Starting problem after lever change

[tonyalta]

Greetings and salutations.

After 13,000 miles on my '02 GS I have finally gotten the courage to start working on it myself. With some help I managed to dismantle the carbs last weekend and add 2 washers to the needles and get access to the pilot screws. Great success so far. Today I replaced the clutch lever which was not that hard after some fiddling with the tension on the cable. Now though the bike will not start. It is as if the circuit to the starter is not being completed (such as when you try to start in gear with the stand down). I push the starter button but nothing happens. Could I have inadvertently affected this by changing lever or are these two things not related.

I have other questions regarding rough idling when cold but those can wait till I figure this out.

Thanks a million, any advice any aspect of this problem or working on the bike in general would greatly appreciated.

Tony

[manofthefield]

You most likely broke the clutch lever switch, I've done it before   It has a small tab that fits in a slot on the bottom of the clutch lever.  It makes it so you can only start the bike with the clutch pulled in.

The right way to fix it is to buy a new switch for about 10 bucks.  Or you could just pull the switch (two little philips screws under the clutch lever) and move the tab, but then you don't have to pull the clutch in to start it

[Jay_wolf]

+1 , mine was like that when i got it , i didnt even no u had to hold the clutch lol

[tonyalta]

That was it. The switch was broken. I just moved it for now but will get a new one tomorrow.

Thanks for the help. Quick simple solution. Brilliant....

Ciao, Tony

[Jay_wolf]

Why do u need it  ?  well of course its designed to stop u trying starting it when its in gear .but thats what he old N light it for ,and if u really wanna ,u can just hold in the clutch , so i think it might as well be left

[ben2go]

Does anyone know if a 89GS has this?If so mine has been disconnected and/or removed.Ask me how I know.