TOPIC:

Since I brought home my bike 2 years ago (81 kz750 ltd) I have had an issue with the electric start where I have to have the handlebars turned just right in order for the starter to work. I think it must be a pinched wire or bad connection somewhere but I have been reluctant to take it all apart. I figure since I have everything on the back torn off right now anyways I would take a look at it now. Just wanted to see if anyone had a similar issue, Where the wires may have gone bad or perhaps something I had overlooked that could cause it. Thanks in advance.

Where exactly do you have to have the handlebar positioned in order to start - left or right and does it respond differently when you press the starter at different spots on button. Have you taken switchblock apart and given it a good clean out ?

Check to ensure that the wires leading from the starter lockout (at the clutch lever) are not damaged. Ed

I usually have to turn the handlebars straight forwards, then I depress the clutch and starter button and then slowly turn the handlebars to the left until the starter kicks in. Sometimes I will have to kind of shake them back and forth until I get a good connection. If I were to say try and start with the bars cranked all the way over one way or another nothing happens.

Check the connectors going to the headlight and handlebars.
Steve

Left turning is what i figured. A thorough examination of all wiring connections leading to starter switchblock and clutch lockout are needed. Is wiring under shrink wrap or insulation tape ? Careful cutting it if you need to.
Also a good clean out of internals of starter switch would be a damn good idea. Get some electrical contact cleaner if you havn't already. A soldered connection may be bad and require resoldering or at the very least cutting and tying together to test. As Swest said check main connectors behind headlight .Got a multi meter or a test light ?

Yup, have the meter.... Just confirming what I was afraid of haha all of the wiring is orginal in the orginal packaging. I will double check connections before I split open the harness and just hope it was a little gunk build up not a bad wire. Fortunatly/unfortunatly I will not get around to it until sometime next week. Thanks for the input.

This one of those deal where you know you have a bad connection. It probably not as bad as you think. case in point. when i got my bike last year it had an intermittent problem with the brake light,neutral light and fuel gauge. sometime they would work and sometimes not.
I decided i had to trace it down and was thinking its going to be an all day thing.
So I started by pulling my headlight since most connections are in there. First thing i saw was a wire unplugged. It was a
male /female bullet connection and they were still inside the sheath. Thats why it worked intermittently. They would touch from time to time.
Since then i have gone over most connections and thats where you are.
Pull the tank first and take head light out .that way you can see most of the connections. If you have a friend helping that would be great. dont move the bars. Just try to start as normal and began moving wires around ..youll hit on one pretty quick i bet. its either a connection (like mine) coming apart. or a wire breaking.

Good vibes, thank you! Let me take a second and hijack my own thread... How do I get my tank off without dumping gas everywhere? Of course I had topped it off and added stabil before winter to prevent moisture building up in there.

Rave71 wrote: Good vibes, thank you! Let me take a second and hijack my own thread... How do I get my tank off without dumping gas everywhere? Of course I had topped it off and added stabil before winter to prevent moisture building up in there.

I usually pull the fuel supply line,vacuum line if applicable and sending unit wire if applicable.
I stick a plug cap on the fuel line in case it leaks. and then lift the tank. yes is will be harder with it full of fuel . I guess you could get a piec of fuel line and stick it on the petcock and drain it into a container. Good luck

So I finally go my tail light together and working and switched gears to figure out my starting gremlins.





Pulled the harness out of the light and started tracing the red/yellow to red wire that was coming from the start button. As I got to the bend in the harness at the forks, cutting away the looming the Black/Yellow wire hanging on by a thread jumped out at me... Actually I think I completed the break as I was pulling off the rubber. Could this possibly be in the starting circuit or is it likely I have multiple broken wires? I don't see anything else but they are packed tight. Anything anyone can think I was overlooking on the wiring diagram? I'm more of a weekend warrior than a pro with this stuff.

I would say you have found the problem.
Repair the wire. put it back together ..enjoy!!
Just a note ..dont twist that wire back together and wrap with tape.. do it properly!!
If there is enough wire i would clip, strip ,solder, and use shrink tubing.
Youll not have to revisit that wire agian