Little help please

[Houdini]

Morning all, when I went to start my Valk to head to work this morning nothing happened.  When I hit the starter the lights go off but nothing else happens.  I remember reading an article once about the starter switch getting dirty or something down those lines.  Anyone have a link or knowledge about this issue?  I will put it on the charger when I get home to verify the battery is charged and eliminate that angle.  Yes, it was in neutral.  Yes, the emergency switch is in the on position.

My other question would be does anyone have a trailer I could borrow to haul my bike to Maxim?  I bought the bike from them and purchased the extended warranty so I can drop it off and pick it up when I get back next week if necessary.

TIA

Chuck

[Disco]

Chuck,

The starter button maintenance info can be found at http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/starter.html.  I did mine before IZ8 - piece of cake.  Need or want help?  I don't have an MC trailer, but I'm sure someone will chime in.

DFG

[DrewDanube]

Does the emergency switch get gummed up on Honda's?  A previous bike had issues with the contacts in the kill switch that was easily remedied with a long blast of electrical contact cleaner, move the switch a few times, a bit more cleaner, more moving, etc. WD-40 was even suggested as a short-term fix.
Easy to eliminate as an issue, certainly.
Again...this was on a v-max...so your results (and cause...) may differ...
Drew

[Flyboy]

Chuck,

Mine did the same thing yesterday. I took the switch appart and cleaned/repaired it and had it back up and running in about 15 minutes. Where are you located? I do have a trailer here at my shop at the McKinney Airport, I can help you get it to Maxim if needed.

[godfire]

Mine did the same thing at Lake Texoma last year.
It was the VRCC ride when the lake crested. Well, after catfish everyone went their separate ways.....except me.... Bike wouldn’t start for nothing…A guy and his son's helped me push start her and I was happy. Until I started getting closer to home and started realizing that I might not have enough gas to make it.

Made it home....just barely...at least it was an easy fix.

Maybe it's those flame engine hangers???
 

[Dodis]

Had the same symptoms last year at the Lone Star Rally. Turned on the key, got lights. Hit the starter, everything shut off.

Turns out I had a cell in my battery die when I hit the starter. Discovered that at the same time I found a new use for the high-tech helmet locking cable. I used it to short across the battery to test for power, nothing.

Mike "Dodis"

[Wanderer]

That last post brings to mind the fact you can easily go around the starter button to get her started - if the battery is good and the problem is the starter button. MAKE CERTAIN the bike is in neutral.  Take off the right side cover, turn on the key and use heavy wire or a screw driver to short across a couple of contacts. There are two close to each other that do the deed. It has been awhile since I have done it myself. Just go shopping or ask on the tech board. I am sure someone there will have a photo of the terminals - not little wires as I remember.

The first time I remember seeing a post about this method on the tech board, the guy was writing about how thankful he was his bike was in NEUTRAL when he got her to fire off because this method goes around all the engineered safe gaurds.

NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL! Did I say NEUTRAL? ~Jeff

[Disco]

Yes, and you also mentioned ming.  ???

[laserpat]

Jeff, you must have learned about keeping it in neutral the same way Subman and I did.

[Daniel Meyer]

Neutral? Real men don't need neutral!

urr...ignore that large hole in the front of the garage please...

[Houdini]

Well... I got 'er fixed.  It appears that GF was correct.  I checked all of the chrome flamed engine hanger thingies and one of the acorn nuts was loose on the right side.  While I was tightening the nut I did flick the kill switch a few times and then she started right up.  I guess the kill switch gets touchy when the chrome engine hangers are a little loose.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and offers.  I will probably ride her over to Maxim and let them warranty the work at my leisure. 

I get to commute through Dallas tomorrow.  Woo Hoo!!!

Chuck

Neutral, I don't need no stinkin' neutral

[Wanderer]

OK, I get it.  Not trying to P anybody off - just having a bit of typo fun.

Me either. Just enjoying the new software. You can even remove a post if you wish. Tongue way in cheek - the cheek close to my nose - on my face. ~Jeff

[Daniel Meyer]

You can edit only your own posts...for the first couple minutes or so and it will not even be tagged as "edited".

After a few minutes, you can still edit your own posts but it will be labled as "edited" and when at the bottom.

You can delete your own post if nobody has responded to it.

[BnB Tom]

Sometimes you need to delete your own posts BECAUSE  of somebody's response.