Monday, May 28 2018 [7,907 miles]
Kill and Start button internals
Abouty 3 times in the last couple of weeks I’ve hit the Start button and nothing happened. As is often the case I had to be someplace and didn’t have time to look closer at the issue just then. Later, when I had time the bike worked perfectly.
I did discover that a quick jiggle of the wire bundle coming out of the switch assembly made the button work the next time I pressed it – assuming the start button was the problem. Today I took the switch assembly apart to see if there was a loose connection. Didn’t see any. The wires are soldered to the Start button. I sprayed in some contact cleaner and put the assembly back together.
If that didn’t resolve the issue I’ll dig further.
Monday, June 18 2018 [7,971 miles]
The DR650 didn’t start yesterday morning. I took the GS to breakfast with the SMBC. Today I sketched out a diagram of the starter circuit to plan my tests. One of the components in the circuit is the clutch switch and it is very easy to test. So that’s where I started.
Clutch switch disconnected
I removed the fairing and unwrapped the wiring bundle. There are two yellow/green wires from the switch that connect to yellow/green wires that are part of the wiring harness. I disconnected both wires and hooked a meter up to the wires going to the switch. The switch is good. No it’s bad. It is intermittent. I found my problem. That was fast.
Clutch switch
Removed switch
I removed the switch from the clutch perch. Depressing the plunger turns the switch on some of the time. Wiggling the plunger causes the switch to make and break contact. This switch is destined for the trash.
Switch bypassed
The wire ends from the switch terminate in one male and one female connector as do the wires on the wiring harness. That makes bypassing the switch easy: connect the two harness wires together male-to-female as shown. That will hold me until I replace the switch.
I put the bike back together. As long as I was working on the bike I removed the saddle and disconnected the heat-troller. It’s almost summer. I shouldn’t need heated gear any more. I hope. The bike is back together and ready to ride.