Surfing around the net I ran across info on a "Solenoid cover w/manual pushbutton". My understanding is this cover allows you to manually engage the starter in the event of your electric start failure. Anyone use/have used one of these? Whats your take on them? Good, bad? Seems it would be a useful piece in the event your electric start goes if it really works?...Thanks guys and gals

If the part you are talking about is what I think it is, it is to do away with a start button and you engage the starter at the solenoid. A lot of custom bare bones bikes use them. Building one right now and I am going to use one. Cuts down on wiring and switches.

Hey guys, no problem with the Fxr. I was reading where a guy's electric start button was doing the dreaded clicking noise 0n his 91 FLHTC when he went out to start his bike. He said he pulled the cover off his starter and manually pushed the solenoid in by hand and the bike started. He said he wanted to buy one of these solenoid covers with the pusbutton to start his bike; I guess till he figured out his clicking problem (which as we know could be anything electrical). So I never having heard of this piece before decided to do a google search and found a few online but also as we all know; ya can't alway's believe everything ya see on the net. Anyway, being the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the backyard shade tree mechanic I am, I thought I'd ask you folks weather or not this peice could be used as replacement for the stock cover to give ya a bit of backup in the event of the dreaded clicking noise...As you can see there are different applications depending on the amps used to feed the starter....Just wondering

If you have a stock solenoid, the 1.4kw should fit. I does go on like oem. The idea of this part is for you to be able to start your bike if your starter button on your handlebar goes out.

nice back up

I am having starter problems on both my '88 FXSTS and '90 FLHTC, probably originating at the solenoid. Where can I find a device like FRXDUDE posted?

 

This "gadget" is good to replace a starter button as mentioned by TheExtreme above. It eliminates some wiring. It can be a pain if you stall out...for whatever reason...in traffic....ya know...hot pipes and all.
As far as being able to start your bike if the starter isn't working...well...yes and no. If the solenoid is the defective part....YES...because you are manually doing the "plunging part of the solenoid's job. However, if the problem with the starter is the "clutch:"...Or "bendix" as I and some other oldtimers call it, NO....it will not help at all. Another way to accomplish the "emergency use only" capabilities of this idea, is to drill a 1/4" hole, in the center of the cover, and when or if the solenoid dies, you can just insert a phillips screwdriver in the hole and push in.... This is free..... but then you won't have the chrome button.

Hey guys...I just bought a Solenoid Switch Push-Button Rear Cover for my '90 Bagger. Looks like the 2.0 cover shown above and cost about $50.00...money well spent. When I installed it, I pulled out the plunger and cleaned the contact surface before buttoning it up. The bike seems to start better now from the switch, but the best part is that WHEN the switch fails, the push-button will not. I got stranded in Palm Desert 2 weeks ago on a ride with the wife, and felt like and idiot as she tried to push start me. This is definitely the way to go. PS: finding the proper cover was the hardest part of this venture. Called 10-15 shops before I found mine. Most are made for '91-up, but I was ready to build my own. I was going to drill my factory cover, find a bolt and grind the head to very thin, insert it so the head was inside the cover and the threaded end protruded through the cover and Voila!. Just needed a way to seal it against moisture.

a buddy of mine just put one on his dyna, button on the handlebars would only make the starter chatter, he said this was way cheaper and worked better! might do it to my bagger! glad it worked for you!

got on road king works fine.available at dennis kirk or jp cycles

Ok boys and girls the purpose of these buttons is really just for the injected bikes with computer control, See if your computer goes down(there is a limp home mode as long as your already running) or your bike gets stuck in gear (the computer will not allow you to start in gear). Or if you have a wiring problem. If your battery is dead or dying these buttons will do nothing for you at all! If you have read this far you will also now know that there are a host of other problems your bike might have that will not allow you to start your bike button or no button! The only true fail safe way is to find a hill or a big buddy to push you!!!!

Always smart to have a back up plan! I know a lot of people with these and they work great.

Does anyone know which one fits and where to get one for an '89 FLHTC? It looks like the on the right in the above pic. It seems the '89 & '90 starters are different than '91-'06, which is what most of them are for. J&P cycles say they don't make one.

Stan

They are great to have, and not just for injected bikes. The do away with alot of wiring problems for one thing if going it alone, and a great back up in case something should go wrong with wiring, buttons, etc. Of course it won't help with a dead battery.

I put them on all my rides.

My 77 shovel head uses a radiator clamp,bent in a z shape. I push in on the rubber cover to start it.
It shorts the solenoid in the place of the relay. is this doing the same thing?

Yeah pretty much the same thing.

hey guys, Chardagha here. I amnow riding a 2012 FLHTK Limited, having been through the '90 FLH and an '07 FLHTCU. The 2.0 amp solenoid pushbutton cover was the bomb and completely cured my starter woes. I'm pretty sure that my problem may have been a poor ground, but could never locate where. The '89 and '90 FLH's were bastard children and used the 2.0 cover whereas the later bikes used the 1.4 cover shown above. IMO, the pushbutton cover is a lifesaver for errant starter solenoid circuits. I don't need one now but will probably instal one on my current Limited, "just in case".
BTW, there is no comparison between the 2012 and the '07 FLH. The stock 103 motor more than handles the too tall 6-speed 1st gear, and the roll-on at any speed is awesome. Also, HD has addressed the frame flexion problem, and cornering is awesome at any speed. I normally do the stage 1 upgrade right away, but will wait as I'm completely happy with stock performance at this point.

hey Chardagha, my 2012 Switchback is damned sweet! I thought about doing this and that to upgrade the motor prior to purchase but after riding it I'm pretty happy with it as is. It's not as noisy and could use a tad more grunt but I suspect that's an exhaust issue. She is snappy in all gears and rides like a dream! I was cruising down the 101 from Cupertino heading back to Seaside and just blowing by cars and I look down and I'm doing 100 MPH and the bike isn't even sweating and of course I realize I need to slow down some, but WOW! Great bike indeed! Haven't been this happy with a new bike since my 87 FXLR!