Turnsignals unhooked = no start?

[handyjoe]

I was working on the bike last night, fixing two issues at once. I had the rear turn signals off when I went to start the bike, and nothing. All the lights came on, but it wouldn't start and there was no horn. Once I reinstalled the rear turns, everything worked just as it had before.

It also worked with just one hooked up, but is this some odd electrical gremlin that I should be chasing down?

[tom203]

I was working on the bike last night, fixing two issues at once. I had the rear turn signals off when I went to start the bike, and nothing. All the lights came on, but it wouldn't start and there was no horn. Once I reinstalled the rear turns, everything worked just as it had before.

It also worked with just one hooked up, but is this some odd electrical gremlin that I should be chasing down?

Check how your starter solenoid is grounded.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

It sounds like you may have unhooked a ground wire for more than just the blinkers. Check your wiring diagram. I don't think it's a big issue.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Redman]

Pretty much like others have said:

If it is like the 850G and 1100G, the starter solenoid is mounted/"grounded" to the battery box. But the battery box is not solidly mounted to frame, so there is a black/white wire conencted to the solenoid monting bolt. And that black/white wire goes into the wiring harnes and is grounded to frame somewhere (frame near top of battery box) and that connection to the frame sometimes gets damaged. THat black/white wire in the wiring harness also has several other black/white wires spliced into it to serve as ground wires elsewhere around the bike. Like for t/signals. Maybe that main frame ground point of the black/white wire has been damaged and then your only ground to frame (and battery negitive) was one of the black/white wires you disconnected along with the turn signals.

This is pretty much related to why many folks recomend adding your own "ground" wire from the starter solenoid bolt (where the balck/white wire is) and run it directly to the battery negitive. THis is so the regulator (and the starter solenoid) is not relying on that black/wite wire in the wiring harness.

.