Triumphrat

CityRide · 02-07-2005

It's true! And I'd rather avoid it if at all possible again.

Although I live in the land of the year-round bike rider, I drove my car. Why? because my Sprint is suddenly posessed, and the TBS was mothballed.

I bought this 2000 Sprint ST for next to nothing. I've been commuting the hell out of it since. The bike has around 20K on it now. This morning, it doesn't start. The headlights are bright, the horn is loud, it's in neutral the clutch is in. I ran a jumper across the clutch switch just for giggles. I get no love. There isn't even a click. As of this Sunday evening, I have the starter relay hanging out, waiting for me to find my Ohmeter. Damnned home remodeling projects... At best, it is the relay and I can order it on Tuesday and get the part in 3 days.

Have any of you run into something like this? The bike was running great until this morning. Last night, I parked it, now i push the starter button and get Jack.

Admittedly, Now I have to ride my beautiful Thunderbird Sport for a few days... (poor me) but I'm a little frustrated at this sudden change of heart on the Sprint's part. I miss my Luggage!

I have the Haines manual. It says to check the main fuse first (in the harness on the Tiger and 2000 Sprint models) Followed by an apochryphal photo of some random wiring harness that looks nothing like what I have in front of me. Don't get me wrong- I'll tear this whole pig down to the last bolt for the price of a bottle of Tequila! My concern is that if it was the "main fuse" would all of my other circuits work? Where the hell is the main fuse? I checked the starter and ignition fuses; Now it's down to the relay, the starter, or I bought Satans motorcycle. I'd like to think that it's the relay, since the starter looks like a pain, and the whole Dark Lord thing would probably raise my insurance rate.

Ideas from the most helpful and colorful group on the Web?

REGULATOR · 02-07-2005

thats sucks, I have heard mention of the switch in the kickstand causing that same problem.

good luck, cold wet and foggy here in UK can barely see my garage yet alone think of riding in today

SpiderTex · 02-07-2005

Like regulator mentioned, the side stand has also a switch linked to the starting mechanism.

You have juice so it is not battery related.
But just make sure that the pole connectors are firmly gripping the battery + and - poles.

Don't have the wiring diagram here but if I recall correctly if you have lights the main fuse should be ok.

Jhumphrey · 02-07-2005

I know it sounds stupid, bear with me .... did you check the kill switch? I know a guy, he'd been riding bikes for 25 years, stopped one night in the middle of no where, the middle of the night, to piss, when he's done he tried to start his bike, wouldnt fire. Lights worked, horn, blinkers everything, couldnt understand it. He had the thing half torn apart beside the road, spent hours in the pitch black before he looked at the kill switch. It was my father. I hear that story twice a year.

Your on the right track, with clutch in and bike in neutral, sidestand switch should be out of the equation. That leaves neutral switch, starter relay or fuse. Ive not heard of neutral switch not working if neutral indicator is lit, Id check with dealer on that, once you find that ohm meter you'll be in fat city.

Good luck please let us know how you make out.

yerguy · 02-09-2005

Hmmmm,

Deja Vu!!! Been there, done that. You might take a peek at a message thread I started last spring when I had the same problem.

Go back to page 32, 3/11/04 under the heading of"Help, it won't start!!"

Hopefully it will help with a problem that does seem to affict the Sprinters once in a blue moon.

Dan'l

yerguy · 02-09-2005

Hmmmm,

Deja Vu!!! Been there, done that. You might take a peek at a message thread I started last spring when I had the same problem.

Go back to page 32, 3/11/04 under the heading of"Help, it won't start!!"

Hopefully it will help with a problem that does seem to affict the Sprinters once in a blue moon.

Dan'l

2ndSpace · 02-10-2005

Had a similar problem. It was the neutral switch. It thought it was in gear and would not start or run with the side down.

2ndSpace · 02-10-2005

Had a similar problem. It was the neutral switch. It thought it was in gear and would not start or run with the side down.

CityRide · 02-10-2005

YerGuy,

Thanks for pointing me at that thread. I was suspecting a bad ground somewhere in the circuit already. I've already isolated all the components I could. Jumper on the clutch switch, sidestand up, tested the switch on it, new neutral switch, cleaned the main earth at the alternator.

The symptoms are a little different than yours were. My headlight cut-out doesn't activate. With the key on, everything is lit up like a christmas tree, when the starter button is depressed, there is no change whatsoever. The kill switch and starter button have good continuity, the loop is broken somewhere between point A and B.

Like I said, it's probably the same issue you had, just in a different place on the harness.

As a side note, in your earlier thread you had a dealer problem... Have you tried Rocket Motorcycles here in San Diego? I can't say enough good about that shop. I stopped in there to buy the factory manual yesterday. (guess what chapter I was interested in) It's all good and fine that they have the manual and a neutral switch in stock- the difference is that he says to call him if I need any advice or have a question.

Unheard of, and a welcome change from what I've experienced in the past. I think the difference is that they sell only Triumph and KTM from a small showroom and service them from a shop 3 times the size of the showroom. Definitely a smaller "enthusiast" shop rather than a dealership.

CityRide · 02-10-2005

YerGuy,

Thanks for pointing me at that thread. I was suspecting a bad ground somewhere in the circuit already. I've already isolated all the components I could. Jumper on the clutch switch, sidestand up, tested the switch on it, new neutral switch, cleaned the main earth at the alternator.

The symptoms are a little different than yours were. My headlight cut-out doesn't activate. With the key on, everything is lit up like a christmas tree, when the starter button is depressed, there is no change whatsoever. The kill switch and starter button have good continuity, the loop is broken somewhere between point A and B.

Like I said, it's probably the same issue you had, just in a different place on the harness.

As a side note, in your earlier thread you had a dealer problem... Have you tried Rocket Motorcycles here in San Diego? I can't say enough good about that shop. I stopped in there to buy the factory manual yesterday. (guess what chapter I was interested in) It's all good and fine that they have the manual and a neutral switch in stock- the difference is that he says to call him if I need any advice or have a question.

Unheard of, and a welcome change from what I've experienced in the past. I think the difference is that they sell only Triumph and KTM from a small showroom and service them from a shop 3 times the size of the showroom. Definitely a smaller "enthusiast" shop rather than a dealership.