Attention All KLR650 Experts!

[h2000fb]

I have a 2008 KLR650 with a starting problem.

When the "starter button" works, it works now. However, on infrequent occasions when the starter button is pushed, nothing happens.

My first impression is the starter button/switch is going bad. On the occasions when it does not start, you just keep playing around and about the time you are ready to give-up, it starts and keeps starting. So, it is making it very difficult to fix "when it ain't broke." I might add, it is an electrical issue failing to energize the starter. No click - no nothing. Just silence. Dead. All electrics on bike light-up and does not dim when you hit starter button. Something is just not contacting it seems.

Before I start just doing things, my thought are the starter switch on in the handlebar controls, ground from the battery, or ?????

Open to your ideas, suggestions, etcetera.

[Valker]

Sounds exactly like what my Valkyrie has done. If you take the right hand switch apart (careful, there are little springs etc. in there), you will notice separate contacts. These are so the headlight goes out when starting. Most of the time, this issue is due to the 'prongs' on top of the actual sliding part becoming pressed too close to the plastic. A slight (really small) prying up of these 'prongs' will allow full contact. Here is a write up for the Valkyrie, it will explain it way better than I did. http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/starter.html

[DFW_Warrior]

First things first, I would check the clutch safety. I know, I know... what does the clutch safety have to do with anything, but trust me it does. Also while you are getting rid of safeties, do away with the kickstand safety.

Now I did have a starter problem on my old Shadow and I did exactly what Valker is describing and it worked like a charm. Plus while you are in there, a little dielectric grease on those contacts keeps them working good for a long time to come. But strange as it sounds, I would start at the clutch side first.

[humanrace]

The KLR does not work like the Valkyrie. that being said, it could still be contacts in the start button. The starter button on the KLR connects a brown (hot) wire to a yellow/red wire that goes to the starter circuit relay, not to be confused with the starter relay. If certain conditions are met then the starter circuit relay tells the starter relay to energize and send 12V to the starter. On the KLR, those conditions include a neutral switch and a side stand switch. I don't remember if it has a clutch switch. The first thing I would check is the side stand switch since it lives in a dirty environment. Next would be the starter circuit relay followed by the starter relay. The starter relay is easy to check. Use a FUSED jumper wire run from the + side of the battery to the small black wire on the starter relay. If nothing happens the the starter relay is bad.

EDITFW was posting as I was typing. Clutch safety, side stand safety, neutral switch, starter button, starter control relay, starter relay. All could cause your problem.

[John Dirt]

There is a huge thread/s on klr650.net forums regarding electrical problems, I had the exact same problem on my 2008 KLR650, it was the starter relay.

[John Dirt]

I didn't read the post humanrace made until after I posted mine, he is dead on, you still have to buy us both beers if it helps you.

[h2000fb]

Originally Posted by DFW_Warrior

First things first, I would check the clutch safety. I know, I know... what does the clutch safety have to do with anything, but trust me it does. Also while you are getting rid of safeties, do away with the kickstand safety.

Now I did have a starter problem on my old Shadow and I did exactly what Valker is describing and it worked like a charm. Plus while you are in there, a little dielectric grease on those contacts keeps them working good for a long time to come. But strange as it sounds, I would start at the clutch side first.

Was not aware there was a clutch safety. I will look to see if I can find it.
Also, will take the starter switch assembly apart.

The big problem is it rarely acts up and only for a short time. It is hard to trouble shoot any system when it works.
I will look at the KLR forum too. Thanks.

[humanrace]

Originally Posted by h2000fb

Was not aware there was a clutch safety. I will look to see if I can find it. Also, will take the starter switch assembly apart.

The big problem is it rarely acts up and only for a short time. It is hard to trouble shoot any system when it works.
I will look at the KLR forum too. Thanks.

Not all bikes have clutch safety switches and a common mod is to remove them to eliminate a potential source for your problem. It will be easy to see. It will have 2 wires going to it and it will be close to the pivot point of the clutch lever.

[Drumboy]

I would bypass clutch/kickstand safety crap and then replace the button if it doesnt fix it. My dad had a similar issue and I though it was the kickstand switch but it was the starter button.

[TexasStubs]

I have had this happen on a few bikes that were left outside and in garages. I learned that Texas humidity can get into the switches. Try taking them apart and cleaning contact points with sandpaper or steel wool. It sounds like bad contacts to me.

Good luck.

Kyle

[focus frenzy]

kawasaki uses the most complex system I have seen.

on the zrx you can start it without touching the clutch if the side stand is down and its in neutral. it bypasses the clutch switch, put it in gear and you then have to pull in the clutch to start, but if the side stand is down the clutch switch switches to a ignition kill switch.

side stand switch problems are common to the KLR.

[BexarWolf]

Originally Posted by Drumboy

I would bypass clutch/kickstand safety crap............

Not me.

From the ROT Rally stories:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...gs_the_blotter

The second fatal crash occurred around 12:30 a.m. Saturday in the 900 block of West Koenig Lane. Police say a Honda motorcycle driven by 43-year-old Timothy Joe Lamme crashed because the bike’s kickstand was down as it entered a turn. Lamme suffered serious injuries and later died at University Medical Center Brackenridge, police said.

Now, there will be those who never forget to put their kickstand up, those who meticulously maintain every spring on their bike.....but there could be that one person that's riding along and doesn't realize the kickstand spring has broken and the kickstand is now dangling. I don't wanna be that person.

[ed29]

Clutch safety is my first guess too. If there is free play in the lever it can rest just off of full release extension. The switch only lets the starter engage with the lever all the way in, or all the way out. Anywhere in between it cuts power to the starter relay. Guess how far in the desert I discovered this gem! It can get out of adjustment and begin to fail at either end of the lever travel too.

[h2000fb]

Here is what I did and my reasoning:

- Left the Kickstand safety switch alone because in Neutral, the kickstand switch, working or not, will not keep the bike from "starting."
- Left the clutch switch alone because working or not, it would not stop the bike from starting in neutral. (I don't think)

The kill switch. If it does not make good contact, the starter will not even click.
The starter switch. If it will not make contact or is dirty, nothing will happen.

Took the kill and starter switch housing apart. The starter contacts were greenish and slight dirty. I shorted wires together, but still not energizing starter. Still, I cleaned and buffed contacts because they needed it.

Next, took the two wires off the kill switch - no completed circuit, starter not energized. Tied kill switch wires together - starter energized!

Hopefully it was not coincidence. However, will leave the kill switch disabled by soldering these wires together. We will see!

[Curtis]

Yep, I've had issues with my 06 KLR kill switch before. Don't even use the darn thing. I use the key to turn it off all the time. It's the first thing I play with when the old girl doesn't want to crank over.

But I've also had issues with the kickstand switch. Disabled that one. I kept the clutch switch so I don't have any issues with it starting in gear. I never forget to raise the kickstand. Force of habit!

Also since I'm typing this all out, be aware that the neutral switch sometimes fails to operate and nothing will work if the starter doesn't get the all clear from the neutral switch. So look for the lit neutral light if the starter won't engage first. YOu can always pull in the clutch lever if no N light.

I've never had a starter relay lay down on me, but that can also be an issue.