Hopefully a stupid question.

[Guest]

I have two bike I am working on, a 650e and an 850l. I put a freash battery in checked the lights( which worked fine), then when I hit the starter button nothing. This happen on both bikes. What did I do wrong?

Sorry if it is really a stupid question...

[Big Rich]

Did you pull the clutch lever in? There's a safety switch on there....

[Brendan W]

The really stupid ones are the ones you don't ask. If I had a penny for every...........

[partagas]

I thought just having it in Neutral would do it. I will try the clutch in the morning.

[tkent02]

A lot of us get rid of the clutch switch, it's really dangerous.

[mmattockx]

A lot of us get rid of the clutch switch, it's really dangerous.

While I agree that the switch is a pointless device that thwarts Darwinian progress, why is it dangerous?


Mark

[GateKeeper]

do you have a run button is it in the run position, or the off position ?

.

[JTGS850GL]

Yes, the clutch must be pulled in and the ignition power (right hand control) switch must be turned on before the start button will do anything.

[partagas]

OK i tried it with the clutch pulled. still nothing. I am not used to doing that on my Wing.

[BiomedDR]

Do you hear a click when you push the starter button? Are these bikes you are getting running or did the starter stop working?

[partagas]

No clicking sound. These are new bikes to me. Trying to rebuild and get them running.

[JTGS850GL]

Pull the schematics and bypass the clutch safety switch located on the left handlebar controls (Yellow/Green wires) in the headlight housing. You can just plug them together. Make sure the start/stop switch on the right handlebar is set to the start position and press the start button. If not starter turning then check for voltage along the way and see if you have 12V at each point. Make sure the key is on.

The voltage path originates at the fuse box (10 amp fuse), then passes through the right hand controls (input Orange/White wire) to the On/Off Emergency Stop switch (in right hand control) then to the Push Button Start switch (in right hand control), out (Yellow/Green wire), into headlight bucket, through the clutch safety switch (Yellow/Green in left hand control) and back to the headlight bucket (this is what you're bypassing) and finally to the starter solenoid (Yellow/Green wire).

It's possible that one or more of the switches are bad but less likely that they're bad the same way on both bikes. Might also be that a connector is disconnected or burnt. You can get the schematics for your bikes here: Bikecliff's Web Site.

What year are the bikes?

[partagas]

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I work nights, I will have to have to break out my chiefs apron and start going through the spaghetti they call wiring. the bikes are 82 and 83.

[rwnielsen]

This is the board behind the start button after I cleaned it with a stainless tooth brush. It had oxidized so badly that it wouldn't make contact. Mine sat for 11 years and acted just like you're description. The small copper contact behind the button was just as bad.

[partagas]

I will start with this first since both bikes have been sitting since 2005.

Thanks for the pics. They help.

This is the board behind the start button after I cleaned it with a stainless tooth brush. It had oxidized so badly that it wouldn't make contact. Mine sat for 11 years and acted just like you're description. The small copper contact behind the button was just as bad.