Starting Problem

[c50t rider]

OK, here's what happened.

My son's GS 650 GL kept blowing main fuses.Even blew them with the key off...put one in and "POOF" it blew. I took off the handlebar start/kill switch and took it apart to see if there were any bare wires. NOTHING.....put it back on, the main fuse no longer blows, but the starter button doesn't work. I took off the solenoid and had my dealer check it...it's fine. The bike will start and run perfectly by shorting out the two terminals on the solenoid with a screwdriver. I replaced the starter/kill switch and that didn't help. Now what? Can the rectifier do this? Where is it? Thanks, I know someone will help.:-D

[focus frenzy]

blowing main fuse with the key off is commonly a bad rectifier, but can be a short in the main power wire going to the ignition switch or possibly in the fuse panel itself.

when you take apart the kill switch and it doesn't work after putting back together, generaly that points to a mistake putting it back together.

probe the wiring for the switch and see if you have power on the green with yellow stripe wire when you push the starter button with key on.
you will need help as you have to pull in the clutch lever (safety switch) and push starter button at same time as testing for power.

[c50t rider]

Where's the rectifier located? And would it being bad cause the starter to not work? Also, the starter wasn't working BEFORE I took it off to check it. I went through the whole wiring system, what I could see anyway, and found no shorts or bare wires......my son told me that about 2 months ago he was riding his bike down the turnpike and it just died. He coasted to the side of the road and it restarted fine, and he had no further problems until about three weeks ago when it blew main fuses.
Thanks!

[focus frenzy]

sounds like the fuse issue is likely a short, and the starting issue may be a bad contact in the clutch safety switch.

read up on the wiring and trouble shooting at Bass cliffs excellent site.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[chef1366]

I bet it's the ignition switch blowing the main fuse with the key off.