Doesn't start, in gear, clutch in..

Mike67

Mike67

Joined
May 12, 2017
Messages
17
Location
Western Pa
Bike
04 ST1300
My '04 ST will no longer start when it is in gear with the clutch lever in and the side stand up. I recently stalled pulling out of my driveway and had to find neutral before it would engage the starter. Inconvenient at best, but at least no traffic was coming.. I'm thinking its a safety switch. If so, which one should I check/ bypass?
 
Check the one at the side stand, and the one at your clutch lever. Unsnap the connections, clean, reassemble. This is likely your problem is the one at the lever but could be the side stand switch, it's exposed to a much harsher environment that the clutch switch.
 
First suspect is the clutch diode, which is actually two diodes in a single package. It allows the neutral switch to activate two different circuits, one for the starter circuit, and one for just the green light.

The green light working tells you that the neutral switch itself is not the problem. Other possibilities are the clutch lever switch and the kick-stand switch.
 
Thank you for the ideas. I'll start checking things in the morning and let you all know.
 
First a couple questions....do you have the stock clutch lever on your bike, or have you replaced it with an aftermarket one?
Have you inspected the clutch lever bushing, pushrod, and rubber boot in the lever assembly?
If your bushing is worn badly, or worn through, the clutch lever throw won't be long enough to activate the switch to allow the bike to start.
Below are the parts for the Lever assembly.
If the bushing is worn badly, also check the bronze bushing in the lever itself, if its egg shaped you'll need a new lever as well, which is why I've included those part numbers as well.

BUSH
22885-MB0-006
Retail Price: $12.44
Your Price: $9.23

ROD, PUSH
22884-MB0-006
Retail Price: $19.85
Your Price: $14.74

BOOT
45504-410-003
Retail Price: $11.69
Your Price: $8.68

LEVER, L. HANDLE (COO)
53178-MCS-305
Retail Price: $25.11
Your Price: $18.64

If the lever assembly is in good working order, the next thing you should check is the clutch lever switch, which is held in place with a single screw under the lever.
When you pull the lever you should hear a CLICK when the lever activates the switch.
No Click, switch is probably bad (common)

The side stand switches very seldom go bad, but I've included the part number just in case you need it.
These were just taken off RonAyers.com, but can be ordered through your dealership, or any of the online sources.

SWITCH ASSY., CLUTCH
35330-MB0-003
Retail Price: $17.53
Your Price: $13.01

SWITCH SET, SIDE STAND
35070-MCS-G00
Retail Price: $54.93
Your Price: $40.78

Honda 35070-MCS-G00 - SWITCH SET, SIDE STAND : Ron Ayers

www.ronayers.com www.ronayers.com


Let us know what you find.
:WCP1:
 
I know the clutch lever bushing is worn. There is a bit of up and down movement in the lever.. It just turned 91k miles and I commute on it so that lever gets a lot of use. Ill keep you posted.
 
If your lever looks like the third picture replace the lever before it damages the perch (which is the entire master cylinder housing) and can be rather pricey.
My moneys on the lever assembly and associated parts, and not the side stand switch.
 

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Hi Mike;
I would check the side stand switch as it gets abused by road spray and the junk from your boots. A liberal dosing of WD40 while you cycle the stand up and down should do it. If that does not help, then disconnect it jump the wires and try again.
Mike Coleman
North Lancaster,
Ontario, Canada.
 
Pivot bolt and bush are worn. Lever looks ok. Push rod is pretty grungy. Boot is torn.
Reassembled, no click when lever is pulled in. Activate switch manually and bike starts in gear with side stand up.
Looks like we found the problem! I'm going to order bolt, bush, boot, and pushrod. Anything I may have missed?
Thank you all for the help and advice! Igofar, as usual, you nailed it.
I'll post here again when the parts come in.IMG_20220716_065613.jpg
 
That's mine too, have to really grab the lever to pull it against the grip. Not quite as oval as Larry's picture shows, but definitely worn. I tried building up the surface opposite the switch with a few layers of clear tape (I know Larry, just buy the damned lever!) and it seemed to help. I usually start in neutral anyway so it's not a nuisance. Do pay attention to the pushing though, mine was worn totally through before being replaced (and pay attention to the orientation of the pushrod! - don't ask me how I know!)
 
Mike67 said:
My '04 ST will no longer start when it is in gear with the clutch lever in and the side stand up. I recently stalled pulling out of my driveway and had to find neutral before it would engage the starter. Inconvenient at best, but at least no traffic was coming.. I'm thinking its a safety switch. If so, which one should I check/ bypass?
Click to expand...
I had the same problem when I installed grip puppies.
 
So far, no grip puppies here, just Oxford heated grips. Installed several years ago.
 
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