Help! Bike won't start....?

[Wile E Coyote]

Any ideas gratefully received, bike has been mothballed for the grim months went to get it started today but it decided it didn't want to start, not a whisper! The battery is fully charged, not in gear/side stand up, run switch is in the right position etc. It looks like a fuse has blown or the battery is not connected (it is!) but according to the manual there is no fuse and the system should reset itself.

Beers will be forthcoming or at least my eternal thanks........

 

[forest biker]

Any ideas gratefully received, bike has been mothballed for the grim months went to get it started today but it decided it didn't want to start, not a whisper! The battery is fully charged, not in gear/side stand up, run switch is in the right position etc. It looks like a fuse has blown or the battery is not connected (it is!) but according to the manual there is no fuse and the system should reset itself.

Beers will be forthcoming or at least my eternal thanks........

Sounds like your battery has had it

 

[AberdeenAngus]

How do you know your battery is fully charged ?
Just because the charger says so don't mean its not goosed.

Got any jump leads ?

 

[Wile E Coyote]

It's a brand new battery AND I have tried it with a a spare too.....

 

[GrinningGSer]

If we are going to help, we need more details, then at the end of this we'll probably be telling you to get the bike to a professional:
Does the starter motor turn the engine and if so does it do so with gusto?

 

[Pukmeister]

Options:

1) Starter relay fecked, the yellow one under the seat inside the toolkit holder compartment.
2) Starter motor fecked, or bad feed/bad earth on starter solenoid.
3) Battery fecked.
4) Starter button on handlebar fecked.

Does it crank if you pull the clutch all the way in ??

Can you run a thick diameter live 'hotwire' to the starter live terminal and see if the bike turns over (bike on the centre stand, ensure not in gear). This will prove the battery, starter motor and starter engagement solenoid work to engage the pinion and crank the engine over. If so, its either the starter relay or starter switch.

If it cranks, next step is to remove hotwire and then make a short hotwire in place of the starter relay contacts to prove that the loom is okay and its just the starter relay or switch thats knackered. Then unplug the starter relay and put a multimeter across the starter relay primary contacts in the relay socket, press the start button on the handlebars and check for a 12VDC signal.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

No starter motor does turn the engine at all, when I press the starter there is nothing, not so much as a click! Makes no difference3 with the clutch in, I will try to hotwire after work tomorrow and see how that goes

Thanks so far, will keep you updated!

 

[Pukmeister]

Obviously the hot wire goes BRIEFLY onto the live pilot wire terminal on the starter solenoid and not the main motor terminal (otherwise the amps drawn will make it really hot, really quick). The idea is just to see if the starter engages and turns the engine over as a quick proof test.

Also obvious, use insulated wire and not some bare copper conductor.

Sorry if thats asking you to suck eggs, but I've no idea how competent an engineer you are and there are some folk on the forum who would probably set their bikes on fire following my advice posted here.

DISCLAIMER: If not confident don't do it, consult an expert or dealer, I take no responsibility if things go wrong.

Do you know anyone with a GS911 device, they could easily confirm the operation of your sidestand and clutch switches (which could be a factor if faulty).

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Pukmeister, thanks for the advice and I'm not the worlds greatest mechanical mind so don't mind a bit of egg sucking! I won't do anything that threatens to kill the bike or me! If in doubt I'll get the cash card out!

 

[Pukmeister]

So, does the bike start or what ???

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Finally mystery solved today, battery charger was knackered, showed all the right lights but wasn't delivering any juice, I'm a happy man, all I need to do is treat myself to a new optimiser and the world will be a happy place!

Thanks for all your help it is very much appreciated!

 

[Timolgra]

It's a brand new battery AND I have tried it with a a spare too.....

Finally mystery solved today, battery charger was knackered, showed all the right lights but wasn't delivering any juice, I'm a happy man, all I need to do is treat myself to a new optimiser and the world will be a happy place!

Thanks for all your help it is very much appreciated!

Did you charge them both with the knackered charger, bad luck

 

[John Armstrong]

Finally mystery solved today, battery charger was knackered, showed all the right lights but wasn't delivering any juice, I'm a happy man, all I need to do is treat myself to a new optimiser and the world will be a happy place!

Thanks for all your help it is very much appreciated!

And buy a DVM so that you can work out if the voltage is too low. Although as you found out, the starting system is one of the best test known for batteries.