1982 Yamaha XJ650 starter button not working

Hello
basically i can't get my bikes starter button to start the bike, when i press it nothing happens. A while ago i was trying to install an electric speedo and got everything to work besides the Neutral light, eventually i tried to start it and nothing was happening. Before all this everything was fine and it was running solid. I've tested a lot of wires, relays, solenoids and everything. but what i'm starting to think is that it's my neutral switch. Since i can't get my original neutral light on when plugged into the bike, i assume the bike isn't registering that im in neutral, therefore it wouldn't start. Right?

If anyone has any input or ideas for me to check feel free to let me know, thanks.

 

In stock form, it has to be in neutral OR clutch pulled in and side stand figures in somehow too

 

Ok it’s:
Neutral
OR
Clutch in AND side stand up

 

Assuming it has a stand switch fitted, they weren’t all.
Pulling in the clutch with the stand up will make the safety relay click. You need a wiring diagram diagram and a meter...

 

If bike won't crank , the start solenoid is bad , if you can jumper the terminals and it cranks there you go.

 

This ignores the safety circuits... and the way to tell is, does the oil light come on with the start switch? If not the safety relay isn't set (no click). There are numerous versions of this circuit, but most (all?) will have a clutch switch and neutral switch. The neutral switch OR clutch AND sidestand allow the safety relay to come on.

 

So the owners before me kinda played with the wires a bit. I can't start the bike unless it's in neutral, i forgot to mention that. no neutral safety wire (whatever it's called) and no side stand relay (we bypassed that when we got it). I did buy a parts bike and just recently pulled off the side stand relay so i'll be hooking that up soon.

 

I did test the solenoid already, for a while i was able to bypass the solenoid and jump the starter to test all that as well. I later checked if the solenoid was getting enough juice and putting out enough and both seemed fine. I think it's just that the button isnt working cause of either the neutral switch or some relay maybe. Possibly the diode block but i'm not sure how to test that or if it's even involved in this issue

 

thanks for the diagram, the previous owners removed both of those safety switches, the only way i can start my bike is by being in neutral. i bypassed the side stand after i got it so i could ride it. When i was able to ride it, the Oil light would blink on when i start the press the start button but once the bike started it turned off.

 

The oil light is meant to come on with the press of the start.
You have fallen under the curse of the PO (previous owner)... these are people who mess with wiring to bypass safeties etc. At very least I would test aLl the safety switches independantly, then connect them back up. Then use a meter to test what's wrong. Sorry, no silver bullet fix, trace and test the circuit...

 

I had the same problem on my Honda Shadow. I took the switch off and cleaned the connections inside and everything worked.

 

Yup, when I first got the bike in '95 from the original owner, the starter button was flaky. I took it apart, cleaned, and reassembled and it's been trusty ever since. Definitely worth testing in isolation.

 

Any chance you would be able to tell me how or point me in the direction to figure out how to test the safety switches? every time i tried to figure how to test them i just run into dead ends

 

If i remember right i did a test on the button when i had the key on just to test that there was contact when i pressed the button and i thought it was all good but that is worth checking into again.

 

Do you have one safety relay with the red/wht colours opposed, with blue and black colours opposed? If so link the red to red/wht to short out the relay. If you can't work out how to test a switch with a multimeter I'm sorry, this is too much of a job for me. Google testing switches...
Ok. So the safety switches are all single wire earthing switches, they work by grounding their inputs. So you check with a dvm on Volts, should read high until you select neutral, pull the clutch in and even pressing the start button works like this. This is as simple as it gets, be logical and methodical, no guessing...