[LawrenceVTX]

Yesterday my bike wouldn't start after riding it around town. It had all the classic symptoms of a dead battery (click click click click) and it was the original that came with the bike (it's a 2003 1300S). It had done something similar in November, but I tightened up the connections and it seemed to get better. Occasionally it would skip a little when starting it, which would reset my trip odometer.

So I went to my local battery store and picked up a new one. I put it in the bike and now it won't start. :banghead: Battery has lots of charge, but it seems like it won't make it past the compression stroke.

Is this a starter or solenoid issue? If so, is there a way to test it?

Help!

 

[LawrenceVTX]

Should have dug deeper. Went on the forums and found the most likely culprit to be the starter switch. I disassembled it this morning, cleaned and lubed, and now the bike starts.

Glad I didn't take apart the bike.

 

[kmesser]

I ran into the same issue with the starter switch too. I now have an emergency clean up kit with dielectric grease in my tool kit.

 

[DaBear1950]

Mine went out too. Bad thing is you can't buy the guts of the switch from a Honda dealer. The whole assy. is like $150.

 

[mooneydriver]

Glad to hear that you are up and going. Something that might help you in future.
I recommend that you take about a foot of # 14 solid copper wire and remove a 1/2 inch of insulation from both ends. Sharpen both end and should you suspect "starter switch" acting up. Put the bike in neutral then use your jumper to jump the red wire to the yellow wire with red stripe on the starter relay. This will bypass all switches and kick the starter if battery, diode , neutral switch and starter is good. I have a swirch installed on mine in the event starter switch fails.

 

[jetvtx1800]

Moneydriver
Is there a way to check to see if it is the relay that is bad? The bike fired last week when I needed tomove it then when I went to move it again all I got was a "click". The click is the relay switch clicking. I pulled the battery. It read replace when I had it teasted so I did. Same click. I pulled apart the switch assembly cleaned everything , same click. I ran a jumper from the battery to the started cable, removed it form the relay first, and the bike fired right up. Put it back on the relay switch, click again.

When I cleaned the switch assembly it didnt appear burnt. Is there a way to jump the relay switch to see if it is the relay itself that is bad?

There is a yellow and also a green wire that plugs onto the repay switch. Can those two be jumped?

i appreciate any help.

 

[mooneydriver]

Moneydriver
Is there a way to check to see if it is the relay that is bad? The bike fired last week when I needed tomove it then when I went to move it again all I got was a "click". The click is the relay switch clicking. I pulled the battery. It read replace when I had it teasted so I did. Same click. I pulled apart the switch assembly cleaned everything , same click. I ran a jumper from the battery to the started cable, removed it form the relay first, and the bike fired right up. Put it back on the relay switch, click again.

When I cleaned the switch assembly it didnt appear burnt. Is there a way to jump the relay switch to see if it is the relay itself that is bad?

There is a yellow and also a green wire that plugs onto the repay switch. Can those two be jumped?

i appreciate any help.

Yes, move rubber cover on starter relay and jump the two heavy lugs together (battery cable and cable to starter). Be sure bike is out of gear. You might have bad connection on main red wire from battery through 30 amp fuse to relay as you jumped from battery to starter and she cranked. Pull 30 amp fuse and check for corrison also. Hope this is of help. atriot:

 

[mooneydriver]

I forgot to mention the battery cable from the battery to the starter relay, bad connection, corroded. Did you try recommendation on post # 5, jumping red wire to yellow with red stripe? I been really tied up the past couple of days and didn't get to get on the CAFE to see your progress with problem.

Do not jump the yellow and green wires...that would create a direct short.