Ignition won't turn off bike

[tri650]

I noticed this problem a little earlier, but now it is happening all the time. When I turn the ignition off it doesn't kill the bike. I need to use the kill knob on the handlebar switch. Also, my neutral light is not working. I took a look at the wiring diagram and it looked like the two were connected. Is there a connection here? Any ideas?

[tcoop]

You may need to take your switch apart and clean it.

If that ain't the problem you have a short that is making it bypass your Ignition switch that will probably drain you battery when the bike is not running.

[natemoen]

Yeah I would say pull the ignition switch and check the wires and clean it.

[CatatonicBug]

I agree. Take the Ignition switch apart and clean the insides. Thanks to Nate for reminding me where the instructions were for that process! However, there are also several connectors that you may want to pay some attention to as well.

The Neutral light is only slightly linked to the ignition switch, as it prevents the engine from starting if the light is not on, and the clutch lever is not pulled. It won't kill the engine once it's started though. The neutral switch is located on the underside of the engine, just in-board from the left frame rail, just behind the timing cover. It should have one wire connecting to a screw in the end of it (it just completes a ground circuit). Check to make sure you have continuity from the sky-blue wire in the headlight bucket to the neutral switch, and that the wire is connected to the switch itself. I had to run a brand new wire to my switch, because the sky-blue wire was broken somewhere in the harness.

The switches can go bad (I have an extra if you need it), but they are pretty simple mechanical ground switches. Maybe pulling it out and cleaning it will restore the connection to ground.

[cywelchjr]

Umm, that neutral light is nothing but an indicator on the 78-80 bikes at a minimum. I can start it in gear without the clutch pulled in and with the kickstand down with no problem. Unlike my old Honda that had to either be in neutral or have the clutch pulled in for the starter to work (and worse, the kick start worked through the clutch, so to use that it had to be out of gear with the clutch lever NOT pulled.

[CatatonicBug]

Umm, that neutral light is nothing but an indicator on the 78-80 bikes at a minimum. I can start it in gear without the clutch pulled in and with the kickstand down with no problem. Unlike my old Honda that had to either be in neutral or have the clutch pulled in for the starter to work (and worse, the kick start worked through the clutch, so to use that it had to be out of gear with the clutch lever NOT pulled.

Oh. Gotcha. I know none of the XS's have a kickstand switch - that was started on the XJ. I guess the determining factor is whether there is a swtich on the clutch lever (looks just like the switch on the brake lever).

[tri650]

Thanks. I will start checking it out tonight and hopefully have fixed by weekend. Good news is that I have a donor bike with all parts - most of which are in better shape than my working bike. I will do the electrical testing and determine where the problem lies.

Seems like a few electrical issues are suddenly popping up on the bike. I want to take a pic of the wiring around the starter relay, etc., as it looks like he took out the fuse panel and just directly wired everything together. I may be suffering from PO syndrome.

[tri650]

I tested the neutral switch from the wire at the switch to the headlight and it tested out OK. Pulled the switch from my spare bike and put it on and still not working. Of course, I don't know if the other switch ever worked. Anything else I could test?

[Electronhammer]

Fuse panel missing

as it looks like he took out the fuse panel and just directly wired everything together.

That scares me. The fuse panel is there for a reason. I added a wire extension from the pos. and neg. terminals on my battery so that if I needed to charge the battery all I have to do is plug in my charger into a jack in under the side panel, just makes it easier. I installed a fuse on the positive wire of my extension, very close to the source(ie battery). No way was I going to have any unfused wiring on my bike.

[Electronhammer]

Electrical wiring diagram?

Where in this forum do you find wiring diagrams? I'm a member of another forum and there we have an area were all the manuals for each model of bike are listed and there are also wiring diagrams. I'm new and I am not finding this information. Please help.

[petejw]

I added a wire extension from the pos. and neg. terminals on my battery so that if I needed to charge the battery all I have to do is plug in my charger into a jack in under the side panel, just makes it easier.

ive done the exact same thing, only without a fuse, i was messing around with the battery and somehow shorted out that wire, that wire went up so fast i tried ripping it out with my hand, dont know what looked worse,
the look of shock on my face from seeing the wire and smoke and the potential damage that couldve happened or the burn marks on my fingers trying to get the wire out, luckily only that wire was shot and nothing else, still dont know how i shorted it out tho.

[DGXSER]

My battery tenders came with a setup and a rubber encased connector that attaches to the battery bolts, just like the terminals for the bike. It also has a cap to put over the end when not in use and tucks under the right side cover.