Am I dreaming?
Last time I rode my Kawa, I noticed I could not run the starter with it in gear and the clutch in.
I was thinking at one point I could do this, now I can't. If I previously could do this, I need to include this fix before my next ride.
I looked at the wiring diagram and did not see anything on this issue. I am most certain I could do this before.
Is there a clutch switch override for the gear selector wiring somewhere?

 

You should be able to start it while in gear with the clutch pulled. Is it possible you had the sidestand down? That would prevent it from starting. That or if your sidestand switch hasn't been bypassed and it isn't working properly.

 

I had the same problem on my KLR which I think has similar safety circuitry. The starter would engage only when in neutral. In that case, the clutch switch simply needed cleaning. Took it apart, sprayed it down with contact cleaner, back together and worked fine.

 

OK, where is the clutch switch, my bike is in the shop, so I can't go out and look. It is not on the 09 wiring diagram. If it is in the case, I want to fix it before I get it back together.

 

It's on the clutch lever. A small two wire connector plugs into it.
There's a little chart on the bottom of page 16-14 that shows how/when it flows current. It's called the "starter lockout switch".

 

How do you bypass it? Someone put an aftermarket clutch on my klx250sf and they left plug from the original clutch switch. Would love to be able to chop it off and clean it up/bypass it.

 

Easy to do. Either connect the two wires to each other or disconnect them. Forgot which but easy to experiment. The risk is that your starter will work clutch in or out, in gear or not.

 

Wires connected tells the interlock diode unit that the clutch lever is pulled in.