Bike starts but shouldn’t.

wyopsycho

Active Member
It’s always something.
I got back from the Laughlin river run on Sunday night. Trailered there and back, before you judge me it was snowing when I left lol. Ride around as much as I could in the extreme heat with no issues. Just today had time to unload the bike and as soon as I turn the key on the starter engages, brake lights are on, horn is honking. The bike starts the tach is real erratic and all instrument lights are on. Normally just like all of you I turn my key on hit run then hit start and it fires. Now as soon as I turn the key on it turns over and will start if I hit the throttle.
Battery is fine.
 

wyopsycho

Active Member
It was over 100 degrees in Laughlin while we were there and dry heat to boot. Then the bike was loaded in an enclosed trailer and brought home. I’ll take it apart tomorrow and look at the controls. Any other ideas.
 

Jersey Big Mike

100K mile club
I'd pull the connector from the right hand side and turn the key. If it doesn't start it's a problem with the board/switches. Pop them apart and dry and clean them.

If it starts with the wire pulled I'd chase the wire back to the ehc and check if the start button wired is grounded (shorted) out.

Even though it was dry heat, the temperature change might have caused some excessive condensation.

Let us know.
 

cdogg556

Guru
I agree with Jersey Big Mike that it might be your handlebar PC board, you can take the one out of the left side and plug it in the right side and it will work it's just the buttons will be different or reversed, if it fires up normal then you know you need new pc board.
 

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
I agree with Jersey Big Mike that it might be your handlebar PC board, you can take the one out of the left side and plug it in the right side and it will work it's just the buttons will be different or reversed, if it fires up normal then you know you need new pc board.
yep, or just jump the pins with a wire.

But unplug the board and then just turn the key first see what happens.

I’m afraid to leave it run long enough to check because the starter is still engaged.


And spot on don't leave the starter engaged very long 20 seconds at most it will just burn up the contacts and the battery and cause more issues.

Also what do you mean by ALL instrument lights are on? Like when you turn the key the idiot lights are all light up like an Xmas tree? Electric issues are challenging to diagnose/resolve over a forum so the more info the better.


Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

cdogg556

Guru
yep, or just jump the pins with a wire.

But unplug the board and then just turn the key first see what happens.





And spot on don't leave the starter engaged very long 20 seconds at most it will just burn up the contacts and the battery and cause more issues.

Also what do you mean by ALL instrument lights are on? Like when you turn the key the idiot lights are all light up like an Xmas tree? Electric issues are challenging to diagnose/resolve over a forum so the more info the better.


Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk
I forgot to ask if he has the original ehc or something else, could be that also......;)
 

wyopsycho

Active Member
yep, or just jump the pins with a wire.

But unplug the board and then just turn the key first see what happens.





And spot on don't leave the starter engaged very long 20 seconds at most it will just burn up the contacts and the battery and cause more issues.

Also what do you mean by ALL instrument lights are on? Like when you turn the key the idiot lights are all light up like an Xmas tree? Electric issues are challenging to diagnose/resolve over a forum so the more info the better.


Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk
Yes sir all the idiot lights are lit up as soon as I turn the key on as well as brake lights and starter engaged
 

wyopsycho

Active Member
I got home late. Haven’t pulled anything apart. Put the key in tonight turned it on all was well. I hit the start button and it made about three revolutions then the horn and lights etc I had to shut the key off to get it all to stop. I should be home in time to work on it tomorrow. Thank you for the advice.
 

cdogg556

Guru
I got home late. Haven’t pulled anything apart. Put the key in tonight turned it on all was well. I hit the start button and it made about three revolutions then the horn and lights etc I had to shut the key off to get it all to stop. I should be home in time to work on it tomorrow. Thank you for the advice.
I know I'm gonna hear shit for telling you that it's probably you EHC finally taking a crap, before you go and buy a new one, go through the bike and check all connections are good, after you have determined that itsi not a short or something then you will know it's the EHC, I had a similar problem once and it turned out to be the license plate light was shorting out, after all the problems I had I eventually replaced my EHC with Dead one customs ESC and I've had no problems at all since that's over 13 thousand miles ago I would highly suggest going with that unit if you do change your EHC.
 

Nukeranger

Nukeranger
Don’t forget Big Dog has a new replacement EHC which is plug and play and been tested to even run with the EHC in a bucket of water. But like John said, check everything out. A ground somewhere can cause strange things to happen.
 
Don't power the bike up for to long, my start switch spring fell apart inside the handle while on a ride 100 miles from home when I tried to start my dog the same shit happened and after the third try with the starter still engaged I had smoke from the starter. What a mess, new starter and wiring and switches to the handelbars.
 

TapioK

Well-Known Member
Don’t forget Big Dog has a new replacement EHC which is plug and play and been tested to even run with the EHC in a bucket of water. But like John said, check everything out. A ground somewhere can cause strange things to happen.
Where the hell you install a bucket for water in a Dog
 

bikeone

Active Member
Sounds like condensated Water in the PCB board.
Open the handlebar and use a hairdryer not to hot.
Think it will work.
If this not helps, disconnect the PCB Board and look what the bike´s doin.
Had issues with the right Side Board on my Pit Bull some Time ago too.
 

wyopsycho

Active Member
So in true procrastination fashion it must of been moisture when we left Laughlin it was 100+ degrees back in Wyoming 20. That must be where the moisture came from went down to mess with it today and no problems. Started right up no issues. Today I have learned that it will just fix its self. Or I got lucky and it dried out.
 
Top