omg...my worst nightmare came true...please help!

[redtires]

First of all:
'82 GS850L

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell..........ok, my bike looks great now. Did all the gaskets, cleaned...painted the tank and covers. Super....but...after I put everything back together and turned the key...I was happy to find that all the lights popped on. I pull the clutch and hit the start button...nothing...not a click...not a damn thing. So make sure the clutch is adjusted...yup...still nothing. Now..I'm thinking that there is a little electrical switch or something on the bottom of both the clutch and brake levers. Oh yeah, also the brake light is nil when the front brake is applied. (It does work, I tested it with the rear). When I did the disassembly, I seem to remember that there was a little plastic piece inside, when I took it back apart..it wasn't there, so I must have lost them along the way. Anyone know a remedy? I would imagine that the starter/button is on some kind of circuit that is competed when the lever is pulled..yes? Eegads...I can't think of any other info to drop know.

[Steve]

Yep, there should be a plastic "thingy" in the brake switch with two copper strips on it that activate the brake light when the lever is moved. If you are missing that, you will need a new switch. I don't know if the "thingy" is available separately, so you might have to get the whole switch.

Your second problem might be able to fix your first one. 8-[
There is also a switch on the clutch, and it is wired so that the clutch has to be pulled to engage the starter. (It is a feature invented by the Safety Police to protect us from ourselves.) Since your bike is not starting, it is possible that the wires are not connected. If you want to restore "original" operation, follow the wires from the clutch switch to inside the headlight shell, find the wires in there that they are supposed to mate with. Connect them, squeeze the clutch and you should be good to go.

Now for the fun part.
If you can trust yourself to always check to make sure it's in Neutral or pull the clutch before pressing the starter button, take the wires in the headlight shell that go to the clutch switch and disconnect them from the switch. Connect them to each other, bypassing the switch. Now you can take the clutch switch apart, use the "thingy" from inside it to fix your brake switch. \\/ I have done this to my wife's '82 850L and she has not had a problem starting it for two years, now.


.

[Cyg]

If memory servers right there is a little plastic copper pin that when you push in ur clutch handle it closes the circuit allowing the juice to flow to the solonoid. So a quick fix can be to short out the wire and tie them together. try that for now. first before you do a hard solder test it. like scratch them together. Thats all I can think of atm.

[redtires]

Yep, there should be a plastic "thingy" in the brake switch with two copper strips on it that activate the brake light when the lever is moved. If you are missing that, you will need a new switch. I don't know if the "thingy" is available separately, so you might have to get the whole switch.

Your second problem might be able to fix your first one. 8-[
There is also a switch on the clutch, and it is wired so that the clutch has to be pulled to engage the starter. (It is a feature invented by the Safety Police to protect us from ourselves.) Since your bike is not starting, it is possible that the wires are not connected. If you want to restore "original" operation, follow the wires from the clutch switch to inside the headlight shell, find the wires in there that they are supposed to mate with. Connect them, squeeze the clutch and you should be good to go.

Now for the fun part.
If you can trust yourself to always check to make sure it's in Neutral or pull the clutch before pressing the starter button, take the wires in the headlight shell that go to the clutch switch and disconnect them from the switch. Connect them to each other, bypassing the switch. Now you can take the clutch switch apart, use the "thingy" from inside it to fix your brake switch. \\/ I have done this to my wife's '82 850L and she has not had a problem starting it for two years, now.


.

Interesting...I may just try this approach. Although, bikebandit does show the copper/plastic "thingy" for both sides, for something like two and half bucks each. But, I do feel that if I can bypass that switch, I would. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

[SqDancerLynn1]

By pass the clutch switch, replace the brake switch with a Hydrolic switch then it will always work & you can forget about it.
FYI IF any of you have a late model computer controled bike DON'T bypass the clutch switch. It will think it is in netural & retard the timing

[bcrowther]

Something to look at. If your starter solenoid is not properly grounded then you will not be able to start your bike. If bypassing the clutch will not help you look for the ground attached to the solenoids make sure it is attached to the bike frame. Then try it. If nothing follow the green wire from off of the solenoid and make sure it is connected to the wiring harness to the clutch and kill switch completing the circuit.

[bwringer]

Third item down on this page from CRC2:

http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/brake_light_switches.htm

The advice above is also workable. I bypassed my flaky clutch switch years ago simply by connecting the two wires.

My brake light switch is also working fine, although it was finicky to get right. I had to use a file to extend the slots in the switch body slightly to get it in the correct position.

These are some very nice hydraulic brake switches from Spiegler:

http://spieglerusa.com/cfm/BrakeAcc.cfm

Choose "Switches" from the menu. Suzukis use the 10mmX1mm thread.

[tkent02]

So when did you have the nightmare???
You didn't mention it in your story, only that the bike had broken a little bit.

[redtires]

So when did you have the nightmare???
You didn't mention it in your story, only that the bike had broken a little bit.

OK, ok...so maaaaaaaaybe I went a little over the top, but hey...I got lot's of really great responses, didn't I...huh, huh? lol. Although...it was a huge bummer as I only get to work on my bike a couple of days a week...I'm generally too wiped out when I get home from work. Oh, by the way...what are these hydrolic switches Dancer? I'm not familiar with these...do you have a source I can get some info from? Thanks! :-D

[GS850_Coug]

OK, ok...so maaaaaaaaybe I went a little over the top, but hey...I got lot's of really great responses, didn't I...huh, huh? lol. Although...it was a huge bummer as I only get to work on my bike a couple of days a week...I'm generally too wiped out when I get home from work. Oh, by the way...what are these hydrolic switches Dancer? I'm not familiar with these...do you have a source I can get some info from? Thanks! :-D

bwringer gave a good source and link just a few posts up;-)