Of course come back if you need more help.
Page 6 Starting System ( engine will not crank)
 

Attachments

Jersey Big Mike

100K mile club
Hola Everyone, new 07 K9 owner here. So I got my bike delivered today from the shipper. It won’t start. Put a volt meter on the battery and it was on the low end of the curve so I replaced it. The handlebar controls don’t work all that great. The headlight bright/low beam doesn’t work, the turn single controls work sort of. So I have ordered all new controls. Here’s my question. When I hit the run switch I can hear the selnoid clicking but no starter motor follow up. I’m hoping that replacing all the controls will fix the no start problem but it makes me wonder if there is also a problem with the selnoid/starter motor because I can here that click. Before the bike was put on the truck in Texas all this stuff worked just fine so it’s a real mystery what has gone wrong. The bike looked great when it came off the truck so there is no evidence of shipper damage. Anyone with any insight into this issue would be appreciated. Thank you!
ok, I'll be the A**hole.
You said when you hit the RUN switch -- the bike doesn't try to start till you hit run once then press START.
As said above, check the battery first -- load test it.
Get the manuals.
You can easily bypass the handlebar controls for testing just open the right hand side and manually activate the correct wires.
 

Money

Member
ok, I'll be the A**hole.
You said when you hit the RUN switch -- the bike doesn't try to start till you hit run once then press START.
As said above, check the battery first -- load test it.
Get the manuals.
You can easily bypass the handlebar controls for testing just open the right hand side and manually activate the correct wires.
Thanks for the reply - I may not have been very clear. I hit run and then start - normal procedure. I replaced the battery with a new one. Manuals are on the way - expensive buggers - I will give the handlebar control bypass suggestion a try - Thanks! What is so strange about all of this is the bike started fine and all the controls worked before it was shipped. Like I said, when the bike came off the truck it look perfect so no obvious damage. I think what is bugging me about all of this is with some massaging the start button I can get (what I believe to be) a solenoid switch click. This is making me think that while the handlebar control pads are clearly part of the problem that there is more to the mystery. If after bypassing the pads (per your suggestion) it still will not start that leads me to think its a solenoid/Starter problem or the EFI (which has not been upgraded from the original one on the bike in 07) To remove and replace either item is expensive and I don't want to guess wrong - know what I mean? That's where I'm going with this post - hoping to get some additional insights on where to go from here. Thanks!
 

Money

Member
Stop the presses!!!! Cancel your order until you at least troubleshoot this very common problem. First and foremost make sure the battery is fully charged and load tested. The click you are hearing is probably the compression releases. Stick your finger in the hole on top of your cylinders and feel when you hit the start button or just listen closely. The fact that your getting a response from the start button means it's good. Your headlight probably has one filament burnt out. As for the blinkers, hit L&R at the same time to activate emergency flashers to test.
Pull the green wire off the starter and read dcv when you hit start. If you get approx 12 vdc start looking to troubleshoot the starter itself. Pull the cover off the solenoid and look for burnt contacts or a broken wire (usually repairable) where the green wire comes into the solenoid. If you don't get the voltage at the green wire but you hear the click for the compression releases your issue could be the EHC not sending voltage to the starter wire.
First things first starting with a verified good battery!! Of course come back if you need more help.
Page 6 Starting System ( engine will not crank)
Thank you for your response.
 

avatharv

Member
I had a very similar problem with my 06 K9 when it shipped. It started and ran just fine.. then nothing on arrival.

Mine was that the throttle cable had come loose in shipping. I would find that if I turned my handlebars hard to one side or the other.. it would make contact and start. Nothing needed to be replaced.. just reconnected in the grip.

Everyone was saying battery to mine also. The thing is that these engines are so big.. that trying a few time unsuccessfully can also run down your battery.
 

Money

Member
Before you get excited with all that, what battery did you put in it? Just because it's a new battery doesn't mean it's a good battery. And just because it shows full voltage doesn't mean it's a good battery. If everything worked before it left my money is on the battery you got isn't any good either. What battery did you put in it
I installed a Duracell Ultra Platinum AGM Powersports - not the China version of the battery. It was recommended by my friend who is helping me who purchased a BD Chopper in 04 until just recently which he sold and bought a new K9. He's done a lot of work on his bikes and is very knowledgeable. He is just as perplexed as I am (a 30 year Harley rider who know nothing about BG's) You could still be right on the battery and I'm going to do some further testing on it.
 

Money

Member
Low battery. Has to be 12.6~12.8v sitting static. Should show 11v drop when starting. 10v says junk. Should show 14v when idling.
Thanks for the numbers. The battery does show in the 12.6-12.8 range sitting static - I have not load tested it yet but intend on doing that as my next step. Thanks!
 

Mikeinjersey

Well-Known Member
Money, if you don't want to wait for your manuals to arrive you can download them from Mr. Wright's link in post # 5. Take your time and go one step at a time. Testing the battery is a good start. FYI a battery can read 12.8 v and still be weak. That is why you need to load test it. Then test for voltage at that green starter wire. Probably not but in shipping it could have fallen off. Same symptom would happen. That is why you need to troubleshoot before ordering anything.
 

Money

Member
T
Money, if you don't want to wait for your manuals to arrive you can download them from Mr. Wright's link in post # 5. Take your time and go one step at a time. Testing the battery is a good start. FYI a battery can read 12.8 v and still be weak. That is why you need to load test it. Then test for voltage at that green starter wire. Probably not but in shipping it could have fallen off. Same symptom would happen. That is why you need to troubleshoot before ordering anything.
Thank you for the suggestions!
 
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