Starter dead: Not kill/clutch/neutral or starter relay!

[kawaiiko87]

Bit of a long shot, and I'm fully aware that since joining I've pretty much only posted asking for help!

Bought my L2 back in 2012 having just passed an MOT, not been out on it anywhere near as much as I should.

Looked into the history of the bike - previously Tom Ward (BSB rider) owned it and I found some gut-wrenching photos of it sliding along at angles a bike should just not be at.

After a few difficult starts and discovering it had been rewired for road use using house-wiring, I gave a garage (spotting a confused blonde and rubbing their hands together ) a hefty sum of money that had been reserved for a major service and correcting a horrendous paint job, but when it came out the bike started fine.

Three weeks later, I now get nothing on the button. Checked all usual suspects. Kill switch, neutral switch, clutch switch, sidestand switch, starter relay (works when bridged).

Can't think of any logical reason why I can only bump start the bike. Booked in for its fourth attempt at an MOT but obviously can't take a non-runner.

Scoured the posts on here but couldn't find anything beyond the stuff I've already tried. Don't suppose there's anyone with any ideas at all? The bike's turned into a total money pit and all I want to do is be able to ride it!!!

[RedexRobB]

Have you checked the main fuse? Lights on the dash working?
Cleaned up the starter button contacts? If you short the starter motor contacts if should fire so would suspect the starter relay.

Lots more to try...

[kawaiiko87]

All checked, it does start when you short the motor, replaced the starter relay for a brand new one - still nothing (but still starts when you short the relay) - this is why I can't understand what's going on.....!

[banner001]

you will have a break in one of the other wires that goes from the starter relay to the starter button - you will need a multimeter that can measure resistance to check for a break, but you can test a few things yourself:

ill use conventional "current flows from +ve terminal notation": when you turn the ignition on current flows from the battery, through the 30A fuse and out of the white wire attached to the starter relay. this current flows into the ignition barrel and out a brown wire that powers a few dash lights, and your ignition circuit. Please check that when you turn your ignition to ON and your bike is in neutral, that the neutral light comes on - this indicates that the white wire from starter relay to ignition barrel is ok, and that your brown wire is possibly ok.

this current flows from the ignition barrel through the kill switch and into the starter switch, it then flows through the black/red wire into your CDi, your CDi checks the clutch switch and starter switches to see if they are registering an input or not, if it detects that it is bad for you to start your bike (i.e. in gear with clutch left out, or sidestand down) the CDi will not send a pulse to the starter relay. Ensure that you are in neutral, pull in the clutch (or bypass it temporarily) and ensure that the sidestand is up (or bypass it temporarily) - Note, there is always the possibility that one of these switches is faulty and your bike thinks you are doing something dangerous...you can only test these with a multimeter.

if your bike is "safe" to start the CDi sends current down the yellow/red wire into the starter relay, this goes through a coil that grounds through the black/yellow wire. in doing so the coil pulls on a bit of metal that makes a contact inside the relay and sends battery power to the starter motor.

as your bike has potentially been cut and re-made your loom might be slightly different to this, but you can start by testing the neutral light. if you can get hold of a multimeter you can test for continuity across most of the wires i have listed here...or take it to a garage...even then, its better if you can tell them what you have ruled out.

personally im going for a dead safety switch...the clutch ones especially are prone to dying - mine did it whilst i was riding, i had to slip the clutch for 5 miles to get home.

when was the battery last changed, and is it charged/holding a charge?

[kawaiiko87]

To be honest, I don't know about the battery being changed, but it seems to hold charge fine and was in 'good' condition on the boyfriends battery optimiser. I've got it booked in in three weeks time but anything I can eliminate (or fix) before then will be a huge help giving the money I've thrown at it, and little I have left!

I'm going to try and pick up a multimeter this week and go through your suggestions, it's a huge help and far more info than I've found elsewhere, can't thank you enough.

Today I just need to try and get it loaded onto a van as I'm moving, which should be great fun in its current state....!

[CaNsA]

The battery can pretend to hold a good charge, but it can be total bollocked.

My last battery would be awesome for 2hrs after i took it of the charger, but after that it was just a paper weight.
Swap it out for a brand new battery.

[banner001]

FYI i just bought a motobatt AGM battery, slightly uprated from the original...is working good so far.