First Post 81 KZ650 Electrical issues

 Hey, I'm a new member and I've been trying to troubleshoot this issue but its been killing me. Therefore the name of this account. So to make a long story short, I cannot get my start button to work. Its the weirdest issue. I have tested each individual component. The start button does indeed complete the circuit, the solenoid clicks when tested seperately with just a 12v battery, the starter works when the two studs are jumped on the solenoid. But whenever the solenoid is put back on the bike it refuses to click when the start button is pressed. I've even jumped the leads of the solenoid that go back to the button on the 12v battery while on the bike and it still will not turn over the starter motor. My bike was spliced to hell when I got it and I've replaced the entire wiring harness and the issue persists. My starter also sounds really slow when I jump it. I don't know why but I want to address the first issue if possible. 

Early 650s had a clutch starter lockout switch. You need to pull the clutch lever in to engage the starter motor.
Later ones had a side stand starter lockout switch. The side stand needs to be up to engage the starter motor. You may have an override button on the LH controls for the sidestand switch. 
Idea is to stop you starting it in gear. 
Obvious, but kill switch needs to be operational and in "run" position. 

 

Yeah the clutch is jumped. I should've put that in the post and I've combed through the wiring diagram more times than I can count and there's no kickstand switch on this year. Any other ideas?

650fromHELL wrote:

Yeah the clutch is jumped. I should've put that in the post and I've combed through the wiring diagram more times than I can count and there's no kickstand switch on this year. Any other ideas?

If you take a look at the electrical fault finding guide I wrote (link in my signature) there is a process flow towards to back for diagnosing starter faults

Kill switch is a notoriously weak design. The contacts inside the switch, not the wire contacts, are often corroded and the plastic circular plate they sit on is often broken into several parts making electrical contact even in the run position non functional.
Easiest way to check is to jump the two wires that are attached to it in the top half of the rh switch gear to ensure continuity bypassing the switch rendering it continually in the run function. 

Ive checked continuity on the switch. (These are "old" but new to me switches because the OGs were unusable). It seems to be completing the circuit. Just not send powering to the solenoid to actually start the bike. That also wouldnt explain why when I manually activate the starter solenoid with the 2 leads to the battery the starter motor still doesnt spin.
 

650fromHELL wrote:

Ive checked continuity on the switch. (These are "old" but new to me switches because the OGs were unusable). It seems to be completing the circuit. Just not send powering to the solenoid to actually start the bike. That also wouldnt explain why when I manually activate the starter solenoid with the 2 leads to the battery the starter motor still doesnt spin.

 

I would direct you back to my last post and the fault finding guide 

I had this exact issue on the customer bike I've been working on.  I ended up bypassing the kill switch (I later used this switch to switch power to the coils so it will still act as a kill switch), wiring the starter solenoid directly to +12v and using the "start" button to switch ground.  That got it working without issue.

BurnsBikesLLC wrote:

I had this exact issue on the customer bike I've been working on.  I ended up bypassing the kill switch (I later used this switch to switch power to the coils so it will still act as a kill switch), wiring the starter solenoid directly to +12v and using the "start" button to switch ground.  That got it working without issue.

If both of these switches still work as described wasn't the issue simply the "link" between the kill switch and the starter button or the clutch switch ? (the ground for the solenoid draws the same amount of current as the positive)

Right, though I have absolutely no idea why that 'link' wasn't working.

post a photo of the starter solenoid

also, what is your battery voltage with the key on?