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Bike started by itself, went forward and fell.

6K views 43 replies 12 participants last post by  Ripper 
#1 ·
So just as I was really enjoying my cafe build of my 2014 mag wheel, something crappy has to happen. Welcome your thoughts.

I’m about to take the bike to the grocery shop. I turned the key on. Armed the kill switch. Then go to put on my helmet. If I remember correctly the bike dash lights up and does it thing then starts - without me pushing the start button, even though the kickstand was down and the bike was in first gear. It went forward and to the left, got caught on the wheel of the bike to the left of it. I instinctively tried to pull the bike away from the other bike. My bike then went forward to the left and then dropped on its right side in front of the bike on the left. So no more than 5-10 forward. Kick stand was back up and the seat popped off from under the tank due to the friction. I hit the kill switch. I think that might have turned off the engine (?) but it continuously had the “starter sound” going on. I had to turn the key to get the bike to turn off.

After lifting up the bike and checking for damage (only a minor scratch on the right exhaust) I parked the bike, sat on it and with the clutch and brake i turned the key and armed the kill switch. The bike did the same thing — dash did it’s thing then tried to continuously start (unsuccessfully).

Any thoughts on this? It was pretty freaky to see my bike take off, however short of a ride, by itself. I would recreate it just to make sure I remember it correctly, but you know, who wants to recreate something like this.

Appreciate any takers.




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#2 · (Edited)
Here’s my noodling on this.

I recently installed a TTP Breath. The side stand switch and starter switch are located nearby, also under the left side cover. Perhaps they are disconnected or not fully connected.

I’ve also been having problems with the LEDs flashing after it rains. (They turn on but don’t flash, and then flash again once it “dries up”). I wonder whether it’s due to water getting in under the side cover and messing with the flasher relay, and whether this water phenomenon could also affect the side stand switch and starter switch which are nearby.

I’m grasping at straws. Really want the bike to work flawlessly again.

Will relook at the bike in the morning with a fresh mind.


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#3 ·
Hi there

That’s rubbish mate, hope that the damage is slight!

It sounds like you have some electrical gremlins there. So for the starter to turn on ignition then the starter relay must be made, look for your short right there. Also if you fitted a breathe bell mouth you will have moved all of the effected electrics for access... did you cross wire the side stand and starter switch? Did you fit the plastic flap to reduce water ingress? Also did you damage anything when you moved it? A photo of the wiring would help. As for the indicators then I would strip, clean and electrolube, then test and seal. Don’t panic it will be something silly mate.

When you wash the bike do you pressure wash or throw buckets over it? If so, don’t bikes aren’t designed for it...


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#4 · (Edited)
Classic starter relay waterlogged. Take a look at it under the left cover, it often hangs upside down due to the rubber holder perishing and letting it drop.


A drop of water between contacts Nº 30 and 87 on the inside view here will make the starter operate as soon as the ignition key is turned ON:




Remove cover with penknike, if there's any water inside let it dry for a while or simply replace it, it's a common item and most auto stores will have a replacement for a few $.


Location (the emergency start button is a mod, yours won't have one on yours):


 
#5 ·
This forum is amazing. I went from confused (was it my imagination?!) to sad to angry to hopeful! It’s been pouring rain since last night and will continue another 8 hours or so, so I haven’t gotten to checking the bike. (I really need to park this baby indoors somewhere)
@Bonnie59 - Thank you, really appreciate your suggestions. I will check out the starter relay. I did move the wires around, however I didn’t unplug the switches to fit the bellmouth. I (not so simply) rerouted them upwards and around at max stretch. (Oh, I may have unplugged them to have a look-see. Maybe they aren’t back on tight?)

You caught me on the included water guard. I was lazy and didn’t install it, especially after seeing how small it was. I felt it was too brittle to really stop water entry behind the cover. This weekend I aim to install something a little more protective. Potentially wrapping a plastic bag around the switches (?).

I usually wash my bike with a little water-filled spray bottle, and then “wax it” with a wash n wax spray. Once a year I may take it to the self-wash but there it’s focused on the hard to reach parts like engine crevices and under the bike.

On the LED shorts Ill start at being more protective of the flasher relay. I’ll wrap it up in something first and then see if LED flashing can withstand the rain.
@Forchetto - Thank you. Really appreciate the photo attachment. Hopefully you hit the nail on the hammer with the short in the starter relay. Once the rain stops I’ll look at drying the switch out as well as protecting that entire under the left side cover area with something plastic.

Now I just have to be patient until the rain stops.


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#6 ·
Hey Caramelgq

That’s great, it is going to be something simple mate, sounds
like it’s fairly moist where you are?

I really think you have a short in your starter relay and am confident you will be ok. You could think about using some electrolube around your connectors to keep the damp out and you can use the same to disperse water from your starter relay (and possibly flasher can?).

Good luck mate and keep us posted..




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#7 ·
FYI...I have not been running the splash shield for the Breath since a few yrs now and I have been riding in heavy rain for hours, for several days in a row. The shield is really just an attempt to keep too much water out of the Breathe intake...but it really won't do much if you look where the rear wheel throws water. Never had this issue with the starter relay. I do have the emerg-start mod done to it (though I made the hole I did not put a stick/button in to press when needed...I just placed a poking stick nearby and strapped it in place with electrical tape, covering the relay cover's hole as good measure. Those relays are not weather proofed for living on a bike. There are better sealed one available. But just wrapping the two halves with e-tape should help a lot. Maybe even run some silicone on the joint? Whatever, you should pop the cover off it and hit it thoroughly with BrakeParts cleaner or at least WD ("Water Displacement")-40.
 
