How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches??

For one the side stand warning light takes a long time to shut out, my bike needs to warm up before it will go out and I cant put my bike into gear until it does.
Also, sometimes when I start my bike and try to put it into 1st gear from neutral my bike shuts off, once again it usually only happens when my bike isn't warmed up.

My mechanic said he could disable the switches for roughly $75. What do you guys think about everything?

 

have you checked the sidestand switch to make sure it's not the culprit? They're pretty easy to replace, and you could score one of those for a lot less than $75.

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

Oh I meant $40 for him to disable the switches, its gonna be $75 to fix the gas leak.

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

You can disable the sidestand switch for $nothing!! I have been riding so long that it's second nature for me to put up the kickstand before starting the bike, so I never felt the need for one. I figured that's what the nuetral light is for, so you don't try starting it in gear.

 

It definitely sounds like the sidestand switch is malfunctioning. It's probably just dirty and needs to be cleaned really good. Tell your mechanic you'll pay him the $40 to fix the switch instead.

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

Where and how do I clean them so I wont have these problems? Should I use WD-40?

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

I just shot mine with WD-40, it was intermittently sticky--HOWEVER--WD-40 attracts dust and dirt, so your best bet is contact cleaner, you can get it at most parts stores, it's a lot less likely to get caked with dust and dirt then. I was in a hurry, and WD-40 was the closest thing I had in my shop, and it was just mildly sticky. Just carefully pull the rubber boot away from the shaft, stick the red straw in there, and give it a quick squirt. Worked for me!

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

thanks...and how do I clean the clutch?

 

I just disabled ALL my starter safety switches for $3.50 and about 40 minutes work. I don't know what others will say but I'm delighted with the result. If you have 12.5 volts at the starter switch, why not tap in there and run a wire direct to the relay? Just make sure you get on the "downhill" side of the button!

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

I'd have to agree with your idea Big_Ross. I am doing much the same to mine now. If you had to make a totally new wiring harness for these bikes, without all the relays and extra safety switches and plastic connectors, you wouldn't have any wiring problems. I'm tempted to just start ripping out all the wiring and starting from scratch.
Yes, it's nice to have some of these safety features when someone is new to bikes and riding. I'm sure they were thought out with good intentions and for some, it's probably good they have them on their bike. But for someone who has been riding and wrenching for 35+years, I can do without all the doo-dads now and would be happy with the basics. It would make life so much easier. PD

 

Agree with you completely PainterD. The gadgets, bells and whistles are nice, but every connection is a potential weak link, and every switch is a potential malfunction. Give you an example. Water seeped into my engine kill switch on the XJ900F, causing the bike to fail to proceed. I cleaned it up, then sealed it with Yamabond. In an emergency I can still use it, but it won't malfunction again. Seriously, how often has anybody ever used a kill switch? I've done it once in 46 years of riding. (And if you must know, it was when I fell off a rented Honda 250 Baja on the track to Pa Am in southern Laos last year.)

I still look back with affection at my James Cadet, which had three wires in the whole bike! You could have built a new loom for it in about twenty minutes!

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

I never use the kill switch on any of my bikes...that's probably why they haven't failed :lol:
I spent one whole after noon cutting out all but one of those plastic connectors on my bike, and soldering the wires together to make a perminent curcuit out of them. I use heat shrink to seal them off and used electrical ties to secure the lose wires to prevent them from wearing thru from vibration.
That wiring harness looks like it could run a small city!!!!

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

It ain't kosher, but I had it with all of the interconnects, etc. I just followed the wiring diagram at the back of my Haynes manual, jumped one relay, pulled another one completely off and bypassed the whole schmoo.

At another forum, they gave me a sanctimonious finger-wagging for it, but it's worth it to have all the juice right there at the starter.

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

Can you guys give me step by step directions on how to either bypass the side stand and clutch switch or how to disable them?

 

Well, this is how I did it:
*Cut the wires from the pigtail coming out of the starter relay. Attach new wires to the stubs. Run one to a good earth point. (There is a nearby seat mounting bolt) Check the earth with a multi meter.
*Solder another length of wire to the downstream side of the main fuse. (This will be live at all times). Check that it has about 12.5 volts.
*Run this to EITHER a new instantaneous switch (That's what I did) or to the starter switch on the bars if this is working properly. (Cut the old wire to this switch. Tape up the end.)
* Run another wire from the other side of the switch back to the wire attached to the pigtail. Before attaching it, push the switch and make sure 12.5 volts is flowing through the new circuit.
You should now have a fully functional starter circuit fully independent of the old safety circuits.

 

Re: How hard is it to disable the ignition cut out switches?

Here's a link to a great reference for the wiring diagrams.

http://members.tripod.com/dave_jack/id39.htm

 

i'm just adding my 2 cents.

my bike, when first started, will die when put into first gear.

this is due to lack of clutch adjustment. atleast I believe is the reason on my bike, when you put into first gear, it grabs alittle and if the engine isn't warmed up will kill it, usually just pulling the clutch in and restarting works.