Bike won't start no response no nothing need help!

[Guest]

New here, need help! I'm bad with electrical.

Got the bike last year and was working fine just needed carb tuning, bike has been sitting couple of months now maybe 3 or 4 months, so the other day I decided to work on the bike since I notice there's n oil leak at the bottom, degeased the engine so I can see clearly where the oil is leaking left it for a day, so yesterday I tried to start the bike but won't start, thinking maybe the engine is cold so I kept on starting it a couple of time(bike tried to heared it backfired) at one point when I turned the key no lights on the dash, checked the fuse found the main fuse was not seated properly, corrected it, all lights came on again(oil, stand, neutral and highbeam indicators) after a couple attempts suddenly the indicator for the highbeam disappeared and the bike won't start, no response, no feed back nada when I press the start button, thinking maybe because I didn't press the clutch that time, so I pulled the clutch samething, I checked all the fused none was popped, used a volt meter for continuity on the fuse box all was fine, take note I just charge the battery and its fairly new, tried to turn off and on the headlight nope will not turn on, tested the signal lights nope not working I'm stumped. HELP!

Image if my dash

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Welcome. You came to the right place.

First, Put your bike info in your signature. then we all know what bike we're talking about.

Then read the top ten newbie mistakes. (linked in my signature)

Then go to and bookmark BikeCliff's website. (also linked in my signature)

And we like pictures, one method is using Imgur to host them. (that method also linked in my signature)

I'd venture to guess that you have corrosion on many of your electrical connections, especially grounds. Deoxit is my favorite for cleaning corroded bullet connectors and ground lugs. Clean those up and see where that gets you. Chances are that when you start playing with wires, you may see some that are worn through to the copper and may be shorting out. Don't neglect all of the connectors inside the headlamp bucket and all around the battery box, fuse box. starter solenoid, Regulator/Rectifier (these are notoriously bad from the factory and you will replace yours before too long. They typically take the stator with them whey they go bad). (typical story linked in my signature)

Most (all?) GS's had a clutch lever start defeat switch that won't let you start the bike without pulling in the clutch lever. Many people defeat this safety switch. They have their reasons. I have my own for making sure it functions properly.

So Pretty much everything you need to get started is in my signature.

Don't know what to say about the oil leak. Did you find out where it's coming from?

 

[Guest]

Thanks Rich will try that

 

[Big T]

Don't forget to clean the ignition switch itself. All of your power goes thru those two little contacts

 

[Guest]

Welcome. You came to the right place.

First, Put your bike info in your signature. then we all know what bike we're talking about.

Then read the top ten newbie mistakes. (linked in my signature)

Then go to and bookmark BikeCliff's website. (also linked in my signature)

And we like pictures, one method is using Imgur to host them. (that method also linked in my signature)

I'd venture to guess that you have corrosion on many of your electrical connections, especially grounds. Deoxit is my favorite for cleaning corroded bullet connectors and ground lugs. Clean those up and see where that gets you. Chances are that when you start playing with wires, you may see some that are worn through to the copper and may be shorting out. Don't neglect all of the connectors inside the headlamp bucket and all around the battery box, fuse box. starter solenoid, Regulator/Rectifier (these are notoriously bad from the factory and you will replace yours before too long. They typically take the stator with them whey they go bad). (typical story linked in my signature)

Most (all?) GS's had a clutch lever start defeat switch that won't let you start the bike without pulling in the clutch lever. Many people defeat this safety switch. They have their reasons. I have my own for making sure it functions properly.

So Pretty much everything you need to get started is in my signature.

Don't know what to say about the oil leak. Did you find out where it's coming from?

Do they also have side stand kill switches? Mine will start without the clutch (at least in neutral), and it will run with the sidestand down (Ive forgotten it a couple of times).

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

It's my understanding that no GS ever left the factory with a side stand kill switch. and like Big T said, and I forgot (but there a lot of electric connections to clean) don't neglect the ignition switch itself, as well as the right thumb kill switch.

 

[Guest]

Thanks all for your advice will try that tomorrow just feeling under the weather today

 

[Redman]

New here, need help! I'm bad with electrical.

Got the bike last year and was working fine just needed carb tuning, bike has been sitting couple of months now maybe 3 or 4 months, so the other day I decided to work on the bike since I notice there's n oil leak at the bottom, degeased the engine so I can see clearly where the oil is leaking left it for a day, so yesterday I tried to start the bike but won't start, thinking maybe the engine is cold so I kept on starting it a couple of time(bike tried to heared it backfired) at one point when I turned the key no lights on the dash, checked the fuse found the main fuse was not seated properly, corrected it, all lights came on again(oil, stand, neutral and highbeam indicators) after a couple attempts suddenly the indicator for the highbeam disappeared and the bike won't start, no response, no feed back nada when I press the start button, thinking maybe because I didn't press the clutch that time, so I pulled the clutch samething, I checked all the fused none was popped, used a volt meter for continuity on the fuse box all was fine, take note I just charge the battery and its fairly new, tried to turn off and on the headlight nope will not turn on, tested the signal lights nope not working I'm stumped. HELP!

Image if my dash

Welcome to TheGSR.

No where in this post did you say what model & year you have.
The pic helps (I fixed the link).
(Would be good for you to put the model and year in signature line (settings, signature).

Some info related to what you are working with:

- sidestand swtich only lights the light on the dash. Not interlock to anything, just only lights the light (and yes, need to get in habit of looking at it, or you could be looking st some xrays (- - but that is an other long discussion).

