Clutch switch at lever not working?

[Neil A]

There was a thread on here a while back about the bike not starting unless in neutral & some replies about the clutch switch needing adjustment, so the bike would start with the clutch pulled in, even if not in neutral.

Mine (2004 1200GS) has never started while I've had it, unless showing neutral, clutch pulled in or not. So today I adjusted the clutch switch via the little allen screw. Still no go. Took switch right off and bridged the contacts. It won't start with the two wires either i) bridged together or ii) completely disconnected.
I can't get both the probes of my multimeter together in either the miniscule switch or the connector to check if the switch is working or anything else (probably a good thing as electrics are the devil's work and I would undoubtedly turn into a toad).

It could be that my ultra hi-tech bridging device (a paperclip) wasn't bridging very well?

Is it worth investing £15 in a new clutch microswitch to see if that does the trick?

Hang on - just had a brainwave! The Motorworks listing says the front brake switch & the clutch switch are the same. I could try swapping them over....

What do you good people reckon?

I've noticed that some of you are white warlocks and understand this electrickery stuff.

Thanks awfully. You are too kind.

Neil

 

[Beemerman59]

There was a thread on here a while back about the bike not starting unless in neutral & some replies about the clutch switch needing adjustment, so the bike would start with the clutch pulled in, even if not in neutral.

Mine (2004 1200GS) has never started while I've had it, unless showing neutral, clutch pulled in or not. So today I adjusted the clutch switch via the little allen screw. Still no go. Took switch right off and bridged the contacts. It won't start with the two wires either i) bridged together or ii) completely disconnected.
I can't get both the probes of my multimeter together in either the miniscule switch or the connector to check if the switch is working or anything else (probably a good thing as electrics are the devil's work and I would undoubtedly turn into a toad).

It could be that my ultra hi-tech bridging device (a paperclip) wasn't bridging very well?

Is it worth investing £15 in a new clutch microswitch to see if that does the trick?

Hang on - just had a brainwave! The Motorworks listing says the front brake switch & the clutch switch are the same. I could try swapping them over....

What do you good people reckon?

I've noticed that some of you are white warlocks and understand this electrickery stuff.

Thanks awfully. You are too kind.

Neil

If adjustment doesn't work then as said on the old thread you can swap it over with the brake switch.

 

[Neil A]

Ah, not a brilliant new idea, then!

Thanks to Beemerman for the reply....seems my cunning plan wasn't that cunning, after all, as it's been recommended on here previously.
Will give it a go tonight to see.

 

[Neil A]

Still doesn't work

Swapped clutch & front brake light micro swtiches and both work perfectly

So it's not that. Also it's not having the bike on its sidestand (luckily I thought of that before I made a complete arse of myself......again)

So, clutch switch working, but even taken out and hanging loose on the end of the wire, so it is definitely fully open (ie not an adjustment issue), the bike still won't start in gear with the clutch (literally and metaphorically) disengaged/pulled in.

I would be deeply grateful if anyone has any ideas of anything else to try before just going back to starting in neutral, which is fine, until the gear position indicator swtich goes AWOL.....again!!!!

Thanks everyone

Neil

 

[Big_Steve64]

My bike (05) will not start on the side stand because when in neutral the gear position is showing 2. Could this be your problem too?

If so it is the gear position potentiometer. Is your gear position indicator ok?

 

[Neil A]

Thanks Big Steve

Thanks Big Steve
Don't think it's that. The right gears show on the gear indicator on the dash & it will start on the side stand if in neutral (and gear indicator showing neutral as well). Just won't start in gear with the clutch pulled in.
My gear position indicator switch (the fiendishly difficult to get at thing at the rear of the engine - is that really called a potentiometer? I'm always going to call it that now) was playing up, but I took it out and cleaned/sprayed/lubed the o-ring to within an inch of its life and it's been ok ever since,
All the best
Neil

 

[Beemerman59]

Swapped clutch & front brake light micro swtiches and both work perfectly

So it's not that. Also it's not having the bike on its sidestand (luckily I thought of that before I made a complete arse of myself......again)

So, clutch switch working, but even taken out and hanging loose on the end of the wire, so it is definitely fully open (ie not an adjustment issue), the bike still won't start in gear with the clutch (literally and metaphorically) disengaged/pulled in.

