Harley owner, past & present....a question!

[John Schmidt]

As you know, our Valks have the clutch switch that allows the rider to start the bike in gear. I'm converting another bike to HD controls for the owner and in the past have simply used an hydraulic switch which also doubled as the banjo bolt on the clutch m/c. My question is...how does Harley handle such a task. Are the riders not able to start in gear or is there another method used. I'd like to get away from the hydraulic switch, althought it has worked fairly well in the past it's not fool proof.

[Jess from VA]

Not sure I understand the question.

My Harley had no kickstand or clutch switches.  I do not know if they have since adapted those metric bike safety features. 

If you hit the starter in gear, it would fire up and take off instantly (because it was choked).  And it was best to be ready.  Left a couple gas pumps this way, and lucky the hose never grabbed my handlebars.  If your kickstand was down, you had a chance of it grabbing something as you launched, and jack-standing the bike.

You either got it in neutral (green light) or pulled in the clutch to start safely.  My bike did not like to go into neutral when hot and stopped, I needed to fish for neutral while still rolling.  And holding that non hydraulic clutch in during a long red light would get your arm shaking with fatigue.

[Rams]

Not sure I understand the question.

My Harley had no kickstand or clutch switches.  I do not know if they have since adapted those metric bike safety features. 

If you hit the starter in gear, it would fire up and take off instantly (because it was choked).  And it was best to be ready.  Left a couple gas pumps this way, and lucky the hose never grabbed my handlebars.  If your kickstand was down, you had a chance of it grabbing something as you launched, and jack-standing the bike.

You either got it in neutral (green light) or pulled in the clutch to start safely.  My bike did not like to go into neutral when hot and stopped, I needed to fish for neutral while still rolling.  And holding that non hydraulic clutch in during a long red light would get your arm shaking with fatigue.

Sounds like an adventure I'd rather not go on.

Rams