nuhawk

I have always been able to pull in the clutch and start the bike while in gear and now I can't. I have to be in neutral to start it. Does this have anything to do with the sidestand safety switch? Occasionally when I drop it into gear with the stand down, of course, it kills. In the past I could put the stand up, pull the clutch and hit the starter button. Now I have to put the stand up, shift to neutral and then start. I got caught in the rain months ago and the bike wanted to cut out badly. Another member discovered that it was the kill-switch in the stand when his bike got wet so I've suspected problems with this switch in the past.

Little_Horse

its either what you said or it could also be a loose connection to the clutch lever switch. I had this happen on my dads cb 750 one of the connectors had come loose and it wouldn't start because it couldn't tell the clutch was pulled in.

HondaJim

Yep. I've had the clutch switch cause the same thing before. Could be either. A digial volt-ohm-milliamp meter is your best friend trying to find the problem. You could try taking the two wires off the clutch switch and jumping them together to see if it starts. Just make sure you also have the clutch pulled in or it's going to end up on it's side. If that doesn't do it then it's probably the sidestand switch.

nuhawk

Thanks, guys! I did a little looking in the service manual for the clutch switch and did the test with a multimeter and it's dead - no contacct in either position. $10.87 part from Service Honda. Wish everything in life could be this simple. Looks like one screw holds it in place.

The sidestand switch could still be the wet-weather culprit but it's going to have to wait. We're in prime riding season here.

HondaJim

Same thing happened on my 919. Took the switch out and saw it had some holes in the housing. Took contact cleaner and sprayed into the holes while exercising the switch. Bunch of stuff came out that looked like dead bugs and old soap. It started working. That was about two years ago and still going strong.

smokinjoe73

OK guys, where is this clutch switch with bugs, etc? Is it on the clutch perch? Any pics? My bike has never started in gear (that I can recall) Is it in the shop manual under cluctch switch?

HondaJim

Yes, it's on the clutch perch. Look close to where the clutch lever bolts on and you'll see two wires hooked to it. I haven't had the one on the Hawk off, but on the 9er you take the clutch lever bolt out, pull the lever back and push from the wire side of the clutch switch and it comes out the other side. If you don't have a meter to check the switch you can check it by jumping the wires as I described above with the bike in gear. Just make sure you have the clutch in. The bike will move forward if not.

nuhawk

Next time you're in Texas I owe you a cold one. I took the switch out, did exactly as you did and scrubbed the exterior leads with a soft brass-wire brush and it works fine now! Thanks, again!

HondaJim

Glad you got it sorted out. One of my sisters lives in Texas, so I may take you up on that beer sometime.

jamescollins

I'm having the opposite problem. It won't start in neutral. It won't even light the bulb on the dash. I thought it was the neutral safety switch but I can't find one

Wicky

Check & replace the neutral switch by your left foot.

skokievtr

The clutch and brake assemblies use a similar or the same switch. Cleaning and lubing often helps but they do wear out.

The dieing in the rain could be the sidestand switch (located on the side stand pivot). I though it was on mine and waterproofed it but still had the issue. I finally traced it to the fuel tank vent hose being smothered in even a medium rain event. I tried rerouting the hose, relocating it, trimming its bottom end at a bias, all to no avail. I recently added a 3/16" T-fitting in the vent hose about 3 inches below the "spigot" under the tank. To the horizontal barb of the "T" I attached a 2-1/2" long clear hose with a piece of SS safety wire inside to hold the hose in a rounded 90 degree shape and to the end of the hose (so it was vertical) I plugged in a Cycle Gear Trackside "Gas Cap Vent Tube with Check Valve" TRACKSIDE - Gas Cap Vent Tube with Check Valve - Cycle Gear I got on sale for less than $5 but did not use the hose that came with it.

smokinjoe73

Skokie, that is an awesome fix job. I have chased similar venting problems. Amazing how that whole thing works. That should same some guys a ton of work. (and shop $)