I would be deeply grateful if anyone has any ideas of anything else to try before just going back to starting in neutral, which is fine, until the gear position indicator swtich goes AWOL.....again!!!!

Thanks everyone

Neil

Sorry, I'm sure you did cover this, but just making sure - you have tried the clutch switch in a closed position and tried to start the engine? If the switch is left dangling on the end of the wire the switch is not operating - you need to close the contacts for it to operate which the clutch lever will normally actuate i.e the switch will be closed.

If its not that and the gear indicator shows neutral the only thing I can suggest is tracing the wire back from the clutch lever and looking for shorts/bad connections in the loom.

Edit: And you are sure the connector which fits to the switch is OK (no broken pins etc) and fitted correctly? Also, and I appreciate I might be stating the obvious, but did the clutch switch operate on the front brake OK. When my switch failed it still made the normal noise (click) that a good switch makes but it has still failed.

 

[Neil A]

Well....

....the clutch switch when fitted in place of the brake switch then worked (brake light came on when brake applied) and the brake switch when fitted to the clutch didn't enable the bike to start with the clutch pulled in. I did adjust the clutch switch to its maximum (tried this with each of the switches) so that I knew it wasn't an adjustment issue. I then took the switch out and tried with it dangling loose, both leaving the switch alone (springy metal tab not connecting with the contact) and with the switch dangling loose but manually depressing the springy metal bit so that the contact was...errrr...contacting. So I figured that I'd proven that it wasn't just a switch issue.
Please, though, don't be put off asking what might seem like obvious questions. I am a particularly stupid person (as proven by the fact that I tried everything once before realising that I'd done it all with the bike on the sidestand, so it was never going to start unless in neutral....doh! Had to do it all over again to find out that I still couldn't solve it)

 

[solidstate100]

Just a thought but has it EVER worked i.e. from new? (dont know how you would know that if you didn't own it from new, but hey ho)

And another thought - is this maybe something that needs dealer intervention i.e. something might need re-programming in its brain somewhere?

 

[Beemerman59]

I don't know if a GS911 might pick up the fault and tell you what has failed - might be worth finding out if there's someone close to you who has one. Failing that or a dealers diagnostics. There must be a connector at the other end of the cable which I assume would go to the main brain under the tank - you could have a look there and check the cable itself at the same time for continuity.

 

[Neil A]

Thanks everyone

QUick responses (apologies - only have a couple of minutes)
Dunno if it ever did it - have had the bike (2004 vintage) for 2 years. Might be able to ask previous owner - have some contact details somewhere
It would be a good idea to try to get some diagnostics. Will investigate
Thanks!

 

[Neil A]

Just a thought

The bike's been serviced twice at Williams in Manchester since I've had it. I wouldn't go near the BMW dealer here on the Island for historical reasons. They annoyed the crap out of me on two separate occasions because of the biggest stupidity and the worst attitude to customer service I've ever had the misfortune to experience. In fact, i can't believe I gave them the second opportunity. Deep breath, must stay calm...

Anyway, the inability to start except in neutral thing was there when it went through both annual services. Wouldn't the dealer pick up any fault code showing, or am I being hopelessly trusting and naive? Should I try to find someone with a GS911 and check for myself?

Ta

 

[Beemerman59]

You would have thought they would pick it up at a service - checking the clutch switch operation is part of the 6K service schedule.

 

[Neil A]

Thanks

Thanks. Mmmmmmmm....that's a bit worrying - either they haven't noticed it or I am bonkers
Will check with them the next time it's in for a service (although it's not due til October). In the meantime I'll see if I can find someone with a GS911 or live with it (it hasn't bothered me so far, apart from the time the potentiometer went AWOL)
All the best
Neil