- clutch switch only interlocks the starterbutton-soleniod circuit to cut out the starter solenoid. Will not cut out anything else.


Could try wiggling the ignition key switch some. Could try checking connections at the battery.

Good to hear you have a meter. As a place to start, Check to see if have any power at the fuse block.
THe bigger thick red wire is from the battery essentially.
THe smaller red wire is from the main fuse going to the ignition swtich.
THE orange wire is comming back from ignition swtich to ower the head & ignition & signal fuses.
(the wire colors I state are from my expereince with G models, but I think is the same as yours.)

 

[Guest]

Just check the starter button and the kill switch continuity is also good there cleaning other contacts now.it's a 1983 gs750es

 

[Guest]

Previous owner of this bike sure is a slob just notice some wires got replaced messing up color coordination, messy wiring, electrical tapes everywhere but at least got it cheap and I'm willing to work on it.

 

[Guest]

Just a question if one fuse doesn't work will the bike not start? I found a fuse inside the head lamp fuse is fine but the fuse box for it seems like not ok

 

[Guest]

Welcome to TheGSR.

No where in this post did you say what model & year you have.
The pic helps (I fixed the link).
(Would be good for you to put the model and year in signature line (settings, signature).

Some info related to what you are working with:

- sidestand swtich only lights the light on the dash. Not interlock to anything, just only lights the light (and yes, need to get in habit of looking at it, or you could be looking st some xrays (- - but that is an other long discussion).

- clutch switch only interlocks the starterbutton-soleniod circuit to cut out the starter solenoid. Will not cut out anything else.


Could try wiggling the ignition key switch some. Could try checking connections at the battery.

Good to hear you have a meter. As a place to start, Check to see if have any power at the fuse block.
THe bigger thick red wire is from the battery essentially.
THe smaller red wire is from the main fuse going to the ignition swtich.
THE orange wire is comming back from ignition swtich to ower the head & ignition & signal fuses.
(the wire colors I state are from my expereince with G models, but I think is the same as yours.)

Checked all the wires(I think) seems OK, checked ll the fuse non are busted, check the fuse box seems OK. I added another ground wire and it work momentarily when I tried it again issue is back won't start again. What you think guys?

 

[Guest]

Just an update bike is responsive now. My battery has 2 negative points nd 2 positive point I moved the negative wire to the other negative point of the battery now its trying to start but issue now is it won't stop trying to start and drained my battery. I'm thinking there's a grounded wire somewhere. Any thoughts on this?

Don't know why the pics I post won't show

 

[chris]

Hi, just my 2 cents worth. Sounds like you are having lots of problems with your wiring, one problem after another. My 83 gs1100 had shorts in the instrument panel, I would fix one and another would appear. I think your bike is a candidate for a complete rewire, especially if it was stored outside. You can spend days chasing problems and still have a unreliable electrical system or you can spend that time putting new stuff in. If it were my bike I would change everything, switches, fuse box, gauges ect. There are many reasonable priced gauges that take electronic inputs for tack and speedo that eliminate the hassle of cables. Just my thoughts.

 

[Guest]

Hi, just my 2 cents worth. Sounds like you are having lots of problems with your wiring, one problem after another. My 83 gs1100 had shorts in the instrument panel, I would fix one and another would appear. I think your bike is a candidate for a complete rewire, especially if it was stored outside. You can spend days chasing problems and still have a unreliable electrical system or you can spend that time putting new stuff in. If it were my bike I would change everything, switches, fuse box, gauges ect. There are many reasonable priced gauges that take electronic inputs for tack and speedo that eliminate the hassle of cables. Just my thoughts.

Yeah looks like that's exactly what I'm looking at, been checking and cleaning wired for days and still coming back to the same issue, I'm just gonna replace all the wires.

 

[Redman]

Just an update bike is responsive now. My battery has 2 negative points nd 2 positive point I moved the negative wire to the other negative point of the battery now its trying to start but issue now is it won't stop trying to start and drained my battery. I'm thinking there's a grounded wire somewhere. Any thoughts on this?

Don't know why the pics I post won't show

Expalin more about "wont stop trying to start".
THe starter motor keeps turning engine even after you let off the starter button?
Or the engine starts but sounds like starter is still turning?



In imgur, click on image in your albumn, then click on the "BB Code" (bulletin board, I quess) button, and then in the posting, do a right click and select 'paste", it will paste what looks like this
[ i m g ] h t t p s : //i .imgur.com/ds59o0x.jpg [ / i m g ]
(I added spaces so you can see the BB Code without it displaying the picture.)

 

[Guest]

Expalin more about "wont stop trying to start".
THe starter motor keeps turning engine even after you let off the starter button?
Or the engine starts but sounds like starter is still turning?



In imgur, click on image in your albumn, then click on the "BB Code" (bulletin board, I quess) button, and then in the posting, do a right click and select 'paste", it will paste what looks like this
[ i m g ] h t t p s : //i .imgur.com/ds59o0x.jpg [ / i m g ]
(I added spaces so you can see the BB Code without it displaying the picture.)

Yeah the starter motor keeps turning the engine even after I let go off the start button but, OK now

 

[Guest]

Thank you all, she's fixed now, had a hard time finding the issue, found 2 exposed wire, looks like it was changed and badly made, re-taped it with electrical tape and covered with heat shrink tube and she runs again. Guess next step is re wiring the whole bike to prevent this in the future.