2001 750 Dark Intermittent Start Issue

[filter]

Ok, so here's the info on my bike:

2001 Monster 750 Dark
19,730 miles
Suspect mods: Sidestand bypass (I think)
Technical knowledge: Regular maintenance stuff is doable, advanced stuff is a bit beyond my skill

The bike has an extremely intermittent issue with starting.

Essentially, the bike starts with no issues 90% of the time.  10% of the time, though, I'll press the start button and the bike won't do a single thing.  The lights are on, but nobody's home, as the saying goes.  (All lights are on as normal, but pressing the start button does absolutely nothing... as if the kill switch is off.)

I check all of the obvious things... kill switch, sidestand, neutral.  All checks out.  And it will just sit there.... no sound whatsoever.   After a couple of minutes, though, of sitting there, the bike will eventually start.

I've replaced the start/kill switch assembly and it didn't fix the issue.

The bike appears to have a sidestand bypass because I can start it with the sidestand down (when it does start).   Also, the starting problem appears to happen most frequently immediately after I've taken a ride and the bike has sat warm for under 5 minutes.

I am assuming the bike's problem is with one of the following:

1) Dirty contacts or a short in the starter circuits somewhere
2) The sidestand bypass mod shorting out or being broken
3) Bad starter solenoid

The problem is that this is so intermittent that I can't tell if anything I'm doing has any effect.  I know if I take it to a dealer, they will not be able to reproduce the issue.

Does anyone have any suggestions for things to try?  My next step is going to be digging in with a multimeter and the bike's wiring diagrams.

[Speeddog]

I'd say to make sure the connector on the solenoid is secure, maybe do a bit of plug/unplug to clean up the contacts a bit.

Intermittent electricals are obnoxious, but they're that way lots of times.

No clicking or anything at all when you hit the button?

[filter]

I'd say to make sure the connector on the solenoid is secure, maybe do a bit of plug/unplug to clean up the contacts a bit.

Intermittent electricals are obnoxious, but they're that way lots of times.

No clicking or anything at all when you hit the button?

Thanks for the reply.  I'll make doubly sure that the solenoid is secure.

And yeah, no clicking whatsoever when I hit the button.  You could hear a pin drop. :/

[Speeddog]

Hmmm.

Well, there's a few other things that you could do that might help the issue, and they're good things to have done for electrical debugging anyway....

Make sure that all ground wire and large gauge positive wire connections are clean and secure.

If you go to remove the positive cable at the starter, make *absolutely* sure the center stud doesn't turn when you try to remove the nut.
If the stud turns very far at all, bad stuff happens in your starter and it's a fairly big fix.

[Howie]

The safety (sidestand) relay is another common problem.

[greenmonster]

Isn`t the -01 750 D a carbie w no stand switch?

I would give the small cables/connection into solenoid a good check/cleaning.

[Speeddog]

It's a carbie, but it does have the sidestand switch.

[filter]

It's a carbie, but it does have the sidestand switch.

Definitely carbie, and it definitely has wires coming out of the sidestand.

The previous owner must have modded the sidestand switch because it starts with the stand down.

Thanks for all the help!  As you all have indicated, it's probably a loose contact or a short in there somewhere.

[filter]

Just found out by digging through the papers I got when I bought the bike that the previous owner(s) installed the Evoluzione kickstand bypass.

I'm guessing it's something with the neutral indicator or the mod itself.  I'm going to try disconnecting it to see if that helps.

[minnesotamonster]

The safety (sidestand) relay is another common problem.

+1 to this. Your issue sounds very similar to one I had a couple years ago and it ended up being the safety relay. Quick and easy to check too.

[filter]

Thanks for all the advice.

The problem just got worse, though.  I just tried to start it over lunch, and the solenoid is now clicking (good), but the starter itself only weakly turns or doesn't turn at all.

I'm now thinking it's the battery or the starter/solenoid.  Thoughts?

[minnesotamonster]

PM sent

[Speeddog]

You can try shorting across the studs where the large wires attach on the solenoid, to eliminate/confirm the solenoid as a bad actor.
Not sure how accessible that is for you.
It will make a large spark, use a piece of scrap metal or a crappy screwdriver or the like.

[filter]

At MinnesotaMonster and Howie's suggestion, I replaced the starter relay with a new one.. the Borg Warner R3223.  $10 at O'Reilly including tax.

It doesn't quite fit in the existing mount, so I had to electrical-tape it in there, but so far it has alleviated my problem.

I'll post an update when I know if this issue is resolved for sure.  (A few days of riding should answer that.)

Thanks to everyone for all your help!!

[redial]

i have a Fuel inject 2002 750 and i have the exact same problem


if i press the button during the guage sweep, it starts everytime. if i wait a few seconds till the sweep is over, the bike may or may not crank over. very wierd, but too occassional to fret about. i can start the bike with the stand down, but not in gear (not clear if that means modified switch or not)


i will check the relay on a rainy day, thanks guys