Won't start sometimes?
 

I have a 2000 Zx-9R that I got about 2 months ago. I have 1 question and 1 problem:

Question:

Should the bike be able to start if it's in gear and I have the clutch in? Mine won't....it has to be in nuetral (and doesn't matter if the clutch is in or not). My 3 other friends with various other bikes can all start their bikes with them in gear and the clutch in (one of them has an 03 Kawi 600R so I don't know if that was new for 02 or 03 or if mine has something wrong with it). If it should start in gear with the clutch in, what could be the problem?

Problem (could be related to above question):

If my bike hasn't been ridden in a week or more it usually takes 2-3 attempts for it to roar to life. If it's been ridden lately it fires right up first time. Today when I went out to start up my bike (hasn't been ridden in about 6 days or so) it cranked, started and died before I could give it enough gas on the 2nd try. Then on the third try NOTHING. There was no ignition at all. I doubled checked it was still in nuetral, set to start.....tried several more times and pushing the ignition resulted in nothing, it didn't turn over at all. I tried several things (putting car in gear, back to nuetral, flipping the kill switch, turning the key on and off. The battery is strong as the lights look good, blinkers work, and the tack/speedometer "jump" when the key is turned on.

I went inside to get a voltometer and try to see if I could start diagnosing the problem. Took me about 5-10 minutes to find the voltometer and I went back out to the bike and tried to fire it up again.....it started right up the first try?????

I road the bike about 10 miles, went in the store for about 20 minutes and came back out to my bike and it wouldn't turn over at all again. So I put the kick stand back down, turned the key off, flipped the kill switch and waited for about 30 seconds. I put the bike back in nuetral, turned the key back on and it fired up the first time again.

I then road around making about 5 more stops at various stores....it fired right up perfect the first time. So just those first two times. I got home and started and stopped the bike several more times and it started perfect every time?? So now I'm really confused.

Suggestions on what might be my problem? It sounds electrical to me, as it either won't even turn over....or if it gets ignition it fires right up. Loose wire maybe?

Any help is much appreciated as I am VERY new to the motorcycle scene!

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

Hi,

I've got the same year bike as you do & have the same starting issue, but to answer the 1st question while starting in gear. Yes I can start mine in gear. I'm not sure if it was modified from previous owner?

About the starting, mine does the exact same thing. I've owned mine fro 1 1/2 years and it happens whenever if feels like it. The engine can be hot or cold, but it seems to happen more when it's hot?

It has also happened a few times after I've removed the spark plug "Stick Coils"?

I also notice "sometimes" when the bike is completely cold, the first time I press the start button (once), the starter hesitates for a few milliseconds before cranking. I took the starter apart and cleaned it all up thinking this was it. Exactly a week later it did it again.

I also had replaced the starter relay switch located under the passenger seat last year, but didn't change. And I just replaced the battery a few weeks ago but didn't chage the results. Checked the condition of the starter switch, but didn't actually test it. Everything looks super clean.

I just noticed if it don't start, if Iremove the ground from the battery and put it back on, it fires right up? Hopefully that's thetrick? Sure beat's push starting the bike. Last time I did that, it was quite painful, you know where.

I don't know if it has something to do with the starter, coils, or what? I sure would like to know.

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

I just went back out and tried to start the bike again. This time it made a noise. Hard to explain but like a little "rrrrrrr" sound. It was very quite, and the bike did not turn over. I tried again....same noise except it was shorter in length. Tried again....no sound/no turn over, tried again.....no sound/no turn over. Tried again.....fired right up like it's never had a problem????

Brought a buddy over who knows quite a bit about bikes and everything about cars. The stupid bike wouldn't do it for him....of course it fired right up all 20 times we tried.

Any thoughts.....I'm worried now to take my bike anywhere. I don't want to get stranded!

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

Looks like my problem might be a battery issue: Battery Info

About a week ago my battery went dead (didn't know the bike had a parking light)....so maybe that could be what started the problem?

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

Dead battery could always do weird things.

As for not starting in gear, even if you have the clutch in... Does it just not try to turn over? Do you have your kickstand up? Most bikes have a switch on the kickstand and the clutch so that you can't let the clutch out while you're in gear and drive off with the kickstand down... safety thing. If that sounds like your problem... Your clutch lever either needs adjustment, you're not pulling it all the way in, or the switch on the clutch lever is broken.

Good luck!

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

If I have the clutch in and don't have the bike nuetral then I get nothing...it doesn't turn over at all (I do have the kickstand up). I know I'm pulling the clutch all the way in....so I'm guessing it's the switch in the clutch lever. I ordered a shop manual for the bike but it won't be here for about a week.

Where is that switch located? Is it up by the clutch lever? Anybody got a pic of it? If not I can hold of till my shop manual gets here.

As for as the initial problem.....the bike's been running great.....but every time I go to start it I cringe, fearing that I'm going to be stuck and it won't start. It appears not to be the battery. I had it tested and it tested good, so I have no idea where to go from here?

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

seems like a battery related issue but it could be a slew of other things.

make sure to check your clutch switch

Kickstand switch

and igniter relay.

Hopefully you get it resolved

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

Just by chance...does it have a Vance & Hines Powerpak?
If so, take it out.
1. Kaw's are pretty well timed/camm'ed out at the factory, unlike Suzy's and Yammers. A Powerpak doesn't really accomplish much, other than to run your current through a box of resistors. Your better off with just a plain 'ol bolt-on ignition advancer.
2. The fewer electrical "soak" items in your electrical path, the better.
3. I speak from experience. I have a perfectly good PowerPak sitting in a box.

I'm admittedly not up to date on your model or other newer bikes with electronic wizardry. However, if you havePower Commander stuff, or other black box technology, you may want to take a good look at it and assess potential problems or your actual need for it. (Sorry, I'm an old fashioned carburetor guy...)
It sounds like some sort of relay or switch problem.Make sure all the connections are good everywhere. Sorry I couldn't help more.

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

you guys do realize this thread died off about 10 months ago, right? :) hehehe

RE: Won't start sometimes?
 

It's the strangest thing, I drove it for about 1 1/2 months without itdoing it once. I noticed that if I don't drive it for about 3 days, I need to put the battert on the charger for just a few minutes.

Now, my bike has has the front headlights bothon, shouldn't just (1) be on in the low beam mode. Also the rear tail lights integrated with the directionals or turn signals. Could this be the culprit? How do I un-do the headlight mod?

Thanks!
Kelly