Bike won’t start – please help

BigDukeSix · 03-25-2021, 12:26 PM

So I tried to fire up my RX3 this morning and take it out for the first time this Spring. Unfortunately, I can’t get it to crank and am unsure how to troubleshoot this. Here’s what I can observe:

• Bike seems to have power – everything seems normal when I turn the key. There’s even the whining noise for a few seconds (fuel pump?) when I first turn the key
• Pressing the starter button does nothing
• I checked the kill switch and flipped it a few times. it’s in the “run” position
• Last summer, I had problems with this a couple of times – the starter didn’t want to engage. However, it seemed that if I put the bike in gear and then back to neutral, it would work again.
• I tried the gear engagement/disengagement thing several times + rolled the bike a foot or two forward and back in neutral and with the clutch. This didn’t solve my problem.

I am at a loss as to how to troubleshoot this. Given the above, I’m thinking it might be one of the “safety features” that is working against me – like maybe how you can’t start the bike in gear without engaging the clutch. Maybe that failsafe is somehow stuck even when I am pulling in the clutch? I don’t know.
Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

tknj99 · 03-25-2021, 12:29 PM

Is there possibly a kill-switch that is attached to the kickstand.. on a previous bike such a switch affected others and had to be changed out because it was staying engaging regardless of kickstand position.
Also, just to rule out battery, you can try attaching a jump-starter and see if that helps

BigDukeSix · 03-25-2021, 12:38 PM

Thanks for the quick reply

I think there is a kill switch on the kickstand if memory serves me correctly. However, pulling the clutch usually overrides this. I tried to start it with the kickstand up. I'll go pull the bike out of the garage and see if can see anything around there. I can try to jump it too I suppose. It's been on a battery tender but who knows...

franque · 03-25-2021, 01:40 PM

Firstly, what sort of voltage drop are you seeing, if any, when you press the starter button? Is the starter turning at all, or no? If it's not turning at all, follow the below advice.

Short out the terminals on the starter solenoid with a screwdriver (there will probably be sparks, don't let it weld together or let the screwdriver get grounded), then you know the starter is getting voltage. If it's not turning the starter, you know it is in the starter or the engine. If the starter turns, it is something to do with a switch not being in the correct position. I'll explain further after you report back, as needed.

BigDukeSix · 03-25-2021, 01:57 PM

So I looked around the kickstand and couldn't locate any switches or wires so maybe there isn't a kill switch there (I might have been confusing it with another bike).

I then tried jumping it with my Suburban. Interestingly, once I got it hooked up, I hit the starter and nothing happened. Then I raised and lowered the kickstand, hit the starter, and she fired right up. I let it run for a minute, disconnected the jumper cables and tried to start the bike. The starter turned but couldn't get it going - bad battery.

So I'm a little confused here - the battery seems to be a problem, but it might not have accounted for my original problem. I'm going to put in a new battery after lunch and see what happens.

franque - there's no voltage drop when I hit the starter button - just nothing happens at all when I press it sometimes. If the new battery doesn't solve the issue, I'll work through the steps you suggested.

Thanks all - I will report back what happens.

franque · 03-25-2021, 02:16 PM

It sounds like you could have a problem with the brushes or commutator in the starter motor, since you got it to start from a jump. Try shorting the terminals at the solenoid and see what happens.

BigDukeSix · 03-25-2021, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franque

It sounds like you could have a problem with the brushes or commutator in the starter motor, since you got it to start from a jump. Try shorting the terminals at the solenoid and see what happens.

Sorry, I'm a bit of a novice here. Should I try the starter relay? I can see two terminals I can short on there (the thing under the seat that is connected up to the battery). I would assume the solenoid would be on the starter itself, but I only see one cable (or wrapped set of cables?) going into there and it looks like it's in a boot - nothing there to short without maybe a fair amount of disassembly?

franque · 03-25-2021, 04:59 PM

There are normally two big terminals, one directly from the battery, and one directly to the starter. Those two need to be shorted together. Usually it's close to the battery.

Usually they look about like this: https://images.app.goo.gl/HTznwVrFX84NjqXZ7
Or this:
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Relais-de-de.../151994467134?

Yes, they're usually covered by a rubber boot, but it should just peel right off.

BigDukeSix · 03-25-2021, 05:16 PM

It's fixed.

I needed the new battery anyway apparently, but my starting issue was a loose wire connector under the seat. It was still sort of plugged together so I guess that's why sometimes putting it and out of gear or changing the kickstand position fixed it - it just kept making and breaking contact. I just luckily noticed it. Anyway, I locked them back together and the problem seems to be solved.

