After Market Starters

[crow]

I have a 2000 Road King with a loud starter. Sound like the start drive in the starter is grinding not the primary is the problem.   It just sorta started. I hit the button one day about 2 years ago and it the louder then normal noise was there. I have put a lot of miles on it like that and l do not want to take the chance of getting stranded somewhere so it is time to fix it.

I know I can buy a new better clutch assemble ( all balls) for about $80.00  But while looking on E-Bay i see a lot of starters complete ranging from $89.00 and up. I was wondering how many of you have bought one of these cheaper starters and did you have any good luck.  Looking to see who has a good deal and who and what starters to stay away from.

Thanks in advance for ant and all information

Crow

[ceduby]

Lots of choices out there. I thought I was needing a starter and started doing some research on line and the EVO board. I was going to go with the Ultima starter 1.4 Kw. Seemed to have a pretty good reputation and was priced right. I ended up going with a AllBalls clutch drive, (50.00) instead seeing that was my issue and not the starter itself. I was also advised to get a solenoid rebuild kit while I was in there which I did. Parts have not arrived and it will be a couple of weeks before I can replace it so I don't know for sure if that will remedy the problem, but from the reports it very well should

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Tech Cycle.

[dr dave]

my wife's fxdl had a starter go out last year.   i went online and bought a chrome allballs starter with a little more cranking power since we had upgraded to a 95" and bumped the compression up some.   it looked nice but failed after about 1 month or 5-6 rides.   i'm probably the only one that had a bad one, but rather than take the time to send it back for warranty, i took it down to the local auto electric shop that works only on starters / alternators / etc.      they went through it in about 1/2 day and it works like a charm now.   

if i have a starter go out again, i'll take it to the local shop before i buy another new one.   if they say they can't fix it, i get a new one then.

i've got a 116" with 11:1 compression and use the stock starter.   never had any problems with starting.   live in oklahoma where it's at 100 degrees at least 2-3 months of the year straight.   got compression releases on my bike, my wife's bike did not, so that was reason for slightly more power on her starter (i realize now that i did not need it).

[HD/Wrench]

Stock starters work just fine . Keep the battery at the proper charge level, and proper tune.  I guess if you have a kit that has incorrect timing or huge amount of CCP  or something along those lines go bigger.

my own 124 had a stock starter  never had a issue, stock battery and made my own cables.  larger starters require more current to run correctly so make sure up take care of that in the process.

[-SeabrookTrickBagger]

Stock starters work just fine . Keep the battery at the proper charge level, and proper tune.  I guess if you have a kit that has incorrect timing or huge amount of CCP  or something along those lines go bigger.

my own 124 had a stock starter  never had a issue, stock battery and made my own cables.  larger starters require more current to run correctly so make sure up take care of that in the process.

Save the money on high powered starters since stock starters are brutes.  All Balls starter clutches are worthwhile, for sure.  So are Rivera 66 tooth ring gears on very large builds especially if you get an occasional kick back.  Assuming your engine is stock compression, compression releases are not required either, but they won't hurt to have and use them.  Large starters take so much juice that you might get two, maybe three attempts to start it before you don't have enough power to rotate them especially with a 66 tooth ring gear.  I have yet to see the need for a large starter on builds a big as 124ci, 11 to 1 compression ratio, 657 Red Shift cam, and SnS compression releases with 66 tooth ring gear:  stock starter is actually better than the high powered starters in such builds.

[Fast Copperhead]

Tech Cycle