How to disable engine non start when not in neutral

[David Allaband]

Hi all. Safety, bla bla bla. I want to be able to start my bike in gear with the clutch in. I don't want to have to find neutral to start the bike. I got in a real bad situation a few days ago when the bike died at a traffic light and I couldn't find neutral to start it again. First a car when zipping by on the left so close it touched my leg. Then as I tried to waddle push the bike off the road a car almost hit me from the right.

This is NYC and if I was hit and killed no one would be prosecuted or even get a ticket. That's not an exaggeration, it's a fact that's described in the newspaper on occasion. I feel like my bike has a serious design flaw that puts my life at risk.

Does anyone know a nice way to make the FJ start without the bike being in neutral?

[RichBaker]

It SHOULD start in gear with the clutch pulled in.... you need to find out why it doesn't. Probably a disconnected, but NOT jumpered clutch switch.

[Flynt]

Does anyone know a nice way to make the FJ start without the bike being in neutral?

Do you have upgraded clutch master cylinder/clutch handle assy?  If so, like with mine, you might need to fix the wiring to make it work... but that is a standard and very important switch you want active and working properly.  Fix it.  We'll help.

Frank

[Firehawk068]

David,
definately sounds like the clutch safety switch on your clutch master cylinder is either:
A- Disconnected completely (check the wires, and see if they came off. plug them back on)
B- Broken inside (either buy a new one, or you can carefully take them apart. Clean/fix as needed)
C- The wrong one (this was my dillema when I upgraded to the FJR1300 master cylinders)

It is on the bottom side of the clutch master cylinder, and is activated by the little pin that sticks out of it and operates with your clutch lever.
I believe when the pin is pushed in, it disconnects the circuit (NOT allowing you to start the bike)
When you pull on the clutch lever, the pin is allowed to pop out, via a spring inside the switch, and moves a little brass contactor to complete the circuit.(allowing the starter circuit)

If it's B or C, you can temporarily use a small flat terminal to connect the 2 wires to each other(the wires that normally connect to your clutch safety switch)
This will allow you to start the bike while it is in gear(as long as the side stand is up)
Now keep in mind, with it jumper-wired like this, it WILL start wether you have the clutch pulled in or not..................if you hit the starter button, and you forget to pull the clutch in, it WILL lurch forward!

Keep us posted what you find, and we'll all be sure to help.

[aviationfred]

Could be a slowly leaking clutch slave cylinder, allowing air into the clutch line.

With the side stand up, bike running, gear in neutral, clutch lever pulled in and you select first gear and the bike jumps and stops running is a good indicator. Try bleeding your clutch real good and hopefully the problem will go away. With the bike running and a good operating clutch. Neutral should be easy to shift into.

Fred

[Flynt]

Could be a slowly leaking clutch slave cylinder, allowing air into the clutch line.

Does it spin with clutch pulled in...  sounds like no, so this would be a fail.

Clutch switch is your issue.  investigate and fix.

Frank

PS - and share your experience so we can learn too.

[keand3]

C- The wrong one (this was my dillema when I upgraded to the FJR1300 master cylinders)

It is on the bottom side of the clutch master cylinder, and is activated by the little pin that sticks out of it and operates with your clutch lever.
I believe when the pin is pushed in, it disconnects the circuit (NOT allowing you to start the bike)
When you pull on the clutch lever, the pin is allowed to pop out, via a spring inside the switch, and moves a little brass contactor to complete the circuit.(allowing the starter circuit)

Sorry If i hijack the thread, but would the processes for fixing the 3 to 2 connector switch the same as the FJR cylinder mod thread posted a while back ago?`
Just got my new Nissin 19mm clutch M/C today...

Cheers
Ken

[fj1289]

David,

Fairly certain the answer you are looking for is to jumper the kickstand connector. Undo the plug from the kick stand switch and jumper the harness side (of course) with a wire. you can completely remove the kickstand switch if you want then. This mod WILL allow you to ride off with the kickstand down -- just like all the bikes I've previously ridden. (Insert safety/impending doom/or any other warnings here)

Chris W

[FJmonkey]

David,

Fairly certain the answer you are looking for is to jumper the kickstand connector. Undo the plug from the kick stand switch and jumper the harness side (of course) with a wire. you can completely remove the kickstand switch if you want then. This mod WILL allow you to ride off with the kickstand down -- just like all the bikes I've previously ridden. (Insert safety/impending doom/or any other warnings here)

Chris W

This won't fix David's problem. In David's case, he is stopped at a light, kickstand is already up. Engine dies, starter won't turn till he finds neutral, in the mean time, a couple a hundred of New York's politest  drivers are waiting patently for him to find neutral and continue on his journey. The safety switch for his clutch lever does not tell the bike that the clutch is disengaged and it is safe to spin the starter. Either the wires for the switch or the switch it self is the problem. The fail safe condition for this would use a normally open switch, pulling the clutch lever in will cause the switch to close. Cutting or pulling the wires off will cause this problem. This could be bypassed but will likely end up with him dropping his FJ when he starts it in gear. Better to fix this problem properly.

[fj1289]

DOH!

[David Allaband]

Thanks for all the great insight everyone! Looks like the upgraded FJR1300 clutch master is the culprit. I rebuilt my clutch a little while back and when I did I got an RPM clutch slave and also installed the FJR1300 clutch master. Good deductive skills my FJ friends!

I keep my bike at a friend's place so I only see it on weekends right now. I'll probably see it today. What should I do to remedy this FJR1300 master problem? Do I need a new switch? Is the only option to jumper the wires together? Can anyone send me a picture of the two wires I should jump together (since I can't visualize it now)?

To hijack my own thread, a few days ago I picked up a complete 1987 Kawasaki Ninja 250 for $100. The FJ is the heaviest (and newest) bike I have ever owned so I was thinking about going to the opposite extreme for some fun comparison and a buzzy round town bike. Doesn't run yet but should be fun. For $100 anyway.

[Flynt]

What should I do to remedy this FJR1300 master problem?

It is a little bit of a project, but here's the thread with pics:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=8500.msg78940#msg78940

Fix it!

Frank

[David Allaband]

Beautiful solution, love it! Got the bike at my place tonight so I can do it tomorrow.

This is the first time I'm parking my FJ on the street in this neighborhood. I don't live in a good neighborhood but the local cops think it's okay, my cop landlord thinks it's okay, I've go the thing chained to a pole, the rotors locked, the steering locked, a thick cover locked on, and I got theft insurance last week. It's an experiment I hope I don't regret. But like my girlfriend said, "You'll either do it or not, so if you're ever going to do it you may as well do it tonight." Wish me luck.

[fj1289]

Good luck!  Hope this doesn't have to get moved to the gun section...

[rktmanfj]

Shoulda tested this set-up with the Ninja first...