Good Evening Everyone,

I am looking for a little bit of help.
My Bike has been sitting in my underground parking since August 15th, 2005.
When I hook it up to a battery all the lights, guages and everything lights up however when I press the start button nothing happens.  I made sure the kill switch was in the right position (in fact I tried both positions to make sure I wasn't on crack) and still nothing.

Just looking for some ideas on what might be the problem aside from the starting being no good.


Derec

Could possibly be the starter relay.
Can you push start it?
I had teh same problem. Lights and everything worked, but when I hit the start button nothing happened. I was, however, able to push start it. Got a new starter relay and all is good now.

Do you have the clutch pulled in? Kick stand up and in neutral for the heck of it.
After that it sounds like the dreaded short somewhere.

nothing happens??? not even click click?

If you hear the click click but no turning over then the batts most likely dead. In fact if its been sitting since august the batts dead for sure. If you don't hear the click click..then i'd go with the starter relay.

don't forget to check the clutch switch.  If absolutely nothing happens when you turn the key, then it's the damned easiest thing to check that would cause such a condition.  Simply take off the leads and short them out. 

Hi Derec,
So what have you found out?
Did you:
Put the bike on the centerstand,
Make sure the sidestand is up (to isolate the sidestand switch which won't let you start the bike in gear with the sidestand down),
Pull in the clutch lever,
Be sure the kill switch is in the RUN position,
Turn on the key,
Hit the starter?
Do you hear any clicks?
Do you hear the engine spin over?
If it clicks, even with the lights on, the battery needs to be recharged. The clicks are telling you that there is not enough voltage in the battery to turn the engine over, but that there IS enough voltage to activate the internal workings of the starter solenoid or relay.
Starter relays don't just go bad from sitting for a few months. But batteries lose their voltage over time and that is most likely the problem.
Always check for any electrical problem with a FULLY charged battery before you start spending money on expensive parts.
Recharge the battery on a 1.2 AMP motorcycle charger overnight and then try again 12-24 hours later.
Let us know what you find!
Best of luck,
Todd

The bike started off up on the center stand but in order to make sure it wasn't that we tried with it without using either of the stands.
Clutch was more definitely in and the kill switch was tried in both positions.
I don't believe it is the battery either.  I took my battery out shortly after my bike started sitting in the underground and has been in a friends bike.  On top of that we originally started with the bike hooked up to a car battery (car was not running).

I would hit the start button and no clicks...nothing.
My friends first thought was the starter relay as well.

The guy who owned the bike before me will hopefully be here in a couple weeks to help me install my new forks.  I figure while I have him hear he can check it out with me.

Hi again Derec,
Wait a minute, my friend.
Are you now mentioning that this bike has been in a crash?
If could very well be a short in wiring from the hand controls -- the clutch interlock switch -- or something related, from when the bike fell over. I'd suggest disconnecting the clutch interlock switch and jump the wires so the switch is isolated, then try to start it. Check the switch for continuity with a volt-ohm meter. Then do the same with th sidestand safety switch.
I'd check over everything.
Let us know,
yours,
Todd

And, the fuse is (still) ok?

A bike sitting since August, unless it has been set up for storage properly, is going to need the carburetors cleaned; something to do while waiting for your freind.

Did you check the connections at the clutch switch?



(photo by Kerry)

There are several components in the electrical system that if faulty could give rise to the problem you have, but first thing I would try is to lightly tap the solenoid while pressing the start button, if it has siezed it might just free off and its worth giving it a go for what it involves.

Parts of the starter system:

Solenoid
Clutch switch
Start switch
Kill switch
Side stand relay
Side stand switch
Neutral switch
Ignition switch
Diode pack

If any one of these components are faulty it will prevent the bike from starting. They need to be checked and tested in a systematic way as do the condition of the wiring connections and terminals and earthing points.
This link will take you to a wiring schematic.

http://www.gs500e.co.uk/wire.jpg

well hooking it up to a car battery might just kill something in there....

from what you said i took you hooked up the leads to a car battery???

Ya...the Bike was unfortunately involved in a (small) front end accident which resulted in the bent Front Forks.  The Bike has not been started since.
I now have Front Forks for it and am starting to get it ready for the start of the season.

When I say that we hooked it up to a car battery I mean that the car was parked and turned off (I.E. not running).  Lights came on but nothing happened when we tried to start it.  So I am pretty sure I didn't fry anything on the Bike.  Doing this also allowed us to rule out it being the Bike battery since we were sure it might be a little weak in order to turn over the Bike.

Thanks for all the info and please keep it coming.  It is giving me a nice list of things to check on my Bike.

Time for an UPDATE!

So I was able to bump start my Bike.
YAY! 

That should eliminate the kick stand switch and the kill switch.
We also eliminated the Battery as the culprit by hooking the Bike up to a brand spanking new battery that my buddy just bought for his Katana (same battery for the GS500).

That means it could be:
1) Start switch (unlikely IMO)
2) Starter Relay (currently our top suspect)
3) Starter
4) Wiring between all of these

So it is just a matter of time before I find out what is causing the problem and fix it.

Quote from: Derec on February 27, 2006, 10:56:53 AM
...............................................
Thanks for all the info and please keep it coming.  It is giving me a nice list of things to check on my Bike.

Click here for a simplified wiring diagram of the start ckt.

Time for another update.


So I still do not have my bike starting (with exception to bump starts).    However Im now 99% sure it is my Starter Relay.  I didn't actually get my Bike to start (I think my battery needs to be tended) but I did get it to attempt to turn over!  That is more then I have gotten out it since I first tried to start it with the start switch.

Problem is now I have no Starter Relay.  BadBatzMaru was kind enough to send me one but unfortunately it wont fit on my bike without re-doing some connectors.  Mine has no fuse in it and the connectors are little round ones.  The relay that BadBatzMaru sent me had square connectors and a fuse.


Anyone out there with a Starter Relay off a GS500 that matches my description?
   - no fuse
   - the connectors are little round ones

Derec

Bump

Here is a picture of the Starter Relay off my GS500.

That is a wierd looking relay.  Personally, I would go to an autoparts store and try to find a relay with the same type of bolt/nut terminals.  Yeah, the coil terminals may be different and you may have to modify the wireharness of the GS, but it would probably be a lot easier and cheaper then trying to find one like that. 

I'm sure you can find a very similar starter relay with blade terminals, you can either make an adapter with 2 short piece of wire, 2 male bullet style connectors, and the proper blade connectors for the new relay.  Or, you can just get the correct terminals for the new relay, cut off the old connectors, and crimp on the new ones.

You have the start relay from a 1989 GS500.

You can get it (part # 31800-49100) from Ron Ayers for about $50 plus shipping.

First test the relay.  The resistance between the two small terminals should be 3 to 5 ohms.
When you apply 12V to the two small terminals the two large terminals should read 0 ohms.