Also the contacts in the ignition switch can get corroded, all power goes through that switch before it will make it to the fuse block. Some bikes do have the starter button tied to the kill switch (usually it is just coil +12V). It really depends on how they wired it, that is why stating the year/model is important. I would do like Glenn says and try jumping across the solenoid, to ensure it will crank. That will at least rule out the starter motor, and the battery. You'll need a wiring diagram and a multimeter to troubleshoot the rest.
On Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 8:26 AM, EGrider <[email protected]> wrote: > I just went through this with a bike. You should always tell the group > what year and model bike you have, and I also suggest using a more > descriptive subject line than HELP!, as that subject line would fit nearly > every post on here. > > Anyway, regardless of the bike you ride, some things to check, as others > have pointed out, would be the following: > > 1. Make sure the side stand is not down > 2. Make sure the bike is in neutral (this one got me yesterday and sent me > into a momentary panic). > 3. Your bike may have a starter fuse that's blown. This is different from > the main fuse, which will make the bike act like it has no battery in it at > all if blown, to my knowledge. Check that fuse (this one cost me a bunch of > money not long ago). > 4. Use a wiring diagram to ascertain which fuse is the starter fuse. Turn > the bike on and use a multimeter (or a 12 volt light bulb with wires > attached even) to check that the fuse slot has power across it. Replace the > starter fuse if necessary. > 5. If there is no power to the fuse slot, the connections into the fuse > box may be bad, something I've personally never experienced but people > report it here. If that seems to be the problem, others can tell you what > they've done. > 6. You can put power directly to the starter motor to test its function. > The starter motor of course has + and - leads to it. After verifying which > is which (the minus will be attached to the frame), you can use a regular > auto jumper cable to put power directly to the + lead on the starter motor. > I just pulled away the rubber boot, attached a jumper cable, and touched > the other end to the + on the battery. The motor turned the engine over, so > I breathed a sigh of relief and knew I didn't have to replace the starter > motor. > 7. Your starter solenoid may be bad. It's the first thing that you find as > you trace the + wire away from your battery. Those can have fuses on them, > or a piece of lead wire in the case of my '84. Make sure that is not blown. > (Why it blew may be another issue.) > 8. The solenoid also has big screws on the top under the rubber boots. > With the key on, the starter motor should engage if you jump those with a > screwdriver. If it doesn't, that's a problem. > > This will give you a few ways to narrow the problem down. Hopefully your > bike will turn over before you get to the bottom of the list. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
