[vfreek76]

My 2002 VTX 1800C sat for awhile, so I charged up the gel battery, and with a little effort it started and ran fine for three or four miles. Then when I stopped and hit the kill switch, it began trying to turn over and over and over and eventually started up on its own, then when I hit the kill switch again, it started turning over and over and over slower and slower until it quit and now it's just dead. What is the issue?

 

[PaXman11]

Battery is shot. Slow charge the battery, then take it to an auto parts store that will do a 100 amp automotive LOAD test, not a 20 amp MC test. It will show weak or all but dead cells. This condition leads to the solenoid contacts welding themselves, keeping the starting circuit engaged. You can rap on the solenoid to break the contact, but unless you replace the battery and likely the solenoid, it will happen again.

 

[Vinish]

Something sounds strange here. When you say "kill switch" do you mean the rocker switch or the spring loaded push-button start button? If the solenoid is welded shut, I thought the starter motor will turn the engine regardless of whether the kill switch is on or off and regardless of whether the key ignition is on or off. I could be wrong on this. Anyone else know more about this?

 

[vfreek76]

Something sounds strange here. When you say "kill switch" do you mean the rocker switch or the spring loaded push-button start button? If the solenoid is welded shut, I thought the starter motor will turn the engine regardless of whether the kill switch is on or off and regardless of whether the key ignition is on or off. I could be wrong on this. Anyone else know more about this?

I'm calling the rocker switch the kill switch

 

[vfreek76]

I'm calling the rocker switch the kill switch

And yes, the motor was trying to turn over with the rocker switch off and the key totally removed

 

[Vinish]

Oh. Ok. I guess I did not understand your first post. I thought the starter motor turning was only occurring when you "hit the kill switch". Now that I understand that it happens all the time, it makes complete sense. It is just what PaXman11 states. The solenoid contacts have welded together. As PaXman11 says, this is usually caused by a weak/dying battery. Do the following:
1) Remove battery from bike
2) Fully charge battery
3) Take battery to any chain autoparts store and have them do a 100 amp load test. Battery will either be good or bad.
4) If bad, get a new battery, fully charge it, and put it into the bike. If good, reinstall battery into bike. Do NOT attach wires to the battery.
5) Put bike in neutral. Double check that it is in neutral. Move anything of value from in front of bike and triple check it is in neutral.
6) Attach red wire to battery positive terminal
7) Touch black wire to battery negative terminal. Does the starter motor turn?
8) If starter motor turns, remove wire from negative terminal.
9) Find the starter solenoid and rap it firmly with a wooden dowel. This is an attempt to break loose the welded contacts. This sometimes works.
10) If rapping solenoid works, then starter motor will no longer turn when you attach the black wire to the battery negative terminal.
11) Buy a new solenoid regardless if rapping it with the wood dowel worked or not. If rapping worked, you can ride the bike while you are finding, buying, and installing a new solenoid. If rapping did not work, bike is not ridable until you install a new solenoid.

 

[lkmiller69]

Something sounds strange here. When you say "kill switch" do you mean the rocker switch or the spring loaded push-button start button? If the solenoid is welded shut, I thought the starter motor will turn the engine regardless of whether the kill switch is on or off and regardless of whether the key ignition is on or off. I could be wrong on this. Anyone else know more about this?

I have a 2003 VTX1300 R/S that when the kill switch is engaged, the motor will NOT turn over. The kill switch has to be in the off position for the motor to turn over. I don't know how it is on the 1800's, but I figure them to be the same.

 

[mrwatcher1]

I have a 2003 VTX1300 R/S that when the kill switch is engaged, the motor will NOT turn over. The kill switch has to be in the off position for the motor to turn over. I don't know how it is on the 1800's, but I figure them to be the same.

That's what a Kill switch is for, kill the engine, unless I misunderstood you

 

[Vinish]

This sounds like it may just be an issue of semantics and definitions. We all agree that the "kill switch" is the red rocker switch on the top of the right switchbox housing. The issue is defining when this switch is in the "on" or "engaged" position. Some think that since this is a "kill switch", it is "on" or "engaged" when it is performing its intended function of killing the engine or preventing the engine from starting. Others prefer to view the kill switch position as related to the ability of the bike to run/start. That is - when the kill switch is "on" or "engaged", the bike will run or start.

These two definitions are the exact opposite of each other and both make sense. There is no single right way to view the kill switch position. Thus, the position considered "on" or "engaged" should be defined by anyone referring to the kill switch position.

 

[PaXman11]

I see your point, but from my perspective, the KS is inoperative during the normal running of the MC. "Kill Switch engaged" is more than the name of a punk rock band. It's like it isn't there, until you flip it to kill the engine. Normally off until you flip it to kill, or ON.

 

[AlanSmith7]

So you have a battery issue. This is very common nowadays. You just have to follow the steps which Vinish gives these are the best step. You can follow this I really hope that you overcome this issue. Sometimes the battery is charged slowly and sometimes it may shoot. The best one just replaces the battery (just joking) Break the contact by a rap on the solenoid.