Starting

[bix49]

I have a '83 GS1100e that has an electrical problem. I suspect the solution is obvious but unfortunately I am an electrical dummy so here is the problem. The starter button is not working. I can start the bike by touching the small red wire on the starter solenoid with a screwdriver while the started button is pushed. but yesterday after doing this procedure a couple times the starter button started working without involving the small wire on the solenoid, but only once or twice. I'm confused because the starter button working even occasionally indicates, I think,the switch is good. I opened it up and cleaned the contacts and everything in there looked fine. I didn't think the problem was with the starter solenoid but I switched it out anyway. No difference. I don't know what's whats going on but I'm hoping
someone on the forum does.
Thanks
bix49

[pdqford]

The starter button is not working. I can start the bike by touching the small red wire on the starter solenoid with a screwdriver while the started button is pushed.
bix49

I’m trying to visualize what you wrote:

Is the screwdriver touching anything else besides the small red wire on the starter solenoid?

[Rijko]

I'm confused because the starter button working even occasionally indicates, I think,the switch is good. I opened it up and cleaned the contacts and everything in there looked fine.

The switch may be fine but dirty, maybe cleaning was not good enough or there's a wiring issue.
If you unhook the signal wire on the relay and connect a voltmeter, testlight or beeper to the harness relay connector you
should be able to get a consistent result when pressing the starter button.
I would start there, solve 1 thing at a time.

May want to unhook power to the coils while testing, if exposed to 12V for a long time they get real hot and may blow.

[rphillips]

Anytime we hear starter button not working, we automatically think clutch switch. Suzukis have been known for that forever. On my "99" Bandit I sometimes need to wiggle the clutch lever while holding it in to get the start button to work.... Wondering how you push start button, hold clutch lever in, and put screwdriver to red wire on solenoid... Like he said, a little more info. please.

[Rijko]

Good call on the clutch lever switch.
You could unhook that and bridge the connectors during testing.

[tom203]

The starter solenoid needs a good ground connection to click “on” ….yours might have lost it. When you fiddled with red wire you might have pushed on solenoid body and got enough ground contact

[bix49]

Yesterday I wrote another post describing the problem I was having in an attempt to make the problem a little clearer, but for some reason it didn't post. It isn't necessary now though. Tom 203 hit the nail squarely on the head. It wasn't just touching the signal wire on the solenoid that allowed the bike to start. It was when I touched the wire, the plate it is mounted on moved about a quarter of inch and must have made contact with something that made a good ground and the allowed bike to start. I haven't identified what it made contact with yet, but tomorrow I will. Consider the problem solved Thank you Tom 203 and to everyone who made suggestions/
bix49