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[PattiB]

I have a 2004 Electric Glide CVO. Once in awhile only when hot the bike will kick back when trying to start. I think it may be the starter clutch or could it be the compensator. Any ideas would be great. Thanks Roger

[DLSSOJC]

There is a thing that causes this same symptom that I have found out by experience. If your battery is a little weak, or your battery cables are not very tight and not making very good connection,  your bike will do the exact same thing. You will notice it starts up find when cold, but when you ride somewhere and stop. And then come back and try to restart, it will kick back and sometimes make a bad grinding noise from the starter area. This can be totally caused by what I mentioned above on our specific bikes. I also found out if you have a battery tender cable hooked on to your positive cable that runs down to your starter, then that can be enough to inhibit maximum voltage to your starter. Connect the battery tender to the second bolt on your battery posts and not the one that your battery cable is attached to. Before going on to the next possibility check these things out very thoroughly. Always keep your battery on a floating charger also to keep it up.

[grc]

I'm not sure if I'm calling a kick back the same thing you are, but it's not uncommon to have the starter drive clutch go bad on these bikes.  I replaced the one way clutch on mine a few years ago when it started slipping.  The actual starter motor itself is a high quality part that usually holds up well, but the clutches not so much.

Many of the '04/'05 bikes also had a tendency to "kick back" and blow back through the air cleaner when trying to start, especially on a hot restart.  That can usually be tamed with a better tune, plus remembering to hold the starter button in until the engine actually starts.  I had a tendency on mine to just stab the start button like I did on my older bikes, and found that method didn't work well at all on the EFI bike.  I still have to remind myself on hot starts to hold the button in until the engine really starts.

Jerry

[Twolanerider]

... and try to remember to start the bike while in neutral. 

[Royalroadie]

... and try to remember to start the bike while in neutral.

    And pull in the clutch.   It will take the load off the starter so it can spin the motor easier and faster.  A clutch that has sat motionless for a while will add drag.