Clutch safety interlock question???

[habsdoc]

I just noticed this weekend that my 1981 GS1000GL will crank over without having to pull in the clutch handle. Not a really big problem if you are aware of it and never leave your bike in gear. But on the chance that someone does put it in gear on you, and you then try starting the bike, it could be rather embarassing if it were to start and jerk away from you.

Where is the interlock and is there an easy fix to this problem???

Randy

[Anonymous]

It may have been disconnected by the previous owner. I'm not a huge fan of the safety, maybe your previous owner wasnt either. As far as I know it is just a switch that you kill.

[Anonymous]

there is a little connector behind the headlight. trace the wire from the clutch side to the headlight and see if that connnectors is connected.

[habsdoc]

Thanks I'll check for the wires.

Randy

[SqDancerLynn1]

It's the same type of switch that is used for the brake light, I have disconnected mine too! Follow the wires into the headlight and check them One less thing to go wrong, it's a pain when working on the bike & having to pull the clutch to start it.

[Anonymous]

most likely someone has "circled" the clutch safety feature in your wiring behind the head light. It is quite easy to do and many people (including myself) like doing this.

To reconnect the clutch safety feature trace the 2 leads coming from the clutch into the housing behind the headlight. (They were yellow with a green tracer I believe).

Then find the 3 wire set coming from your starter button (Those were yellow with a green tracer (a ha) and two orange wires one with a white tracer).

Continue tracing the yellow/green wire past the connecter behind the head light and you should find a point where the wire was joined together, if you seperate that those connections should fit right into the connections from the leads off the clutch (unless someone decided to hard wire it)

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I bypassed my clutch switch years ago so I could use my left hand to pull up the choke knob.

Since then I have never ever accidentally hit the starter while in gear.... Never ever. Nope not once. And I never tell a lie. Nope, not me. And I did not have sex with that woman. Never, ever.

Point is, though, that while in theory it's a nice interlock, it was more practical to take it out, and the occassional bump of the starter while in gear hasn't caused me any problems. I'm almost always already on the bike anyways, and I almost always put her in neutral before starting...holdover from the kickstart days....