Any alternative ways to start a bike?

[SlimNickel]

.Org Family,

It's been a while since I've been on here, so I appologize for the delay. As some of you may know, I have a '00 Busa and have been having starting issues for months. Here's the skinny: I have been through 3 starters already, becuase of what was apparnetly a bad starter clutch....thanks to trouble-shooting help from GoldenChild. I'm now on my 4th starter with a long-shaft. Here is what I've done: upgraded to an '06 starter clutch w/72 miles on it, '03-'07 case cover and idler gears.

So the question now comes. I put everything back together yesterday, and tried to fire the bike up...nothing doing. The PO had the clutch by-passed, so that all you had to do was push the starter button to crank the bike in nuetral. The starter button is now inop. I tried reattaching the leads from the clutch lever, but they are corroded. I was able to get the bike to try and turn-over by holding the leads and pulling the clutch lever, but I think that battery is drained from just sitting for a couple of months. It would turn once or twice, but the the gauges reset and everything goes dim. I tried jumping the bike with my car, but still nothing. I didn't want to keep trying for fear of burning out the new starter. I've seen other posts that say to check the relay and cables under the seat. I don't have a multi-meter to do the voltage check on the battery. I'll be taking it to a shop to put the battery on a charger.

A buddy of mine told me that I could attach the + jumper cable lead directly to the starter and it should fire-up. Is that accurate of safe in any way? If it works, then my issue still won't be fixed, because I can't start it from the button. If charging the battery doesn't work, what should I be looking for on the relay? Should I try to change the cables from the relay switch to the battery?

Sorry about the novel, but I am so ready to start riding again. Thanks for any and all help.

-SlimNickel-

 

[Freechance]

I think u just have a bad connection with those brake wires..i also have a 2000 and the clutch was also bypassed..if there corroded i would cut the wires back and twist them for a good connection for now .. Then later when u find your problem fix those wires...
I bet your problem is the battery and those wires..
U can start the bike by bypassing the starter relay but i would not do it just to start the bike because u will not have the proper volts amps to run the bike, u have to remember just about everything on the bike runs off the battery ..
Do u have a test light?
I would get the battery in working order and use a test light..
Under that left side of the rear tail is the starter relay i believe..it has 2 wires big wires coming from it, i would test those one is hot all the time the other will be hot when u hit the starter button..if its not hot when u hit the button it might be the relay..there should be other wires going to that relay u need to test those if its not hot when u hit the button...
One of those smaller wires going to the relay should be hot when u hit the button also..if u cant find one of those smaller wires to be hot when u hit the button your problem is somewhere else than the relay..
If one of those small wires light up when u hit the button and the large wires also lights up when u hit the button your relay is good..

 

[SlimNickel]

Freechance,

Thanks for the reply. I was getting scared, because I saw all of the views and no response. I can find a test light and give that a try. I'll have the battery on a charger tonight hopefully, and give a go tomorrow. Could I use my car battery....not running of course just to do the light test if I connect the jumper cabler directly to the terminal leads on the bike? That should at least give me an indication that the relay is recieving power right?

 

[Freechance]

Ya that would work..i just never like doing that but i have before just to check stuff..
As your checking stuff those clutch wire one should be hot also..

 

[Freechance]

Just dont run the car as the cables are connected,it might over power the electrical system on the bike which leads to more problems..

 

[Freechance]

It sounds like u will be fine with a good battery and those 2 clutch wires fixed..

 

[SlimNickel]

I tested the relay with a test light. The positive wire from the battery to the relay lights up, when I hit the starter button, the other one barely lights up, but the bike won't turn over. I had a buddy on an '06 take his batery out and put it in my bike. It wouldn't turn-over. I connect the jumper cables to the car battery, and it fired right up. I let it run for a few and shut it down. I had my battery charged today, and the voltage read 12.97. When I tried with my battery, the relay clicks as the manual says it should, but as soon as I try to start it, it bogs down to like 6.8VDC. I noticed also that the starter sounds like it's not getting enough juice to turn the engine. I took the top case cover over and tried to start it. The starter spins under power. When I put it back together, it struggles again. Could it be that the long cable going from the relay to the top screw on the starter has gone bad? It sounds like it's not putting enough juice through it to turn the starter and the gears. I checked to the case and truned the gears by hand. They all move freely. That's even with the jumper cables hooked to the battery.

 

[GIXERHP]

Sounds like a bad battery! When you had the battery charged, did they load test it?

I tested the relay with a test light. The positive wire from the battery to the relay lights up, when I hit the starter button, the other one barely lights up, but the bike won't turn over. I had a buddy on an '06 take his batery out and put it in my bike. It wouldn't turn-over. I connect the jumper cables to the car battery, and it fired right up. I let it run for a few and shut it down. I had my battery charged today, and the voltage read 12.97. When I tried with my battery, the relay clicks as the manual says it should, but as soon as I try to start it, it bogs down to like 6.8VDC. I noticed also that the starter sounds like it's not getting enough juice to turn the engine. I took the top case cover over and tried to start it. The starter spins under power. When I put it back together, it struggles again. Could it be that the long cable going from the relay to the top screw on the starter has gone bad? It sounds like it's not putting enough juice through it to turn the starter and the gears. I checked to the case and truned the gears by hand. They all move freely. That's even with the jumper cables hooked to the battery.

 

[Freechance]

Well it sounds like that your not getting juice to the battery..
If u put your friends batt in there and it does the same thing ..it might be that relay or the stater is sucking all your juice..
Well make sure u have a good battery and this is not the best way to test stuff but hook a good battery up not that car battery and unhook that big wire on the relay going to the stater ..now touch it to the other big wire on that relay..only touch it long enough to try to see if it turns over..this will bypass that relay all together...if it sounds like it should i say its the relay..if not then u have a bad connect or not a good connection on that relay or starter is bad..

 

[sixpack577]

You can always run beside it, hop on, and pop the clutch.
Hey, it works.