Kick-stand kill switch

scratch

scratch

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Hey guys, since I've gotten my bike back from the timing-chain massacre I've been busy putting the miles on! I rode around a hundred yesterday afternoon and decided to celebrate the warmest day (yet) this year by taking it to work.

I've noticed that since I got it back from the shop complaining that it wouldn't turn over they re-enabled the kill switch that seemed to be off when I bought it. By seemed to be off I mean that I could put it in gear, stand down, clutch out a bit a roll forward with no death of the engine. I could also use the starter regardless of clutch position.

This morning about two miles in and 16 miles in she died. No motor. Coast to a safe stop somewhere, put it in neutral, hands off the clutch lever.

Since when I bought it I could pretty much have it in gear, clutched, and start it to this where I have to have it in neutral with no clutch makes me think they worked with the switch and it is something bouncing around causing these sudden deaths.

I'll call them tomorrow but in the meantime has anyone else had issues with their bikes kick-stand safety switch (I'm sure there is a proper name for this!)?

And normally, how is this system supposed to operate?

Thanks,

Scratchmo
 
Pull the boot back on the switch and give it a shot of WD-40 work the plunger in-out several times. It's designed to kill the bike when kickstand is down and the clutch is let out
 
or if that doesn't work if you jumper the circuit(short out the pins in the plug up by the fuse box) it will disable the switch as a temporary fix but what mark said is the right way to do it
 
Mine is disconnected, My bike sits so low if I even pretend to move it forward the stand snaps up.
 
This may or may not be related, but I have a similar problem with my bike...It will not start unless it is in neutral....There have been a few times when I would take off from a stop and kill the motor...as I am still rolling, I pull in the clutch and it WILL NOT start..I have had to roll to a stop and screw around trying to get it started...The other day I was alomost home when this happened...for the life of me I could not get the bike to go into neutral...I sat there half in the intersection pushing down to first then trying to "toe-up" into neutral and it would not go...I must have looked like and idiot. I had to wave a car around me....Finally I got it and took off....

Willy
 
There's also a safety on the clutch handle perhaps that switch is your problem. If you pull the clutch in with the bike off you can hear it click into place. WD-40 does wonders on that switch as well.
 
The switch itself seems to be in reasonable working order. When I got it the button went out at an angle but now I see that it is all nice and straight.

paulfun said:
your bike should start in gear as long as the clutch is pulled
Click to expand...

That's what I thought! It seems only sometimes the clutch has to be out (and, obviously, in neutral) to even try and engage the starter.

WillyD said:
This may or may not be related, but I have a similar problem with my bike...It will not start unless it is in neutral....There have been a few times when I would take off from a stop and kill the motor...as I am still rolling, I pull in the clutch and it WILL NOT start..I have had to roll to a stop and screw around trying to get it started...The other day I was alomost home when this happened...for the life of me I could not get the bike to go into neutral...I sat there half in the intersection pushing down to first then trying to "toe-up" into neutral and it would not go...I must have looked like and idiot. I had to wave a car around me....Finally I got it and took off....
Click to expand...

My tranny is can be a bit touchy about getting back into first when I've stopped it in neutral, but that's nothing special as I can just roll it a bit and the jam it into gear.

I'll keep a close eye on it - I presume that the sudden death and then not starting with the clutch pulled are related as it seems to run fine when I can start it with the clutch pulled.

As always, I really appreciate your tips and input fellas!

Scratch
 
Here is what I recently found out bout my bike...

The ONLY way it will crank is if the bike is in neutral and the clutch is out....If I pull the clutch in when it is in gear or neutral it WILL NOT crank....I know this is wrong....

It sucks balls....If I am at a stop and go to take off and kill it, the bike will not restart unless I get it to neutral and have the clutch out...Thing is, the bike is rolling, traffic looks at you, you scramble to do this and you end up having to stop (middle of the intersection) and fidget to get the **** thing in neutral and hit the button, get it started, pull the clutch in, kick down to first and pull off...

I am pretty sure that no matter what speed or gear or neutral, if you pull the clutch in, it should crank and thus start...

Correct??

Willy
 
"I am pretty sure that no matter what speed or gear or neutral, if you pull the clutch in, it should crank and thus start...

Correct??"

that is correct!!
 
Not cool to have happen to you on the road. The guy before me removed the kill-switch on the kickstand and for the first little while I was have starting issues just like you described with neewding to be cluched in and in neutral. I still have the kill-switch off (never bothered to find a new one.. never will) I belive the problem was back up in the handle, I needed to adjust the clutch a little bit. Something to do with how it wasn't as tight as it should be, or the contact just wasn't being fully made. I will try to remember more later, but the end result was that the kill-switch was redundant to my issue and since the handlebar controls fix it has been able to start up every time without any problems (other than that itty bitty valve issue that has kept it in my garage for three #$%ing years). You did mention that you have cleaned all the contacts on the clutch lever assembly? Try checking the clutch engagement distance/resistance as it might be that the clutch isn't in all the way enough to release and let you start up in anything other than neutral. I am not saying that that is the issue for sure.. but when I was stuck out on the highway trying to flick that little W!@#$e into neutral with cars whizzing past at 100... not cool man, not cool.
 
Check in the headlight for incorrect pairing of wires. Clean and grease all connections especially the ones behind the right front frame gadget(plastic cover)
 
With the stand down mine allows me to crawl the bike forward in gear, but as soon as i give her some revs or speed it cuts the motor. Actually a bit embarrassing sometimes giving it a wrist full then having it - almost had it tip over sometimes committing to a leaning takeoff.

Under normal operation thats one of the fun things on the ZL is peeling it out from a standstill and having the back wheel spin sideways slightly... well fun for me ;)
 
paulfun said:
"I am pretty sure that no matter what speed or gear or neutral, if you pull the clutch in, it should crank and thus start...

Correct??"

that is correct!!
Click to expand...

Indeed! I have a buddy working on my bike and I'll try to post what he finds out regarding the clutch/switch. Right now I've just asked that he disconnect the switch so I can start it whenever I want with whatever configuration I can think of.

I thought motorcycling was a somewhat spartan sport, I don't need all these smancy gismos to break at inopportune times!

Cheers,
Scratchmo.
 
Got my 86 road legal yesterday and went for a nice long ride. All was well untill my return trip when at a stop light I stalled it and she didnt start back up in gear with clutch pulled.
Had to go to nutral to fire it up.
Anyway at the next stop I looked over the bike to see if something came loose or what, still no start in gear with nclutch pulled. So I just gently moved the wires coming from the clutch and she fired right up.
So you might want to try and have a look at your wires as if a short exists like mine it wont work right, and will be a simple fix.

Good luck!
 
Yesterday while I had my tank off and cleaning it with ketone on the inside, me and my buddy looked at my clutch switch..Pulled it off and pulled it apart..it had corrosion and oxidation all over it..We cleaned with contact cleaner and an old toothbrush..Now it works like it should...No matter if I am in neutral or in gear, pull in the clutch and it starts...

Got tank cleaned out and I think I am good to go there too...

Willy
 
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