Thanks franque and others for your help with this!

tknj99 · 03-25-2021, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDukeSix

It's fixed.

I needed the new battery anyway apparently, but my starting issue was a loose wire connector under the seat. It was still sort of plugged together so I guess that's why sometimes putting it and out of gear or changing the kickstand position fixed it - it just kept making and breaking contact. I just luckily noticed it. Anyway, I locked them back together and the problem seems to be solved.

Thanks franque and others for your help with this!

You cant beat those 2 second fixes

franque · 03-25-2021, 06:14 PM

Happy to help! It's usually simpler than we think.

03-25-2021, 12:26 PM	#1
BigDukeSix Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Montana Posts: 46	Bike won’t start – please help So I tried to fire up my RX3 this morning and take it out for the first time this Spring. Unfortunately, I can’t get it to crank and am unsure how to troubleshoot this. Here’s what I can observe: • Bike seems to have power – everything seems normal when I turn the key. There’s even the whining noise for a few seconds (fuel pump?) when I first turn the key • Pressing the starter button does nothing • I checked the kill switch and flipped it a few times. it’s in the “run” position • Last summer, I had problems with this a couple of times – the starter didn’t want to engage. However, it seemed that if I put the bike in gear and then back to neutral, it would work again. • I tried the gear engagement/disengagement thing several times + rolled the bike a foot or two forward and back in neutral and with the clutch. This didn’t solve my problem. I am at a loss as to how to troubleshoot this. Given the above, I’m thinking it might be one of the “safety features” that is working against me – like maybe how you can’t start the bike in gear without engaging the clutch. Maybe that failsafe is somehow stuck even when I am pulling in the clutch? I don’t know. Any advice here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
	0

03-25-2021, 12:29 PM	#2
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,246	Is there possibly a kill-switch that is attached to the kickstand.. on a previous bike such a switch affected others and had to be changed out because it was staying engaging regardless of kickstand position. Also, just to rule out battery, you can try attaching a jump-starter and see if that helps __________________ 2024 Zuma Storm 150 DLX 2019 Beta 430 RRS 2017 Honda Fury Former China Bikes: Tao DBX1, Brozz 250, CSC RX4, Titan DLX, Templar X
	2

03-25-2021, 12:38 PM	#3
BigDukeSix Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Montana Posts: 46	Thanks for the quick reply I think there is a kill switch on the kickstand if memory serves me correctly. However, pulling the clutch usually overrides this. I tried to start it with the kickstand up. I'll go pull the bike out of the garage and see if can see anything around there. I can try to jump it too I suppose. It's been on a battery tender but who knows...
	0

03-25-2021, 01:40 PM	#4
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	Firstly, what sort of voltage drop are you seeing, if any, when you press the starter button? Is the starter turning at all, or no? If it's not turning at all, follow the below advice. Short out the terminals on the starter solenoid with a screwdriver (there will probably be sparks, don't let it weld together or let the screwdriver get grounded), then you know the starter is getting voltage. If it's not turning the starter, you know it is in the starter or the engine. If the starter turns, it is something to do with a switch not being in the correct position. I'll explain further after you report back, as needed.
	1

03-25-2021, 01:57 PM	#5
BigDukeSix Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Montana Posts: 46	So I looked around the kickstand and couldn't locate any switches or wires so maybe there isn't a kill switch there (I might have been confusing it with another bike). I then tried jumping it with my Suburban. Interestingly, once I got it hooked up, I hit the starter and nothing happened. Then I raised and lowered the kickstand, hit the starter, and she fired right up. I let it run for a minute, disconnected the jumper cables and tried to start the bike. The starter turned but couldn't get it going - bad battery. So I'm a little confused here - the battery seems to be a problem, but it might not have accounted for my original problem. I'm going to put in a new battery after lunch and see what happens. franque - there's no voltage drop when I hit the starter button - just nothing happens at all when I press it sometimes. If the new battery doesn't solve the issue, I'll work through the steps you suggested. Thanks all - I will report back what happens.
	0

03-25-2021, 02:16 PM	#6
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	It sounds like you could have a problem with the brushes or commutator in the starter motor, since you got it to start from a jump. Try shorting the terminals at the solenoid and see what happens.
	0

03-25-2021, 04:59 PM	#8
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	There are normally two big terminals, one directly from the battery, and one directly to the starter. Those two need to be shorted together. Usually it's close to the battery. Usually they look about like this: https://images.app.goo.gl/HTznwVrFX84NjqXZ7 Or this: https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Relais-de-de.../151994467134? Yes, they're usually covered by a rubber boot, but it should just peel right off.
	0

03-25-2021, 06:14 PM	#11
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	Happy to help! It's usually simpler than we think.
	1