Starter Circuit starting to get intermitent/erratic

[Guest]

Today, I hit the starter button &, nothing happened! Clutch was in in all the way, key was on, but no one was home! After trying the key a couple of time, trying to pull the clutch in a litlle further, pushing the starter button a little harder, it started fine.
It happened two more times today.
It always worked just fine up to today.
Am thinking that it is, hopefully, a dirty starter switch.
Once it gets power, the starter spins as fast & hard as ever. So, I do not think it is a starter problem.
I'm thinking switch because they are the least robust part of the circuit, but it could be the just about anything else in the circuit too.
On 70's Yamahas, the starter switch is pretty weak & is usually the fault in any starter problem.
Is there a common "weak link" in the starter circuit on GS's? I hadn't heard of one.
I'll be diagnosing & working on this on Monday, my next day off, but wanted any collective experience that others may have.
On 70's Yamahas, the starter switch is pretty weak & is usually the fault in any starter problem.

[tom203]

Bypass the clutch safety switch- it gives an illusion of safety with potential shortcomings and annoyances like this. Pulling in the clutch should be fully automated in your brain with starter button pressing.

[bccap]

I had that happen with my 750. For years every once in a while I would press the starter button and nothing would happen. Slowly it became more frequent and eventually wouldn't start at all. Turned out to be the starter relay.

[tkent02]

Sometimes it's a dead spider sleeping inside the starter switch. Take it apart and see.

[850 Combat]

The kill switch, clutch switch, and starter button are on the same circuit. Thatmeans that they all need to make good contact at the same time. It can be any of them. It can also be the starter solenoid. To check the solenoid, jump the bog wire from the battery to the little one from the button and see if it reliably cranks up.

[LarryJ]

Where is the clutch switch? I changed the clutch cable recently, & never saw it.

[Redman]

Where is the clutch switch? I changed the clutch cable recently, & never saw it.

Look up from underneath. Is On bottom forward side of the clutch lever pivoit on the handlebar. There on the end of the wiring harness.

Next time you hit the button and it doesn't go, can try wiggling the starter button with your thumb for a second or two, then try wiggling the clutch lever for a second or two. This might help you determine which is the culprit.
I suspect the clutch swtich. They do wear out. And do maybe get dried up grease in them that can be cleaned up.

If want to bypass the clutch switch, follow the wiring into headlight shell, can just disconnect from bike wiring then plug the two connectors on bike wiring together. Then can activate the starter without pulling in clutch and maybe dump the bike.

If look on Suzuki wiring diagram, it is just called "interlock". On Clymer may be called "Starter Disconnect Switch".

Green/Yellow wires on both sides.

Can take apart the clutch swtich and try to clean it, but be prepaired for little springs and connectors to go flying.

Can buy replacement clutch switch for like $18.

Clutch swtich is pretty much same as the front brake swtich, if you have any familiarity with that.

>>later note: Oh, yeah. A GK. okay, those clutch swtich connectors not in headlightr shell, are on the bike.

[LarryJ]

Took today to work on the starter circuit & go over the bike for tomorrow's 200 mile ride.
Well, the clutch switch was funky inside. The contacts were oxidized & greased up a little. The plastic slide was a little chewed up too The start button switch contacts were a little crudded also.
I even checked out the connections on the starter relay. Wound up rerouting the primary & starter leads a little, to correct the contorted way a PO had them.
After carefully disassembling each & cleaning their contacts, I started to reassemble them. I figured out how the clutch switch slide, spring & contact went back together & slid into the clutch bracket. I was just about home free, putting it back together, when the contact & spring popped out of the slide & flew somewhere! Time to just remove the clutch switch & just put back it's cover back on the bottom of the clutch lever bracket.
Oh well. I tried to stick with the switch, but it's gone now.
The starter button contacts went better & are all back together.
In the end, the starter works first time, every time now!
The problem was most likely the crudded up clutch switch.
It was also a good primer for when the front brake switch decides to fudge up too!