More electrical problems (starter relay wiring?)

[Speedo]

Thanks guys, now I have a headache - BOTH sides of my brain hurt

1982SZ
Apologies to the other readers of this thread as this has gotten completely Off Topic and it is not my intent to propagate this thread to that end.

No apologies necessary to this tired-of-his-own-electrical-gremlins reader/poster just trying to do more "homework" on all this stuff on a Sunday morning, plotting his next electrical "move". Ok, thread got a bit heated, but non-the-less, very good stuff. Sometimes tangential thinking and/or discussion ends up being MORE productive in both learning and in solving difficult problems.

Carefully trying not to take sides here....I think that criticizing guys like POS, who have obviously spent HOURS of their time, with absolutely nothing to gain for themselves, in trying to help the rest of us electrical idiots out with our problems, shows a lack of respect (let alone the gratitude they deserve). So I want to say a big "Thank You Man". Seriously.

On the other hand, I do understand being a bit frustrated with technical terms and tough concepts, and want to make the point that not all of us non-electrical-cognoscenti are necessary duma$$es. To wit (re: prev POS thread comment), I got A's in all high school math and science classes, B's in engineering Calculus, and yet still flunked out of ChemE in college - what? you have to actually STUDY to pass those classes?? Yeah, you do - that much I did learn. Problem was total lack of interest, and that is my (hopefully gentle) point.

Some of us are only interested in getting the problem fixed and get back to simply riding and living, free of electrical worries. Option 1 of course would be to just pay a mechanic. But some, like me, are cheap, stubborn, and have toolage to give it a shot. So here we are and listening (believe me) to you guys. So please do not take offense or think we are dumb when, just like the PSYGUY/STEVE exchange, it goes like:
us:"Bike won't start"
you: "Check wire X, clean it"
us: "It worked! Thx"

We're pretty much done at that point. Problem solved, technical reasons/theories behind them no longer hold our interest. I hope you understand

Now, something I actually DO know something about (and is of great interest to me):

1982SZ
Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is clearly a multi faceted book. I won't even attempt to summarize it as I just found another book written by two other Phd's in philosophy to explain what Pirsig's book means. As I suspected there is a cult like following as a result of the apparent polarizing effect the book has. I really don't have any strong feeling about the book either way; I have never even read it.

Funny (how could you "have a strong feeling either way" if you haven't read it?). But you redeem yourself:

1982SZ
But now that I researched the book (I ordered an original hardback and a new paperback reprint from Amazon)

Enjoy. I think you will like it. BTW, there is quite a bit of actual technical motorcycle maintenance stuff in there. Format alternates chapters between real-world travels, motorcycle issues, etc and philosophical musings - maybe representing alternating left/right brain thinking? Also BTW on the whole technical writing thing and its apparent lack of "quality"...trying to define what "quality" actual means is what drove the main character nuts (and if you try to think too much about it, you too will go looney!!).

I found it ended rather unfulfillingly leaving most questions unanswered. He finally got some balls 15yrs later with his follow up book "Lila" which, much less popular, was much more fulfilling as Pirsig actually attempts to consider everything educational (ie academia), scientific, philosophical, and religious in life, connect it all (amazingly) with some possible "answers" to debate (as opposed to questions like in Zen).

Conclusion: I say it's all good, healthy, and "on-topic" enough for me!

[MBanks]

Steve,

I am having a similar issue i believe with starting. Could you please tell me how to multimeter test:

1). Whether or not my starter switch/wiring is good? (Have been pressing button, but no noise. Bridging starter relay makes the engine turn over)

2). Testing whether or not my relay is grounded properly (when you say "activate the relay" is that just pressing the start button while taking reading?)

There is a black/white wire that that connects to the starter relay mounting and runs somewhere under the tank, should this run from relay to negative? I guess if #2 above finds that it is not grounded, how do i do so?

I would be very much obliged for any help given
-Mbanks

If he has 12 volts at the yellow/green wire at the solenoid, there is no problem with the wiring in the handlebar.

Psyguy, connect one meter lead to the solenoid case and the other to the battery negative terminal. Activate the solenoid. I'll bet you see about 12 volts there. If you do, you need to ground the solenoid. The solenoid is mounted on a rubber-isolated plate which is supposed to be grounded with a wire to the chassis. The connections on that wire corrode along with all the other connections on the bike.

.

[psyguy]

Could you please tell me how to multimeter test:

1). Whether or not my starter switch/wiring is good? (Have been pressing button, but no noise. Bridging starter relay makes the engine turn over)

2). Testing whether or not my relay is grounded properly (when you say "activate the relay" is that just pressing the start button while taking reading?)

1. from what i understood you need to check the green/yellow wire coming to the starter relay for voltage - voltmeter red wire onto the connector, black wire onto the batt "-". you should get 12v or so when you pres the START button

2. if the above is ok, to test the starter relay grounding, place the voltmeter red wire on the relay housing and black wire to the batt "-". if you get any voltage when you press the START button it means the relay is not grounded correctly