2003 Start Problem

[Synway]

Just got my first Big Dog motorcycle and have a problem with staring it up , I believe it may be the starter but just not sure ,Hit the start button starts to engage starter (click sound of it engaging ) and will not turn the engine over, hold the button in for a moment cables on positive side of battery heats up and then it turns over and will crank , new battery fully charged any other things that I could look at would be greatly appreciated. What little I have been able to ride it has been a blast , I'm 61 and wanted one of these bike's ever since I seen one way back when, Have a happy holiday everyone

Synway

 

[pknowles]

Welcome from Virginia. If the cables are getting hot I would check for a loose connection on that cable. If you can, check the volts at the battery while cranking. A weak battery just doesnt get it on these bikes.
Aside from that, post up a picture when you get time.

 

[Synway]

Thank you, I'll check all my connections on the starter. I have question my battery even if it's new and charged it has 310 CCA

 

[awg]

Does the 03 have compression releases?

 

[Synway]

Does the 03 have compression releases?

To be honest I'm not sure if it has compression release, I don't believe it does.

 

[Synway]

The thing I didn't mention is that once it starts to turn over it will spin the engine over with no problems. after you run I'll say a couple of minutes or warms up good it will start up with no issues ,

 

[pauldeepsea]

Does the 03 have compression releases?

Later 03’s did . It wasn’t offered fully until 04

 

[pauldeepsea]

Just got my first Big Dog motorcycle and have a problem with staring it up , I believe it may be the starter but just not sure ,Hit the start button starts to engage starter (click sound of it engaging ) and will not turn the engine over, hold the button in for a moment cables on positive side of battery heats up and then it turns over and will crank , new battery fully charged any other things that I could look at would be greatly appreciated. What little I have been able to ride it has been a blast , I'm 61 and wanted one of these bike's ever since I seen one way back when, Have a happy holiday everyone

Synway

MAy need to clean up the contacts, plenty of threads and I thing there is how to

 

[heybaylor]

MAy need to clean up the contacts, plenty of threads and I thing there is how to

agree, the contacts in the starter solenoid are prone to pitting , easy to pop cover and check.
good connections on BOTH ends of the starter lead, and the ground are needed

 

[francoblay1]

The thing I didn't mention is that once it starts to turn over it will spin the engine over with no problems. after you run I'll say a couple of minutes or warms up good it will start up with no issues ,

Check THIS out.

 

[lance]

my 2003 chopper did the same thing when the engine was cold, I had to hold down the starter button for a couple seconds before the starter would start rotating . It started happening after the bike was a few years old, after checking everything over and over I installed compression releases and never had another problem

 

[PacoPetty]

Welcome to the family. Good luck with your Troubleshooting.

 

[Reddickracing]

Welcome from Louisiana, hope you get it worked out. Good info above

 

[Sven]

Say the bike is 15 years old, bone stock and never torn down. Battery neg cable to bare frame, say that raw metal contact is now sort of rusty due to condensation/heat/anshit. I'm guessing here, so I then think about razor cutting the battery cable end bottoms and razor the lead of the battery posts so there is raw metal(s) meeting a better flow of heat transfer.

Signed,
NOLTT (no one listens to turtle)

 

[bdm7250]

Welcome to the forum.. Have your battery load tested, and as the others have said make sure you've got good clean connections, add some dielectric grease as well to keep things preserved.