starting help needed

[G Wiz]

I could really use some help with my bike. I can only get the bike to start when I touch the yellow wire with the green tracer on the solenoid to the big positive post on the solenoid. I have alrerady tried a new solenoid and the same thing. This is how the bike came to me. The previous owner rigged a switch to start the bike. he claimed the starter switch was bad. The switch he rigged stopped working shortly before I picked the bike up. I cleaned the contacts in the right hand control. The starter button was pretty oxydised. He tapped in to the wiring harness to install the switch. I put the wires back to their respective spots. I believe he used the yellow wire with the green tracer from the solenoid and cut in to the red wire in that part of the harness to rig his switch. I have checked and rechecked the connections of all the wires involved including the wires under the tank from the switch to the harness. and fuses as well

[GS-ESW]

"The old jump the starter relay trick...."

Hello, fellow GSer, I too had my 1980 GS-1100-E do this to me after I bought it. There was much frustration, when I would hit the start button and nothing would happen. I found a little piece of insulated wire about four inches long, bared the copper wire at each end and bent it into a "U" shape. The "U" is open to the distance from pole to pole, of the starter relay. Just turn your key to on, HAVE THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL, and touch the wire to the two poles. Jump start any GS.
I found the reason for the failed start button, to be the clutch lever copper-brush-sliding-Start-safety device. I traced it's two wires into the headlight housing, and soldered them together there. I bypassed and removed these un-needed wires to my clutch lever. I've been riding GS's for over thirty years, and I always park the bike in NEUTRAL. I guess the device exists for those riders who try to start their bikes in gear. It may not have been the sliding brush-thing, I think it was in the wire somewhere. I highly recommend soldering and heat-shrinking most of the hideous bullet-type electrical connections, this solves tons of issues..., but always carry that sturdy little"U"-shaped wire on you just in case. Good luck. GS-ESW

[centeno711]

couple ideas

i have been rewiring my gs so i can realte to what your going through

if you have the manual you can see the switches are the key, run off/on, clutch switch,start button, and start selenoind.

to test the selenoid merely place the backing plate of the selenoind on the neutral battery terminal and touch the green yellow to the hot side. if it clicks its good nearly 100% of the time.

then test continuity from fuse to run switch, test switch, test start button test from start buttton to yellow green wire in headlight, test clutch kill switch by bypassing it, merely pull the green yellow wires going to the left hand control and connect the other halves together. this completes the circuit so in effect you have removed the clutch switch from the circuit. my problem was an oxidized start button which i fixed with some sand paper and a bad clutch switch which i bypassed till i can take time to play with it.

good luck and dont forget to check the fuse....you never know

also get yourself an electrical tester that beeps for continuity. my fluke was on the fritz and its suprising the difference that stupid beep makes whenyour using your left foot to hold the probe, your right hand to hold the other probe and your left to hold the clutch in and also trying to see if you have ohms of resistance

[G Wiz]

You were right !!!

Hello, fellow GSer, I too had my 1980 GS-1100-E do this to me after I bought it. There was much frustration, when I would hit the start button and nothing would happen. I found a little piece of insulated wire about four inches long, bared the copper wire at each end and bent it into a "U" shape. The "U" is open to the distance from pole to pole, of the starter relay. Just turn your key to on, HAVE THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL, and touch the wire to the two poles. Jump start any GS.
I found the reason for the failed start button, to be the clutch lever copper-brush-sliding-Start-safety device. I traced it's two wires into the headlight housing, and soldered them together there. I bypassed and removed these un-needed wires to my clutch lever. I've been riding GS's for over thirty years, and I always park the bike in NEUTRAL. I guess the device exists for those riders who try to start their bikes in gear. It may not have been the sliding brush-thing, I think it was in the wire somewhere. I highly recommend soldering and heat-shrinking most of the hideous bullet-type electrical connections, this solves tons of issues..., but always carry that sturdy little"U"-shaped wire on you just in case. Good luck. GS-ESW

You were right. It was the clutch switch. I followed the wires to the headlight. And I was able to unplug the switch and plug the ends from the harness together. Thanks for all the replies everybody. I believe the problem was a combonation of a oxidized starter button and the clutch switch. I'm so glad this is over. On to the fuel Gage and valve cover gasket.