Neutral light and restarting

[suds]

Hi everybody!

 

I've been having an issue since last season with the bike not always seeing that I'm in neutral after long rides and therefore I'm having trouble starting the bike after a gas stop.

 

Here's what I'm seeing:

 

1) the neutral flickers and sometimes when I jiggle the clutch lever it'll come on strong in which case I'm good.

 

2) the neutral light doesn't come on and no amount of fiddling seems to bring it back on so I'm left to sit for a bit and try it again after that and it usually comes back on and I can start the bike.

 

I've also noticed that sometimes the dash doesn't display second gear, it's blank when I'm in second. There's probably more to it but that's what I've observed so far.

 

I pulled the connection at the clutch lever, cleaned it and reconnected it thinking that might be the issue but alas, it came back again last night. I'm wondering if it might be the gear position sensor.

 

Any help pointing me in the right direction is appreciated because other than that, my bike is running great.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

Suds

 

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[RDawson]

Will it start with side stand up and clutch pulled? The only time I start in neutral is when I'm backing out of the shop, I always park in 1st, clutch it, crank, n go.

[suds]

Will it start with side stand up and clutch pulled? The only time I start in neutral is when I'm backing out of the shop, I always park in 1st, clutch it, crank, n go.

Stand is up, neutral light is off, clutch is in, it won't allow a start. I'm thinking it's gotta be clutch switch related for the starting.

 

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[RDawson]

In my limited thinking the clutch switch should be out of the picture in neutral. I haven't studied the schematic but I would start checking electrical connections through the start circuit starting with the neutral switch. Some of the electrical gurus will have better ideas than me. What year and model is it?

[videoarizona]

There are a few switches and such that will keep the bike from starting. On our 1st gens, your is a 1990?), The clutch switch, the sidestand switch, the emergency shut off switch on right handlebar, the tip over switch, ignition switch, etc.. Also the flickering back and forth showing the gears and neutral can be a bad ground somewhere in the entire circuit (ugh) or even the neutral safety switch is dirty or not making good contact. This is the weird shaped switch located on lower left side, under the intermediate gear case cover directly to the rear of the stator cover.

 

 

Area here:

 

Here is switch:

 

 

There are 3 small screws that hold it on and an orange (usually) colored O ring inside. The rear side (the inside) has the contacts. The rectangular contact is neutral. The rest can be figured out by remembering shift pattern. There is a pin sticking out of case when you take the switch off. Put bike in neutral BEFORE you take the thing apart. Clean the contacts and make sure the pin has some tension pushing it out to make contact. Be careful here as pin can fall out. You may need the gasket for that cover as well....I did on mine. BTW, I cleaned the contacts but it didn't stop my intermittent showing neutral or 2nd gear. It still does that once in a while on my bike, but she starts everytime...so who knows!

 

 

 

My first guess is the kickstand switch, followed by the emergency shut off switch. Make sure these are clean! The rest can be an issue as well...but these seem to be the main issues....Also, if you do take the switch off to clean....be careful putting the screws back in. You are tightening an old plastic part that that gone through a gazillion heat cycles...to tight on the screws and you will crack it. The O ring does the sealing so just snug the screws up evenly.

 

Hope this helps...

Edited May 9, 2019 by videoarizona
add

[uhfradarwill]

There are a few switches and such that will keep the bike from starting. On our 1st gens, your is a 1990?), The clutch switch, the sidestand switch, the emergency shut off switch on right handlebar, the tip over switch, ignition switch, etc.. Also the flickering back and forth showing the gears and neutral can be a bad ground somewhere in the entire circuit (ugh) or even the neutral safety switch is dirty or not making good contact. This is the weird shaped switch located on lower left side, under the intermediate gear case cover directly to the rear of the stator cover.

 

 

Area here:

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116376

 

Here is switch:

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116377

 

There are 3 small screws that hold it on and an orange (usually) colored O ring inside. The rear side (the inside) has the contacts. The rectangular contact is neutral. The rest can be figured out by remembering shift pattern. There is a pin sticking out of case when you take the switch off. Put bike in neutral BEFORE you take the thing apart. Clean the contacts and make sure the pin has some tension pushing it out to make contact. Be careful here as pin can fall out. You may need the gasket for that cover as well....I did on mine. BTW, I cleaned the contacts but it didn't stop my intermittent showing neutral or 2nd gear. It still does that once in a while on my bike, but she starts everytime...so who knows!

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116378

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116379

 

My first guess is the kickstand switch, followed by the emergency shut off switch. Make sure these are clean! The rest can be an issue as well...but these seem to be the main issues....Also, if you do take the switch off to clean....be careful putting the screws back in. You are tightening an old plastic part that that gone through a gazillion heat cycles...to tight on the screws and you will crack it. The O ring does the sealing so just snug the screws up evenly.

 

Hope this helps...

 

 

I replaced my gasket this week and was wondering just what the heck that was. Now I know.

Thanks

Video!!

