Problem starting bike

[monroe731]

I have an 03 ST, which has been very good to me. But here recently she doesn't want to start on the first try. The bike will be in neutral and all, but when I first pull in the clutch it won't start. I will have to release it and pull it in again and try, but it always starts after no more than 3 attempts.

I was wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem. When I bought the bike the guy said he had to have the starter replaced, and I'm thinking that might have something to do with it??? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[RexxyPup]

not sure as I haven't had my bike for some time, but you have to have the clutch pulled in to start, so it sounds like the switch in the clutch is giving you gyp. I'd start there

Rexx

[DEcosse]

Originally Posted by monroe731

... The bike will be in neutral and all, but when I first pull in the clutch it won't start. I will have to release it and pull it in again and try....

Can you re-define the problem - is the starter not turning over when you first pull in the clutch lever, or does it crank but just not fire?
If the engine doesn't crank, I would say you definitely have a clutch switch issue - do you have Pazzo levers by chance? If it's set at the closest setting to the bar, then you may not be tripping the switch - open up the span & see if that relieves the issue. If it does, then you can file a little off the actuator pin on the switch so that it operates in the position with the lever closest to the bar.
If it cranks but just doesn't fire, has nothing to do with the clutch switch.

[monroe731]

No I have stock levers. It won't turn over or anything...it's like I didn't even press the start switch. I pull in the clutch, push the start button and it won't turn over. Let the clutch completely out and pull it back in......nothing.....try it one more time and .....BINGO! One thing I seem to notice....I went for a ride today and...well maybe it's just coincidence, but once I rode it for a while and the engine got warm, it started back up with no problem. Tomorrow morning I'll go out and see if it will crank on the first try, and then take it for a ride and see if she does the same thing again.

[DEcosse]

Unseat the round clutch switch from the clutch perch (just push in slightly & rotate) and leave it dangling free.
In this mode the switch should be closed (when not engaged in the socket the pin should be free to extend fully - this is the 'closed' state of the switch) and allow the starter to engage.
If it starts fine like this then you have a problem similar to indicated above, where the pin is not releasing adequately in order to enable the starter.
Again, if this is the case, a simple fix is just to file a mm or two off the end of the pin.

[Haddi-Man]

The Sprint is the first bike I've had that requires the clutch to be pulled in to start it, and it really annoyed me having to use two hands just to start the bike (I like to let it warm up on the centerstand while I'm putting on my helmet and gear). I just bypassed the clutch switch on mine. Coming off the clutch lever is a wire that connects into a plug a few inches down. Just unplug that, then stick a shunt between the two outside pins (I used a narrow crown staple for a staple gun). Of course, the plug won't connect now, so I just sealed the whole thing up with electrical tape. I did that a year ago and have had no problems since then.

Of course, this bypasses a "safety" feature, so I strongly recommend against doing it to your bike. For what it's worth though, the bike is smart enough not to engage the starter if you accidentally hit the button while the engine is running, so you don't run any risk of causing damage that way. The worst that could happen is you press the starter while the bike's on the sidestand and not in neutral, and the bike will lurch forward and fall down unless you catch it. But I never start it on the sidestand unless I'm sitting on the bike, so I don't worry about that.