Starters

A bike that clicks but does not crank usually points to the battery, the solenoid or the starter. This page lists replacement starter motors and kicker parts for Harley-Davidson and Indian V-twins, from OE-style to high-torque designs.

Starter options

All Balls lists high torque 1.4 kW starters in black for Big Twin, including a 6-speed version and a Hitachi-style unit, plus a 1.7 kW black starter. Spyke lists a 1.4 kW high torque starter for Big Twin 1994 to 2006. Rick's Motorsport Electrics lists OEM-replacement and lightweight starters for Harley and Indian, and Harddrive stocks starter motors for Big Twin 1989 to 2006, Touring and Sportster. Kicker arm offsets and chrome kicker pedals suit older bikes that still use a kicker.

Choosing a starter

Match your transmission, whether 4-speed, 5-speed or 6-speed, and the year range. High torque starters can improve cranking on big-displacement or high-compression engines, but they still need a healthy battery and clean, tight cables. Before you replace a starter, load test the battery, check the cables and inspect the solenoid and the ground connection. After installing a new unit, make sure the mounting surface is clean, the bolts are torqued to spec, and the positive cable is fully seated and protected from touching the frame. A starter that draws too much current can often be traced to a worn bushing, a tight engine or a poor cable end.

Related: batteries and electrical parts for charging system and sensors.