GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Here's a list of things i did to my GS today:

installed srinath handlebars (they're awesome, BTW)
installed galfer SS line, pads, DOT4 fluid
installed rebuilt caliper, master cylinder

i noticed that now my bike is grumpy to start.  i'll turn the key, get the idiot lights and headlight functioning, press the starter button, and nothing happens at all.

now, this only happens sometimes.  i noticed that if the bike was cold, it would start without difficulty, but when the bike was warm, it doesn't want to start if it's been shut off for whatever reason.

i'm guessing that it's not a problem with the relay or starter, since they work fine.  it just seems that the current doesn't always flow.  low battery maybe?  perhaps a short in the wiring somewhere?  can anyone help me out?

Since you messed with the handlebars: Do you have one of the newer models, with the safety switch at the clutch lever?

Installed that correctly?

What about the starter switch? Accideantally disconnected something there?

Bike not doing anything when starting usually is caused by one of the safety switches (sidestand, clutch, neutral). In your case it could also be influenced by any part of the electrical system that you touched when installing the handlebars.

(BTW, I had a similar incident once. In my case it was a smal insect larva that had chosen my start switch as a fine location for its metamorphosis to imago. Bad choice.)

Does the starter engine turn around? It could be low battery, but it could also be bad spark-plugs. Does it never happen when the engine is cold? Only when it`s warm? In that case it could be the battery. Check the voltage of the battery. If the bike doesn`t start, try to push-start it to see if it starts quickly then. If so, it`s the battery. The battery doesn`t provide enough power to make the starter engine turn round and make the spark plugs spark. The sparks aren`t big enough to ignite the fuel because the starter engine gets all the power. Good luck!

Quote from: AR5ENALHere's a list of things i did to my GS today:

installed srinath handlebars (they're awesome, BTW)
installed galfer SS line, pads, DOT4 fluid
installed rebuilt caliper, master cylinder

i noticed that now my bike is grumpy to start.  i'll turn the key, get the idiot lights and headlight functioning, press the starter button, and nothing happens at all.

now, this only happens sometimes.  i noticed that if the bike was cold, it would start without difficulty, but when the bike was warm, it doesn't want to start if it's been shut off for whatever reason.

i'm guessing that it's not a problem with the relay or starter, since they work fine.  it just seems that the current doesn't always flow.  low battery maybe?  perhaps a short in the wiring somewhere?  can anyone help me out?

I am goin to guess... choke cable sticking open, make sure at the carbs its does close all the way.
Cool.
Srinath.

Dunno, Srinath.

Quote from: AR5ENALand nothing happens at all.

If that means what I think it means it strongly hints at an electrical problem.

Of course only AR5ENAL can confirm this.

Ok yes didn't read that right, hit start and nothing = worn starter switch contact points... very common with high mileage bikes... I put a zit of lead solder on them and it makes contact more reliably...
Cool.
Srinath.

it's a 1994 GS, so i don't think there's a safety switch at the clutch lever.

i'm pretty sure it's not anything in the start switch either, because i remember this happening a couple times before i even replaced the bars.

i might be paranoid, but it appears to be getting worse as time goes on...which screams dead battery to me.  i'll try bump starting tonight to see if everything works okay.

i've usually found a 'no crank' problem while hot do end up being a starter going bad. (the hotter it gets the more inherent resistance in the starter motor)        
       old tech diagnostic procedure.......
 next time it happens,  have an assistant hold down the start button while you gently tap the area near the starter... best if you actually can tap the starter, but i know that's kind of a pain in the ass... anyway, if it starts during the tapping sequence, time to plan for a new starter.
  hope this helps!

I don't know about you're 94, but my 97 had a safety switch at the clutch lever that started shorting out or something so I took it out and bypassed it.  I haven't had a problem since.  If there is wiring going to the clutch lever then you have the safety switch.  If not then you probably don't.  Check it out just to make sure.

John L.

Quote from: AR5ENALit's a 1994 GS, so i don't think there's a safety switch at the clutch lever.

I believe all the models from 89' up has the safty switch on the clutch.  Unless removed by previous owner.

Paul

Quote from: AR5ENALit's a 1994 GS, so i don't think there's a safety switch at the clutch lever.

It's easy to check.  If you have this ...

... then you have a safety switch.

Sorry - this has been just another gratuitous "picture post".

PS - The Ron Ayers 1990-1996 Handle Lever diagram shows a safety switch at the clutch lever.  (Items 20-22.)

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Thought of this while riding to work today:
AR5ENAL, are you one of the "never touch the Kill switch" types. If so, that's another potential clulprit. Simple things first.

Not so sure about the "It's happened before, so it's not the starter switch." That actually points towards the "Starter switch contacts wearing out" problem that Srinath mentioned.

Do you have a multimeter? If so, check if voltage arrives at the starter relay coil. From there trace back along the signal path.

You wrote "Nothing happens at all". If "nothing" means "nothing", and you do have signal lights, it's not a weak battery. If you get buzzing or rattling from the starter relay, the battery may be the culprit.

Commuter: Does your experience relate to the GS? Cause as far as I know the GS does not have a magnet activated pinion. (Never looket at this region closely, though.)

Aaahaaaaaa. After reading these posts again, I reconize the problem. I had the same problem with my 97 GS. Put in and turned the key, all the lights and stuff go on, press the starter and nothing happened. This happened sometimes, not always. That made it pretty weird. In my case it was a crack in the wire coming from the starter switch. It made contact most of the times, but sometimes it got loose and nothing happened. Check to see which wire it is (there are coming 2 wires from the switch) and bypass the broken wire with a new one. That way you won`t have to look for 2 days to find the crack in the old wire. In my case, the edge of the fuel tank damaged the wire, so make sure the wires coming from underneath the seat going to the front don`t get squashed by the fuel tank. Good luck!

PS: A good way to check if the wire is still intact without removing it first is to take a voltmeter and 2 pins or needles and stick them at each side of the wire through the isolation. Mount the 2 sides of the voltmeter to each of the needles of pins and measure the resistance. That way you don`t have to remove the wire itself.

Quote from: Kerry

Sorry - this has been just another gratuitous "picture post".

Not at all.... hoping you would have had a rebuild to document... but well still maybe, if the Gyro copter project takes off.... literally.
On a side note, I missed the photo op of a life time... the last 3 weeks or so I had 4 eliminator 9/10's... 3 at my house and 1 at my guys welding shop... I should have brought it home and set them up for a photo shoot. These were rare as hell, and I had 4 of them, gee whiz.
Cool.
Srinath.

same thing happened to me...the clutch safety switch was broken or something...so i ordered in the parts...it's 23 bucks CDN!!!...for that piece of plastic :x

I was impatient and I broke my switch.  :oops:

Anyways, I just connected the wires and tucked them into the headlight area.

I don't think the clutch switch is that useful.  I never start the bike in gear anyways.

ASLAM.