First- power but no start. Second try- No Electrics!! 83 GS1100E Help, please!

[Mark Walsh]

Decided to go for a mind clearing ride yesterday I fired up the bike (my 83 1100E- 30K) and all is well, fires up completely normal as it should..I let it do its normal warm up. Get on the bike and ride 15 miles to where I stop for coffee. Shut it off (using the key only) and the only thing different than normal is that as U was dismounting, I hit the 'off/run' switch to off for a moment and flicked it back to run. The switch does work, and use it on occasion as a funtionality test.

Drink my coffee and go to start the bike. Power on, lights up, pull clutch,push button and *click* *click*- no turnover. There is a electrical click, but nothing after that. Lights dim. I was easily able to bump start it with a slow walk, fired right up...easily.
I cancel my ride and head toward home to figure this out. I focus on battery first, give it a nice trickle to top it off and- same as before- a click, but no turnover.

I proceeded to rrmove the battery and jump from a known good battery. I hooked it up and turned the key. NOTHING.

No lights, no clicks, no anything.

I replaced with battery that was in the bike and got same results.

I have checked all fuses (blade type) and they are clean and sitting firm. Battery terminals are clean as a whistle and genuinely stumped....where should I begin checking for melted and or bad connective wiring? All the loom around the fuse block and battery appear to be clean and unsplit or damaged. What to do?

[Cipher]

check the starter ground maybe\?

[Mark Walsh]

Would this cause a no power situation? I turn the key to the run position- when the cluster usually lights up, I get nothing, no power whatsoever

[TxGSrider]

You might check the solenoid and its connections.

[posplayr]

You might check the solenoid and its connections.

Making sure there is a b/w ring lug from harness going to one of the solenoid mounting bolts.

that said , I?m not even sure on a stock setup how that connects the soldnoid to negative side of The battery.

you need. SPG.

[2BRacing]

I would suspect dirty/poor/loose contacts at the off/run switch, as that is the only thing that was "disturbed", and directly after that resulted in a no-go situation.

[Mark Walsh]

15306319383091748540143553727006.jpg

Upon further inspection, I have this horribly corroded connection, sits just behind the battery, against the inner fender. I have had sitting around a Honda R/R I bought from duaneage many years ago, but never installed it. Though, I have lost the instructions on how to wire it up.

I'm not sure that a failure in this connection would cut power to the bike altogether???

[tom203]

"I proceeded to rrmove the battery and jump from a known good battery. I hooked it up and turned the key. NOTHING."

was this "known good battery" connected to running vehicle? I'd first just replace the main blade fuse

[posplayr]

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?237763-Recommended-Products-for-Preparing-Electrical-Connenctions&highlight=corrosion

[Mark Walsh]

"I proceeded to rrmove the battery and jump from a known good battery. I hooked it up and turned the key. NOTHING."

was this "known good battery" connected to running vehicle? I'd first just replace the main blade fuse

Indeed, known good battery was the desperate approach, with included running vehicle, though main fuses are all clear

[posplayr]

Indeed, known good battery was the desperate approach, with included running vehicle, though main fuses are all clear

You don't want a running vehicle, and especially don't want to start and stop the car engine when you are connected to the motorcycle. Ugh, cross your fingers you did not blow anything.

[Mark Walsh]

As I said, I probably fried something. But also as noted, I have this refit/replacement kit for a new reg/rect, so would failure of the original suzuki part cause a zero power situation?

[posplayr]

As I said, I probably fried something. But also as noted, I have this refit/replacement kit for a new reg/rect, so would failure of the original suzuki part cause a zero power situation?

Do pray tell.

[posplayr]

Please read the links in my signature (all three)

[tom203]

Maybe the gods will have mercy on you and it's just the small wire from battery positive to fusebox that got fried.