So yesterday I'm out rockin' the unusually good weather we're having here in the northeast U.S. for mid November.

I'm cruising down the dirt road and I see a guy flag me down and say "there's people coming that way" To ensure I heard him correctly, I turned around, caught up to him, and shut my engine down. I honestly don't remember how I shut the engine down. I may have used the key, I may have just let it stall, I'm not sure.

Anyway, I went to start it and it wouldn't start. I figured "OH, neutral, ..duh". I put it in neutral and it still wouldn't respond. Wouldn't respond as in, dead. No neutral light, turn signals, ......nothing. A dead bike. I messed around for 5 minutes trying to get it going, but nothing!

I thought, "I guess I'm really effed now" I pushed it to the nearest hill, then up that hill. After near dieing from overexertion, I spun the bike around and gave it a heave and jumped on it. Said a quick prayer, and pulled the clutch back and popped it in second, let out the clutch and shoved my *** down on the seat and prayed yet again.

Fired right up......thank God.



Not being a total dumbass, I didn't turn the bike off to see if it would start. Being I was about 5 miles back in the middle of nowhere and probably 10 miles from home.. I just wanted to get back there. So I took the good fortune and rode home. Turned the bike off and back on in the garage and it was fine.


Any clues?


Early, I went up over a dirt hill and had a piece for sandstone jammed in the sensor for the kickstand. But from the experiences of folks here, after about 3 failed attempts to pull out, I realized the problem and checked. Yep, something holding the button up.

I did check this and it seemed to be working fine. Besides, even if it was stuck, the bike still responds, you just can't pull out.......right?

 

If the bike was totally dead and yet you could bump start it, gotta be related to the battery or ignition switch.

If it was a safety interlock I believe it would still light up the neutral light and indicators. It just wouldn't start.

But that is odd.

Was the headlight on?

 

look for a bad connection on your battery

 

I agree with BMX =====sounds like loose battery connections at the battery. Or if its a east coast bike, then corrosion at the battery connections. Either way it should be any easy fix if its a connection issue.

 

+1 on battery connection. used hot to boiling water to remover corrosion

 

maybe you left the key on and your battery was a little weak and the headlight killed it? how long was it off?

 

I would still bypass the Kickstand switch, that thing finally after 3 and a half years gave me some grief down in Central Oregon. I bypassed as soon as I got home. One less thing to worry about.

 

I also still really want to do the Kick start mod. Now that I'm done with both car payments I can now focus on the really important things. LOL

 

Alright, sorry...haven't been online in a bit, been busy. (picked up a new .45 ACP)


Anyway, I turned off the key for literally a few seconds, and it was working tip top before that. And no, the headlight was not on either. The bike was totally dead.

I have to wash it, then I'll rip into it and see if the battery was a problem. Its due for some maintainence anyway.

 

i had similar thing happen.
had it turned off for 10mins, when to start and nothing, no light.
my problem was the rectifier had a short in it. perhaps putting and multimeter on the bike with out the battery and testing for a short.