Starter Motors for Sportster →1980 and Big Twin →1988

Starter motors individually

Compared to other electric starters, the starter electrics used by the Factory from 1964-1988 were complicated in design. Nevertheless, there was one advantage in any case: a good mechanic could remove the starter motor individually after disconnecting the wires, while the starter housing and the whole release mechanism remained in place.

Which starter motor is correct for my Harley?

Harley-Davidson used two different starter motor models until the early 1980s. Usually they are distinguished by their manufacturers: Prestolite and Hitachi. Then, from 1983 to 1988, there was only the one from Hitachi. The quickest way to distinguish them is by the through bolts or tie rods. The Prestolite has 1/4"-20 thread, the Hitachi uses thinner 10-24 bolts. If you're sure your bike is original, you're also welcome to look at the model assignments on the items.

As a technically more contemporary replacement for those bikes, where components don't have to be original, we stock parts from Spyke and Tech Cycle.