Hi everyone!! I feel ashamed by my first post on this forum asking for help! (the amount of times I have read other posts on this forum that has helped me with my bike, e.g. after market front indicator fitting etc).
My problem is with my Suzuki GS500F 2004, done 9300 miles in total! Basically i wheeled my bike out of the garage this morning to start it up and take it for a ride to my front yard where i was going to fit my new alarm to it! (Recently bought a Cyclone V2 Non-Talking alarm that i wanted to fit)! When i tried starting the bike (i did the usual yada yada of turning the ignition on, putting it in neutral, holding the clutch in and giving it a tiny bit of throttle - wasnt a cold day) and i pushed the starter button, and it sounded like it was about to start but then i heard a loud 'clunk'!
Basically I turned the ignition off and turned it back on and when I try to start the bike now all I can hear is the starter motor spinning but its not cranking the engine.. It sounds as if the starter motor is spinning freely - no resistance)
I would love to take it to a dealer or a workshop but money is a BIG problem for me (im a university student living off my student loan) if this could be done myself I want to try! I am very mechanically minded but don't have alot of experience at all when it comes to these things! - Mind you I would enjoy doing it myself as its an experience =)
I would appreciate any help regarding this issue.. Thank you!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETetKuPv7tE
Maybe the alarm uses too much of the battery? That's my guess but I could (and probably am) wrong.
Bump for finding a fix!
Havnt fitted the alarm yet! I was going to until it didnt start!! And its not making the usual 'click click' sound if the battery is too low =S
Thanks for the post! =)
If the starter doesn't sound damaged then my bet is that the starter motor driveshaft sheared off. Page 8•18 of the Haynes manual has instructions on its remove and installation.
If it does sound damaged, it sounds like the starter clutch seized. Page 2•36 of the Haynes manual.
Thanks!!! Il go pick up one from my local Halfords today! (rang them and they have one left with my name on it)! :D
I've taken the battery out for today to put on a mains charge overnight so il plug it back in on saturday and il post a video and start work on it =) - Cant do tomorrow as ive got to sort out uni stuff!
Thanks everyone for your help :)
(i had different answers regarding this problem, one dealer told me its the brushes(??), another told me it was the clutch plate) =S
I suppose il never know till i open it up!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETetKuPv7tE
Hi thanks for ur help! Looks to me like the starter clutch has gone! (the rollers have gone flat on one side)! - Looked a bit dirty on there too!! Cleaned it all up and ordered myself a new starter clutch repair kit!
Should get here by friday so will let you know how it gets on =p
Take some photos of the repair and post them when you're done. Good luck with the maintenance.
Mine was acting up the other day and wouldnt start. I thought it was one of the switches needing to be closed before it could start that was acting up. After going through all of them and checking all the connections, I ended up charging the battery and now it fires up first time, every time.
Hey guys,
My 2009 GS500 has started to do strange things when starting up. It's always wanted a bit of Choke, even if I stop for an hour after a ride and get going again, choke HAS to be on (is this normal?).
It's done 9,500 kms (6,000 miles)
Anyway, I recently couldn't get her started. I put a brand new battery in it and charged it up; started perfectly.
Now even after a charge, it sounds like it is choking when trying to start - not a free spinning starter sound, but as if something is holding igniting back. I thought perhaps a bloked up carburettor, or perhaps dead starter? Not an old bike though...
I do get it started eventually by bouncing on the seat and a bit of throttle, but she doesn't like starting. Does increase the unrelaxing levels when you're away from home and want to get home... "fingers crossed she goes"...
Any advice?
Thanks a lot guys.
Try starting the bike in PRI.
If it works perfectly, but it doesn't in 'on' or 'res', you might have a carburetor issue.
Prime is a good test to do, but I'm pretty sure it's a petcock test, not a carb test. :thumb:
Masshead: sounds to me like your carbs. You could try making a new thread (the old posts on this one are *quite* old) and explaining your situation a bit more, but it sounds to me (at least initially) Like your best course of action might be to give your carbs a look (measure floats, examine jets, clean) and then maybe check your valves (sometimes bad valve clearances make all sorts of problems).
Sorry I couldn't be more help!