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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 10:33:48 AM

Title: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 10:33:48 AM
So the she wouldn't start this morning. After a hard night at the bar losing wallet and cell phone hoping to get on the bike and let my problems go away, she wouldn't start just nothing not even clicking no noise at all when i hit the starter switch :dunno_black: I managed to push start it cut leg pretty bad while doing it(first time push starting). not a clue to what it could be? bike ran fine last night, this morning nothing. Going to call the dealer tomorrow and see what they say its still on warranty so maybe they will deal with it
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: Dizzledan on June 10, 2012, 10:42:22 AM
You better not be drinking and riding.

Did you make sure to check everything required to start the bike?
Check out this guide to see the proper starting procedure:
http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?pagename=RiderCourse%20Interactive%20Tour&content=4204FEC2-A0CC-53D5-6454758F10F78A07&referer=Motorcycle%20Basics
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 10:52:29 AM
No i would never i love my license way to much and in Ontario they extremely strict on drinking and driving. Yea i did the check at my safety coarse they called it the sweep. I checked wires running off the switch checked my electrical to make sure battery was not dead, and anything i could think of. Still very much a noob at this so maybe just something small? What made me think it was the switch was there was no sound it isn't even trying to turn over  :icon_question:
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: Kerry on June 10, 2012, 11:39:39 AM
1) Key in the ON position?
2) Kill switch ON?   (This one gets a lot of people.)
3) Clutch lever pulled IN?
4) Kickstand UP and/or shifted into NEUTRAL?    (Simple, but still gets me from time to time.)

When this happened to my bike last year it turned out that my clutch lever switch was broken.  One minute I was riding it up and down my street, and the next minute ... nothing.  (Huh?)  My bike spent another year on the driveway, un-ridden, just because I didn't take the time to do some electrical tests.   :icon_sad:

Do you have a way to do continuity checks?  (A voltmeter, or maybe a continuity tester with a light or buzzer?)  If the clutch lever switch checks out OK, there are a few other "interlocks" than can be checked as well.  (See the wiring diagram.)
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 06:40:45 PM
Yea i did all the normal checks. Unfortunately i have no tools not even a wrench well besides some old roofing tools and air gun lol. I will however be calling the dealer before i go to work tonight since its still under warranty. I did drop it on the right side last week but that wouldn't explain why it just failed recently?
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: mister on June 10, 2012, 08:01:34 PM
Um, have you checked the battery?

The US bikes have a Park position on the ignition. Leave it in that and you'll flatten the battery. No starty.

Check the battery or throw it on the charger - make sure there is enough liquid in it.

Michael
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: codajastal on June 10, 2012, 08:15:00 PM
Quote from: mister on June 10, 2012, 08:01:34 PM
Um, have you checked the battery?

The US bikes have a Park position on the ignition. Leave it in that and you'll flatten the battery. No starty.

Check the battery or throw it on the charger - make sure there is enough liquid in it.

Michael
Is mine a US model Mister?
I have the park position as well as the on/off switch for the park and headlights on the throttle cluster?
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: adidasguy on June 10, 2012, 09:01:49 PM
Let's see....

Drunk
Ride home
Leave bike on (or in park)
Dead battery next morning

Sound about right?
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 11:14:32 PM
No I was sober when I drove to my friends before going out. I will however check my battery to make sure it wasn't in park with battery on. But all my electoral is working fine? The only weird thing is my high beam goes off when I try to start it. And if the battery was dead would it not at least try to turn over?     

And I find it a bit arrogant to assume that I was driving drunk I've lost three close friends because of drinking and driving and have a little more respect for myself and the lives of others did not expect this kind of arrogance   
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: adidasguy on June 10, 2012, 11:20:20 PM
2006+ bikes turn off the headlight when the starter is pressed.
A weak battery may turn on the headlight (only 55 watts). When starter pressed, not enough power for the starter relay and starter motor.

A volt meter is your best friend. Get a cheap one from a hardware store and check the voltage. Should be around 12.75-13.5 volts.

We do  a lot of joking here and many of us have odd sense of humor. We never mean anything personal. Some boards are really full of a-holes. Here, we're pretty friendly and jovial.

