Bike will not start, any suggestions?

[rktmn3]

Came home from work. The bike was running just great. Parked it in the garage like I always do and that was that. This morning I come out and turn the key and nothing. First thought was the kill switch then the battery. All checked out just fine. The I looked at all the fuses and they were just fine.

When I turn the ignition all the way to the left and past the locking point the lights come on just like the should. But when I turn the key all the way to the right for starting the bike there is nothing.

Any ideas of what might be wrong? My next guess would be the wiring and then the ignition box itself.

[rktmn3]

I am going to replace the battery today just to make sure it is not the problem. It is two years old.

[vonbonds]

Is the bike in gear with the kickstand down?

[TallRocket]

Guess it never hurts to test the battery before you replace it. You didn't mention how frequently you ride and if you believe the battery is full charged. From your description, this sure sounds like a fail safe problem - the kick stand down, the clutch not pulled in or the kill switch. The last time it happened to me I was on the last day of a three day ride, wet and cold from the rain and I must have hit the kill switch when I got off the bike for coffee. Man was it a good feeling to realize I wasn't stranded 200 miles from home.

IMHO, the battery going down situation would still cycle the routine start up lights and then fail to turn the starter over because of lack of juice. You should have lights for turn signals, horn etc but not enough to start the bike, prior to the battery giving it all up.

[Skullwrench]

It can be the "kill circuit", anything between the kill switch, the clutch safety switch, it can actually be in that part of the ignition switch. It is pretty simply to trace with a test light or Ohm meter start by finding the circuits that are in line with the ignition switch and test for power on both sides of the circuit and work your way out-by the ign. switch until you get to the starter relay. It could be anything from a loose wire, to a failed switch. That is where I would start, it would be really great if you could get a schematic for the bike and then it is easy to trouble shoot.

[Toystoretom]

And don't forget... at least one headlight bulb must be working for the starter relay to be operative. If both of your headlights are burnt out (or the headlamp fuse is blown ) the starter won't crank.

[Lee]

Did you have any clicking when you tried to start her..Did you check the relays?

[Dresh]

Mine won't start either! Went to start it today and take it for a spin and it won't start. It turns over fine and for a little while sounded like it wanted to start but now it just turns over with no "fire" One question that I'm hoping someone can check for me. When you crank your bike over to start it does the tach move at all or does it stay at 0? I thought when it was cranking and almost starting I saw it moving jumping with each crank and now all the sudden it just sits at 0. When I turn on the ignition it still goes from top to bottom like normal but after that it doesn't move. I know I'm probably not making any sense here... Any way bottom line I think the rocket wants a rest from the cold weather!

[sbljr]

On 2006-12-01 13:06, vonbonds wrote:
Is the bike in gear with the kickstand down?

The interlock on my T'bird would stick once in awhile after it got a couple years old. Usually just raising/lowering the kickstand once or twice would unstick it. I hate those things--don't know why so many bikes have them when self-retracting stands are so simple and work so well.