Starter dead

[Adam-the-kiwi]

Hi All,

2001 1150GS with a newbie rider, mechanically speaking.

Bike has been under the covers for a week, sitting outside. It's just had a new battery - that's about 2 weeks old. Went to take it to work this morning - everything lit up as it should, heard the whirring (that I assume is the fuel pump), pressed the starter button: nothing. No indication that anything had happened at all. Dashboard lights remained on.

I guess it's a dead switch or a dead starter fuse. Does that sound right? Where do I start looking?

Cheers - Adam...

 

[steve'o]

Start with the simple stupid things first, ie neutral, kill switch.

 

[Packer]

Start with the obvious.

1) Is it in neutral?
2) Is the side stand up?

Also pull in the clutch, it reduces the amount of work that the starter has to do although not doing this won't stop the starter from turning over.

If you have another battery or a car and jump leads I'd put the bike on the centre stand in neutral, remove the plastic cover over the starter, (left side above the gear lever). One screw to remove and pull outwards and towards the rear of the bike.

Connect the leads to the spare battery and put the black negative lead onto bare metal, an exhaust clamp or something like that and the red positive lead directly onto the starter motor terminal. This will show if the starter motor is OK. It will spark a lot as the current draw is high so keep your face away from it.

 

[Adam-the-kiwi]

Start with the obvious.

1) Is it in neutral?
2) Is the side stand up?

Also pull in the clutch, it reduces the amount of work that the starter has to do although not doing this won't stop the starter from turning over.

Sorry, should have said that in the original post. Yes, it's on it's centre stand, it's in neutral and the kill switch is in the middle.

If you have another battery or a car and jump leads I'd put the bike on the centre stand in neutral, remove the plastic cover over the starter, (left side above the gear lever). One screw to remove and pull outwards and towards the rear of the bike.

Connect the leads to the spare battery and put the black negative lead onto bare metal, an exhaust clamp or something like that and the red positive lead directly onto the starter motor terminal. This will show if the starter motor is OK. It will spark a lot as the current draw is high so keep your face away from it.

I'll give that a try when I get a chance - I'll need to head out and get some jump leads...

Cheers - Adam.