On other boards - people really do attack people. here we tease and joke around. Sometimes new people don't realize we're a really friendly group and take a joke or tease the wrong way.
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: Kijona on June 10, 2012, 11:21:27 PM
Quote from: justblade on June 10, 2012, 11:14:32 PM
No I was sober when I drove to my friends before going out. I will however check my battery to make sure it wasn't in park with battery on. But all my electoral is working fine? The only weird thing is my high beam goes off when I try to start it. And if the battery was dead would it not at least try to turn over?     

And I find it a bit arrogant to assume that I was driving drunk I've lost three close friends because of drinking and driving and have a little more respect for myself and the lives of others did not expect this kind of arrogance   

I think the better question is...why did you choose not to omit the information about the bar? I mean, I understand man but you also have to understand...this is a very relaxed board. We're just yanking your chain.
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 11:31:55 PM
And I will be checking the battery again. I do have the park position on my ignition. Normally I click It to the park then up to lock because when I first got the bike found myself leaving it in park by accident. And thanks Agni for the help it greatly appreciated.
And thanks adidasguy I will get one tomorrow and great videos  BTW
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 10, 2012, 11:58:08 PM
What more information about the bar needs to be addressed? I went the bar had some drinks went to a friends place after,  passed out on the couch got woken up by her brother and three kids :icon_eek: Then cabbed to my my bike. And I know, and I'm sorry for coming off harsh thanks again guys for all the help. Would be lost without this site
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: Kijona on June 11, 2012, 12:05:12 AM
Quote from: justblade on June 10, 2012, 11:58:08 PM
What more information about the bar needs to be addressed? I went the bar had some drinks went to a friends place after,  passed out on the couch got woken up by her brother and three kids :icon_eek: Then cabbed to my my bike. And I know, and I'm sorry for coming off harsh thanks again guys for all the help. Would be lost without this site

Read my post again.

"Why did you choose not to omit the information..."
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: adidasguy on June 11, 2012, 12:17:41 AM
Pretend you're in an episode of Family Guy in an episode of the Simpsons in an episode of Futurama while being watched by Married with Children. :icon_lol:

Then it all makes sense. :cookoo:
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 11, 2012, 04:57:07 AM
Its starting perfectly fine now :dunno_black:
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: jdoorn14 on June 11, 2012, 05:16:26 AM
Bike must be sobered up now?  :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: The Buddha on June 11, 2012, 06:20:16 AM
Quote from: justblade on June 11, 2012, 04:57:07 AM
Its starting perfectly fine now :dunno_black:

Corrosion in the ignition switch making it not make full contact when you turned the key ?
Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 12, 2012, 02:36:24 AM
LOL Would a quick spray of wd40 in the ignition switch help this?
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 12, 2012, 09:31:08 AM
Now it not starting again :sad: It seams to just start when it wants to now, i played with the cables a bit and kept turning on and off then she started. I'm starting to think it might be some water got into the electrical maybe Ive been riding in the rain alot recently due to Ontario's great weather.
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: cheetahman on June 12, 2012, 10:03:26 AM
You have an intermittent connection.  Could be clutch lever interlock, kick stand interlock, starter button,  or the ignition switch itself.  You might get lucky while you are trying to get it to start and wiggle the right component and that will tell you.  Or, you will need a continuity tester.
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: adidasguy on June 12, 2012, 10:08:39 AM
Quite likely the clutch safety switch. That's the one thing that will prevent the starter from working.

Defective neutral and side stand switches can kill the bike.

Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: Dizzledan on June 12, 2012, 12:52:27 PM
I second the clutch switch. It's easy to pop it out and take a look. Just follow the video adidasguy posted. If you cant get the switch to seat right, jump the 2 contacts together with a paperclip and see if it will start (in neutral, on the centerstand, with the sidestand up).
Title: Re: bike wouldnt start today
Post by: justblade on June 12, 2012, 02:23:40 PM
Ill check the clutch switch once i get work. NVM family emergency will do tomorrow. Thanks again guys ill let you know how it goes. Yea i remember watching the clutch lever replacement video a little while back, gave me the confidence to go order a pair