#14 ·
Check out the bike just now. Popped her into neutral. Kickstand up. Clutch it. Put the key in and the bike tried to start unsuccessfully. Armed the kill switch and it turned on brilliantly. What I’m confused about is how the bike turned on AND moved forward the other day with the kickstand down. Was that my imagination?

I also opened up the side cover. I noticed that the starter relay was on upside down. I’m going to say that wasn’t me cause it’s an unnatural position. Maybe it was a downtown gremlin looking to cause mischief? I pulled out the relay from its hook and the portion attached the the wire was full of water.

Guess I’ll have to ride the bike back to my folks and dry out the relay with a hair dryer and then lube and wrap it.

Fun fun.


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#15 · (Edited)
Guess I’ll have to ride the bike back to my folks and dry out the relay with a hair dryer and then lube and wrap it.

I wouldn't risk it. There's a good chance that the starter motor will continue to run together with the engine and cause damage. Unclip the cover and shake all the water out and then blow and gently pat the contact area with an absorbent tissue to remove as much dampness as possible.


There's no real need to spray any sort of lubricant inside, it just has to stay dry.
 
#16 ·
This relay is just a normal everyday 5 pin changeover relay. You can buy a fully sealed one (can't open them up) from any car parts store very cheaply. Its not worth the hassle of drying it out unless you are stranded.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Wish I had gotten both your notes sooner :) Are you two clairvoyant by any chance?

When I said lube I really meant ACF-50. I’ll avoid that for now.

Speaking of stranded, I started the bike this morning. Neutral. Clutch in. And off I went to the gas station. Filled up. After that the bike didn’t start. I got the click after arming the kill switch a few “Neeeeuuwwws” from the starter and then all I got was just clicks. If I wait 5-10 minutes and try starting the bike I might get one “neeeeuwwws” but nothing more. I rolled the bike to a parking spot and will come back to it later today.

I’m going to place the battery on a trickle charger for a few hours and then try starting the bike as well as replacing the starter relay (good call on that).


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#18 ·
Swapped in the new starter relay. (6.99 CDN :)) and now the constant start doesn’t happen. Rather the gauges do their thing. The headlamp is on nicely. I hit the start button. And get a pitch sound and a click. That’s it. Sounds like I need to charge the battery.

Thanks folks.

I’ll keep you updated.


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#19 · (Edited)
And it started like pancakes on a summer day. I missed the sound of this baby.

Now I just have to replace the club man bars and the rear brake lever :-( they suffered from the original fall.

Thank you thank you to everyone who informed me and warned me. This baby and I have more miles to travel together (and smiles together) because of you all.


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#21 ·
Neat product. Its really stretchy rubber electrical tape. It forms a water tight seal and only adheres to itself (and not to other electrical tape or wire covering). You can also remove it by cutting it. Used it to protect my flasher relay/wiring and starter relay/wiring.

View attachment 659478

View attachment 659480


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Self amalgamating tape, brilliant stuff .. we used to use that all the time in the mob!


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#23 ·
I've had bad starter relays over the years. All just stopped working... never a short like OP's. I've replaced them with high quality Bosch relays with never a problem again. I'll look into getting them wholesale and adding them to my site.

/M
What's needed isn't so much quality but type - a relay that is fully sealed, like those cheap relays that are potted in epoxy resin rather than a clip-together plastic case. Bosch relays are nice but it depends on how cheaply you can retail them. Some kind of mod has to be found because this problem is capable of causing injury or bike damage. There's yet another case of this just posted on Twins Technical Talk.
 
#30 ·
I'm puzzled by something the OP said in his description of the original incident. He stated that he turned off the motor using the kill switch after the bike was laying on it's side. Shouldn't the "tip over" switch have come into play and shut the engine?

Chico
 
#31 ·
I'm puzzled by something the OP said in his description of the original incident. He stated that he turned off the motor using the kill switch after the bike was laying on it's side. Shouldn't the "tip over" switch have come into play and shut the engine?
Good point, there are a couple of puzzling factors for me but I hadn't thought of that one. I don't think the tip over switch causes the engine to stop immediately, it cuts the power to the fuel pump but the engine still has the fuel to run for a few seconds.
What I find puzzling is, for the OP's bike to have lurched forward like that, it would have had to be in gear when he turned on the ignition. At this point, the clutch, neutral and stand switches (I think he said the stand was down) combination should have disabled the starter. I know the clutch switches sometimes don't work as they should, but the starter would have operated only if the bike was in neutral, unless the clutch was pulled. So how did the bike lurch forward? Its a mystery but hopefully the OP will remember and use a proper starting procedure in the future.
 
#34 ·
I believe the starter relay if shorted or forcibly closed via Forchetto"s pusher trick will bypass all the safety lock outs (clutch, SS, Neutral).
I have used the kill switch for every shut down for the past five years since installing a keyless ignition setup. No issues.
 
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