Hi everyone,

I have a 2005 gs500f and awhile ago the neutral light stopped working. I figured it was the bulb and continued on my merry way intending to deal with it later. Shortly after I noticed I was unable to start the bike with the kickstand down (in neutral, clutch in). Upon prodding it further, I discovered that the bike would stall if I dropped the kickstand with the engine running.

I just cleaned the contacts where the wire from the neutral switch attaches to the wiring harness, and the contacts in the diode. I wasn't able to check the diode as I can't get my hands on an ohmmeter. I'll be able to in the near future, but I thought I'd ask if there's something else I should check at the same time. I currently have the sprocket cover off since I'm changing the drive chain, so it wouldn't be too hard to look at the neutral switch itself, I'm just not sure what I'm looking for or how to test it at that point.

Thanks in advance!

Alex

I believe the gs is supposed to shut off if the kick stand is engaged while in gear. Mine shuts off when I put it in first and forget my kickstand is still engaged. But it should start in neutral when engaged that's how I warm mine up every morning. I would check to make sure the clutch switch isn't
damaged??

Thanks for the quick response.

I believe the clutch switch is fine because I am able to start the bike in any gear (neutral included) as long as I'm holding onto the clutch (and the kickstand is up). The issue pops up when I want to leave it in neutral with the kickstand down and not have to hold onto the clutch. (Warming it up in the morning is a perfect example of what I'm not able to do anymore).

I can always double check the clutch switch while I'm at it though.

That sure sounds like a defective neutral switch. If you are sure the wiring connections are good, I would certainly suspect the switch. I am not sure how the switch works (as in normally closed or normally open), but when you get your hands on a multimeter, set it for ohms and plug into the switch. In gear it should read either infinity or some range of resistance, and when in neutral it should be the opposite. If you get the same reading in gear and in neutral, I would say for sure the switch is defective. Ive never had to change one on the gs, but Im sure there are some other users that will know how.

Switch..  or the wires from the switch up to the control box... pinched/cut/stretched etc?