OH no - no go!

[dbeardslee]

So I'm working on another members bike, and I had to run to the hardware/motorcycle parts store. I was on the way back, and about 300 yards from the mancave when the motor quit running - just like flipping a switch. The lights were still on, and it looked like it was getting power to the ignition. I checked the fuses, and they all looked fine. I started pushing the old girl, and after about 100 yards I stopped and hit the starter. Started right up, and ran for about 10' and quit again. When I got it back to the garage (gawd what a pig that thing is to push!) I took the switch apart and it looked good. I tried jumpering the starter relay - nothing. I'm thinking I've got a short in a wire, but I'm also wondering if the tip switch may have given up the ghost. Can that tip switch be removed and the wires shorted together for testing purposes? Does anyone know a procedure to test the switch itself? Any other ideas?

[MrOzz]

You can test the switch. Put a Ohm meter on the wires. Hold the switch vertically. The reading should be infinity. If the reading is 0 Ohms the switch needs to be replaced. When you tip the switch 60 degrees it should go to 0 ohms. If not it needs to be replaced.


Hope that helps,

Ozz

[bikerphil]

Just unplug the tip over switch, then it will be in the "run" mode. Shorting it out will put it in the "kill" mode.

[XJ Rob]

I was just the bikes way of saying "Your NOT taking me back yet!!"

[XSokieSPECIAL]

Check the kill switch on the handle bars Doug. It won't even turn over if that thing is screwed up.

[dbeardslee]

Ozz and Phil - thanks for the info.

Doesn't jumpering the starter solenoid bypass the switch? I also took the two red/wht wires out of the switch and shorted them together - still nothing. Maybe I'll take another look, and take the switch itself apart. I cleaned it about a year ago so it should be OK, but what the heck - it's an easy thing to check. It does act just like it would if the kill switch was engaged.

[mack]

unqualified

Doubt I'm qualified to comment but what about your gas cap vent?

[dbeardslee]

When a gas cap vent is clogged, it usually shows up at higher rpms, and the bike will act like it's starving for gas (strangely enough ). This is like somebody hit the kill switch. Probably time to get the multimeter out and start checking wires and the tip switch.

[dbeardslee]

More info

So I got perusing threads on solenoid jumpering, and when I jumpered it that's all I did. I did it again and hit the starter (duh!), and it fired right up. Removed the jumper and it quit. Now previous threads mention the ballast resistor as the cause of this problem, but I don't have one. I don't even have the connectors - the wires are soldered together. At this point I'm thinking bad starter solenoid. Any ideas?

[CatatonicBug]

Kill switch? Did you open the switch and check the guts?

[dbeardslee]

Bug - Yeah, I rebuilt it about a year ago. When I put the jumper wire on the solenoid (hot to red/wht), the switch worked fine. Remove the wire and it quits. Randy said in another thread that this is an indication of a bad ballast resistor. I don't have a ballast resistor, but the wires still there. I think the first thing I'll do is check that wire for shorts. I still don't know if a bad solenoid could cause this kind of mischief.

[b.walker5]

Shouldnt be the solenoid. Once the engine is running, and you let the starter button go, the solenoid disengages the starter, and the coil de-energises until you hit the starter button again. It shouldnt have any bearing on the problem after startup. Sounds like a kill switch, tip over switch, bad earth type problem to me.

[CA]

I am watching this intently as it sounds like something that would happen to me very soon.

Sorry about your luck.

[TomRodgers]

Aint that a B!tch.....

Last monday about the same thing happened to 'Sunshine.... Went to a Union meeting...75 miles...ran great. After meeting, called SWMBO to let her know 'im on the way'...bike was idling fine. sat on it, stood it up, and POOF...engine STOPS. All lights on. Starter button no worky....

Of course, Mr. Murphy is firmly perched on my shoulder at this time. 10:30 at night. No lights in the parking lot......WTF....

Pop seat off, side cover off, and fuse is blown. Swap fuse. Bike starts. Put everything back, repeat phone call to SWMBO, sit on bike , stood it up, and you guessed it..POOF....engine STOPS. Process repeated one more time..AFTER looking around in the dark for stripped/rubbing wires. no luck. Restaunt owner allows me to push the pig inside the fence to the patio, and i will retrieve later....Friday as it worked out...

I got the bike home and so far have found NO wires stripped/exposed/rubbing/shorting out...AND the bike starts fine....however, i have not yet again attempted the 'sit on bike, stand it up' part of the equation again.......

Other than continuing my search, any ideas? To pop 25/30 amp fuses, its GOTTA be shorting out somewhere.......

[randy]

I think that post you mention was about running while holding the starter button, then stalling when the button is released? So many posts, can't remember them all. The red/white starts at the fuse block, then to the kill switch, then the TCI, then the coils. That red/white from the solenoid is a parallel run to the TCI to bypass the ballast. From your symptoms, sounds like the red/white isn't getting anything with the key on. Check your IGN fuse.