K5S won't crank!

I rode home from town late last night, stopped at the local corner shop for supplies, then when I got back on my bike the starter button would not turn the bike over.



Key info:
- I just did a fairly significant new-ownership service a week ago. Plugs, 5w40 oil, filter, air filter, chain re-tension. Did notice that front spark lead was hard to get into the plug, but I'm fairly sure a good connection was made, especially as the bike has been used daily since with no misfires.

- I dropped the bike on the left side moving at 1mph. Riding over a kerb and through a fire exit pedestrian door, then down the kerb the other side at an angle... after a 15 hour work day! Annoyed with myself but hey. So yes - a slow speed clutch side drop. Bike started fine after the drop.

- Bike is used daily for 2 or 3 half-hour / 4-5mile rides per day. It has been absolutely fine before service and drop and since -- except that it has a tendency to cut out occasionally when cold idling in neutral.

- I store a chain and padlock under the passenger seat.

- I rode home quite spiritedly and over several speed bumps. I wonder if it is possible that drop + speed bumps has shaken something loose?



My first thoughts are to check the clutch sensor and kickstand sensor, which I'm about to go and do now. I will also check the battery connections and tip over sensor. My multimeter is dead so if I can get batteries for it today, I'll check

[aesmith]

When you switch on, does the fuel pump arm and prime? If so then it looks like something specific to the starter, which I think rules out the side stand switch and the kill switch. Not sure about the tip over sensor. Did you try bump starting?

Yeah the fuel pump primes. Battery seems very healthy. Headlights are bright and don't dim when I push the starter button.

Have not tried bump starting yet. It's greasy out ATM and I don't want to drop the ****er!

Forgot to check the tip over sensor in the end this morning -_- will check when I multimeter the battery.

[aesmith]

Any "click" from the starter solenoid?

Yes I am fairly sure the solenoid clicks.

[ophic]

I had an issue where my starter motor just died on me. Seems similar circumstances - everything seems to be working just fine but it just doesn't crank.

Easy & cheap replacement though.

[SV650rules]

try this thread,

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=224894

fact that lights don't dim when trying to start means that starter is not drawing current, may have dislodged the starter relay under saddle

try this thread as well for starter problems

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=224992&page=4

Well, today was diagnosis day.

Prepped to take the starter motor out, it seemed the suspect, so off with seat and fairings. Multimetered battery, very healthy. Double checked starter relay was clicking, definitely was, so began looking at the low current circuit one more time. Killswitch healthy. Sidestand switch looks healthy. Ignition barrel healthy. Clutch switch... bypassed and the bike fired into life. Tested multiple times. Golden.

For now I've leccy taped the **** out of it and fixed it to the handle bar. I'll get a new one in asap. Presume it makes no difference to the running off the bike in the mean time, though.

Thank you all for your help!! Glad I didn't have to disassemble starter.

[aesmith]

The clutch switch is also an input to the ECU, I don't know how important that is short term.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[ophic]

Originally Posted by aesmith

The clutch switch is also an input to the ECU, I don't know how important that is short term.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

from distant memory of TRE mod, the clutch switch selects neutral map, which does little more than raise tickover about 100 or 200 rpm. On a K3 anyway.