lost power while pressing starter button

[hoodun]

My bike went completely dead as soon as I hit the starter button. The battery is fully charged. The fuses are all ok. I do get the time displaying on the panel.  I disassembled the switch on the bars and it seems fine. There is no key, just an on off switch which has worked fine for months. Are the diode boards known to go on these things at 50k?

Any one else experience this?

[johnny]

with on/off switch in the on position... is your headlight on before you press the start button... is your headlight on when you press the start button...

could be a dirty starter... if so... with key off... put it in 2nd and roll it backwards from the saddle... when you get it rolling let out the clutch to spin the starter backwards... do that a few times... hit the start button...

j o

[Grim]

Hmmmmm I'd look at the Load shed relay and starter. The load shed relay is what cuts power to lights to give starter full power and they have been known to stick. The load shed relay pull ground through the starter and dirty contacts in the starter can sometime create weird symptoms. Id disconnect the battery till you sort this out. Ive read of instances where the starter will get stuck engaged and only way to kill them is to disconnect the battery.

There are posts on both if you do a little searching with Google.

 Id start with the Starter. Cleaning the contacts is cheap thing that may solve this. When the load shed relay acts up most people recommend to not mess around and just replace it with new.

And Honest  Johnny you keep posting as I'm making a post...i'm really not trolling you LOL

[johnny]

you are a righteous motobricker there grim... keep on posting...

j o

[Motorhobo]

I had a similar thing and it was the starter switch itself, bad contact, bike dead. This was back in 2008 and my memory isn't what it never was so i cant remember the exact details...but it died on I76 north just north of Philly. I ended up cutting wires and splicing to bypass the starter switch and then bump started (had sidecar rig on) and ultimately got  a used switch assembly from Drake, i think. Might have been possible to clean up the switch contacts but I destroyed the switch trying to fix it on the shoulder of the  freeway...

Dunno...maybe you could try cleaning the contacts or wiring past the switch and bump starting? I seem to remember the switch acting up a fair amount before it finally failed, I.e. bike cutting out, having to hit switch multiple times to engage, etc.

[hoodun]

is your headlight on before you press the start button... is your headlight on when you press the start button...

Dunno...maybe you could try cleaning the contacts or wiring past the switch and bump starting? I seem to remember the switch acting up a fair amount before it finally failed, I.e. bike cutting out, having to hit switch multiple times to engage, etc.

Yes the headlight is always on before and after starting. I just leave it on all the time...

I cleaned the switches and they were in like new condition. It seems to be pointing towards the relay. I swapped the two identical blue ones and it did not help. There is the black one which is the load shed relay I believe. Its a cheap part, using an equivalent, so I will try replacing that next. Fingers crossed. I already hit everything with wd40 and the contacts look good.

[Grim]

Cleaning the starter contacts is free if nothing is broken. ;)

[hoodun]

I disconnected the starter and still no power to anything. I believe I should still get instrument lights without the starter. No lights though, except for the clock. I concluded the starter is not the issue. I then disassembled the load shed relay and it looks brand new. No on the contacts and it was not sticking. I also disassembled the starter switch itself and it looked new, no dirt in there.

I'm at a loss. Maybe a short somewhere?

[TS87KLT]

Hoodun, what the gents were getting at with the question about the headlamp is -- does it go out when you hit the starter?  The load shedding relay is supposed to cut power to all non-essential loads so all power is available for the starter.  When you hit the start button, the headlamp should go out.  If it doesn't, the load shedding relay is not working.

You are correct in your assertion that removing the starter from the circuit would not affect power to other components.  If you have no power to the lights or the instruments/idiot lights, then you might want to look at the fuse block.  Check to see if you have 12v on both sides of the fuses when your on/off switch is on.  If you have a DVM with a sharp probe you can poke the little exposed tabs on the top of the uses to do this.  I use a Powerprobe, it's the best electrical diagnostic tool I've ever owned, well worth the $100.

Also, this page -- http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/bvogel/K100/download/bike-wont-start1.htm

[subforry]

Maybe, if you have not already done this, revisit the battery.  Is it connected correctly and cleanly.  Battery could have enough charge to run the lights but not enough to turn the starter.

Also what about the side stand switch or does that not apply this bike?

[Scott_]

Also what about the side stand switch or does that not apply this bike?

No side stand switch on a K75.

[Motorhobo]

This old motobrick.com thread might help...

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php?topic=4344.0

[hoodun]

Poked around with the multimeter and I find 14v at the large prongs on the starter relay but no voltage at the ignition switch connector. Could it be a starter relay issue? I need a lesson in basic operation of the electrical system.

[jefff]

I am a new here, just registered, because I only searched solution for exactly same situation described - everything seems to be ok but, after I hit starter button, the bike died (every lamp get dark). Even I did not find any solution on the web, I solved my problem, just the screw keeping ground (minus) cable to battery was not tighten enough. After tightening such cable she runs again. Probably it is not your case, but who knows :-)

[keith g]

when this happened on mine it was a broken wire adjacent to the plug connector.......take the tank off,follow the wire back from the starter switch until you hit a four wire plug.......mine broke there......give it a waggle with the ignition turned on and see if the lights come on.....mine did......