[suds]

There are a few switches and such that will keep the bike from starting. On our 1st gens, your is a 1990?), The clutch switch, the sidestand switch, the emergency shut off switch on right handlebar, the tip over switch, ignition switch, etc.. Also the flickering back and forth showing the gears and neutral can be a bad ground somewhere in the entire circuit (ugh) or even the neutral safety switch is dirty or not making good contact. This is the weird shaped switch located on lower left side, under the intermediate gear case cover directly to the rear of the stator cover.

 

 

Area here:

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116376

 

Here is switch:

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116377

 

There are 3 small screws that hold it on and an orange (usually) colored O ring inside. The rear side (the inside) has the contacts. The rectangular contact is neutral. The rest can be figured out by remembering shift pattern. There is a pin sticking out of case when you take the switch off. Put bike in neutral BEFORE you take the thing apart. Clean the contacts and make sure the pin has some tension pushing it out to make contact. Be careful here as pin can fall out. You may need the gasket for that cover as well....I did on mine. BTW, I cleaned the contacts but it didn't stop my intermittent showing neutral or 2nd gear. It still does that once in a while on my bike, but she starts everytime...so who knows!

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116378

 

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116379

 

My first guess is the kickstand switch, followed by the emergency shut off switch. Make sure these are clean! The rest can be an issue as well...but these seem to be the main issues....Also, if you do take the switch off to clean....be careful putting the screws back in. You are tightening an old plastic part that that gone through a gazillion heat cycles...to tight on the screws and you will crack it. The O ring does the sealing so just snug the screws up evenly.

 

Hope this helps...

Thanks for that response Videoarizona, I appreciate it. Now I have to decide if I want to tackle this or live with it until the off season and tackle it then. How would you rate the job of getting to that switch?

 

I put a bid in on one on ebay, it's off an 89 that I got my rear suspension from and I think it was fairly low milage judging from the condition of the parts I bought.

 

Looking forward to hearing your opinion on that job.

 

Suds

 

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[videoarizona]

I have to get on the road...will get back to you later. But it's an easy job.

[Patch]

There are a few switches and such that will keep the bike from starting. On our 1st gens, your is a 1990?), The clutch switch, the sidestand switch, the emergency shut off switch on right handlebar, the tip over switch, ignition switch, etc.. Also the flickering back and forth showing the gears and neutral can be a bad ground somewhere in the entire circuit (ugh) or even the neutral safety switch is dirty or not making good contact. This is the weird shaped switch located on lower left side, under the intermediate gear case cover directly to the rear of the stator cover.

 

 

There are 3 small screws that hold it on and an orange (usually) colored O ring inside. The rear side (the inside) has the contacts. The rectangular contact is neutral. The rest can be figured out by remembering shift pattern. There is a pin sticking out of case when you take the switch off. Put bike in neutral BEFORE you take the thing apart. Clean the contacts and make sure the pin has some tension pushing it out to make contact. Be careful here as pin can fall out. You may need the gasket for that cover as well....I did on mine. BTW, I cleaned the contacts but it didn't stop my intermittent showing neutral or 2nd gear. It still does that once in a while on my bike, but she starts everytime...so who knows!

 

 

My first guess is the kickstand switch, followed by the emergency shut off switch. Make sure these are clean! The rest can be an issue as well...but these seem to be the main issues....Also, if you do take the switch off to clean....be careful putting the screws back in. You are tightening an old plastic part that that gone through a gazillion heat cycles...to tight on the screws and you will crack it. The O ring does the sealing so just snug the screws up evenly.

 

Hope this helps...

 

 

Exceptional Post!

For a kid your age;)

Patch

[videoarizona]

I'm back. I had a really good response about this being an easy job. Unfortunately, my computer ate the response. Sigh. Every once in a while this web site will go to a colored screen and nothing works...no matter what I do, it stays locked up. Then "boom"....by itself it goes away and the web site comes back with an empty response. Gone.

 

So I'll keep this simple.

 

Yes it's an easy job @suds.

 

I bought a gasket for that "just in case" moment. Put the scoot on the center stand, fought my way down to sitting on the floor and went to work. I took the case cover off, bent the wire bracket out of the way and moved the wires. Then took the clutch slave off as I was going to replace it anyway while there. Took out the slave, took out the switch and cleaned it up. Cleaned the engine case where both the switch and the slave sat, then put it all together. Mind you, I was also looking for a leak using a little blacklight. I had put some stuff in the oil that helped people find leaks....but I didn't see anything while replacing parts. So put it back together. Took a while to get the new clutch fluid back down into the slave. Hint: open the bleeder at the slave and fill the master...let gravity help. Just don't run the master dry or it's start over time!

 

That was it. I took pics as I went...more for my help later if I forgot and had to leave the bike apart for a few days.

 

Remember, there's lots of info here on how to do this....with pictures...so do the research, order the parts, then go to work. Should take a few hours at the most.

Replace the clutch slave if yours is original. Won't hurt and will help down the road!

david