Clutch Safety Switch/Kickstand Switch

[valk2001]

Ran into an intermittent problem with the 140K miles Valkyrie Interstate that caused a lot of unnecessary work today I thought I would share.  I had an issue with the kickstand switch (I thought).  The bike would not start occasionally with the kickstand up and with clutch engaged with the bike in gear.  Of course if would always happen in traffic and I would have to go to neutral to get it started.  It seemed to get worse and worse so I took the clutch switch off the bracket and it was working perfectly.  So I made an ass out of me and you (assumed) it was the kickstand switch.  Now I do not know if anyone else has tried to trouble shoot the kickstand switch on an Interstate but to get to the plug end of the switch, you have to remove the battery box and that is a real pain on an Interstate.  Once I was able to get to the plug, guess what it was working perfectly too.  OK, what was going??  Both switches good???  I actually put the clutch lever back on and guess what, when you pulled the clutch lever, it was not actuating the switch (no little click).  What actually was causing the problem?  The bushing in the clutch lever was worn completely out and oblong shaped.  The lever could not move far enough to actuate the switch.  In neutral, this switch does not matter to start the bike but in gear with the stand up and clutch lever pulled, it must work to start the bike (unless you find neutral).  Now I have to put the battery box back in place and put all the relays attached to it, radiator overflow tank, battery,  radio, etc back together.  ( a real PITA)

I have ordered a new lever and that will solve this problem.

[Michvalk]

You can replace just the pivot bushing in the lever. The're only a few bucks

[old2soon]

Mine was NOT acting up but I installed new Kury levers last year.  And oh-B T W-thanks for all the hard wurk and the heads up.  RIDE SAFE.

[Daniel Meyer]

Take a good look at the "other" bushing too...the one that the pin that actually pushes in the clutch rides in. They wear too and probably needs to be replaced...

[wiggydotcom]

Valk,

Glad you found the problem without too much wasted effort. Considering you were wanting to get to the kickstand switch plug, I'm guessing you have a multimeter? If so, next time sharpen your leads to a pretty sharp point and just prick through the insulation next time if it's a big hassle to get to a plug. If you have a sharp, small point, it won't hurt a thing. If you still feel uneasy about it, you can put some electrical tape over the small holes..

[Gryphon Rider]

You can replace just the pivot bushing in the lever. The're only a few bucks

The bushing that is pressed or cast into the lever cannot be replaced. The bushing that can be replaced is #2 below, which pushes on #1 and has nothing to do with the switch.

[Denny47]

If the bushing cannot be replaced, why is it listed as a separate part and a price of $7.82 with the handle being listed w/ a $12.00 price on the OEM site I checked? I changed to an adjustable lever sometime ago and if I remember right, the bushing almost falls out without being pressed.

Whoops, think I mis-read your post, I was thinking of #2 also. My Bad.

[Michvalk]

Bushing #2 is the replacable bushing for the lever. Some levers do not have a replaceable bushing, but are not usually used on the Valk as they are cheep replacements. The Valk lever bushings ARE replaceable

[Gryphon Rider]

Bushing #2 is the replacable bushing for the lever. Some levers do not have a replaceable bushing, but are not usually used on the Valk as they are cheep replacements. The Valk lever bushings ARE replaceable

Do you think that screw #16 goes through bushing #2? It doesn't.

[Bone]

Saved this from a earlier post ;

Clutch lever bushing

The Honda part Number 2285-MBO-006 is $10

The Suzuki part number 59892-08A00 is $3 and exactly the same part.

On my 98 Tourer the lever has some up/down movement on #16 screw something
has some wear.
 (#16 or the lever)

[valk2001]

I bought the bushing #2 and the lever #15 in the drawing.  Yes that brass bushing is for the clutch rod push.  That bushing was worn extremely also but the one giving me an issue with the switch was the one in the lever itself which I had to assume was not replaceable.  Finally got everything  back together this evening except for the lever and bushing.  As I said, taking the battery box out is a PITA and I should have done as someone mentioned and put a pin in the wires coming out of the kickstand switch or sharpened the multimeter probes down close to the switch itself and checked it there.

Thanks for all the comments.  This is a great board.