For the last couple weeks I have been having problems with the bike starting. Has power everywhere but starter it seems (bike wont roll over). Headlights, turn signals, horn, even the neutral light. A few hours later it will start right up and run perfect. I cleaned and retightened the battery cables. Test started the bike like 12 times in the garage during the week and no problems. Yesterday I even did about a 40 mile ride without shutting it off. Today It died while going down the road, I coasted into a old gas station. Any suggestions ? Can a kill switch short out ? Thanks Rick....

 

Had a problem similar to this, ended up replacing the stator.

 

Check voltage regulator. Is battery still good? Not buldging?

 

I have started the bike over 20 times without having to charge the battery. The first time it acted up I had the bike running and was getting ready to turnout of my driveway on to the road. The bike stalled out, I put it in neutral hit the starter button, nothing. Had full power to the dash still with a bright headlight. Turned everything off retried to start and nothing. Pushed the bike into the garage (about 100 feet) tried the starter button again for the hell of it and it started. Been acting this way for a couple weeks now so I been riding my other bike. Today it died while riding down the road and hasnt rolled over at all even with a jumpstart.

 

Do you have enough gasoline? Is the starter turning and not engaging? Dreaded click? This same thing happened to me, I was on route 1 and the bike died. It turned out to be the ignition module. Easy fix save for $45.

 

To get back to your original question, I imagine it is possible for the kill switch to short out. Maybe wear out if you use it a lot or maybe a result of rain or washing the bike. I haven't heard of it happening before. When it won't start have you tried jiggling the kill switch or turning it on and off several times?

Double-check battery cables at the battery and ground. Also, cable to starter. Could vibrate loose. Sometimes 1/4 to 1/2 a turn can make a big difference.

I hate electrical gremlins!

 

On my 95 Heritage I had issues with the ignition switch where the bike just quit while I was going down the road. Wiggled the switch a bit and I was up and running again. Took it out and found it was pretty dirty and gummed up causing issues with the contacts.

Cleaned it up and put some dielectric grease on it. Has worked great for many years since.

 

I had to be pushed off the ferry in Burlington, VT. some years back for the same problem. Bike ran when I boarded the ferry, wouldn't start in Burlington. There I am, on the ferry dock, troubleshooting my electrical system. Turned out to be dirty contacts in the kill switch. I never use it, so the contacts corroded. I flipped it on/off about 30 times, and the bike fired right up, and didn't act up for the rest of the trip.

Another place to check is the starter relay (under the seat on mine, not sure on the '97). The contacts can get corroded inside the relay, too. Pop the cover off and clean the contacts (or spend the $12 and replace it). That wouldn't kill a running motor, though, so I'd look at the kill switch and the ignition switch first.

 

Before you go after the kill switch, try some easy stuff (but the symptoms really seem to point toward the kill switch or related wiring).

Replace the ignition fuse.

I suggest you also make sure the battery is fully charged, then take it to an auto parts store and have them load test it.

Once you have eliminated the battery you can start troubleshooting the electrical system.

While the battery is out clean all the electrical connections, battery, solenoid, starter relay.

Remove the cover from the end of the starter solenoid, and check the electrical contacts for damage.

Check the big wire connection on the side of the starter motor.



To test the kill switch:

Unplug the connector for the wires that go to the right hand control switches, and check the continuity of the wires going through the switch:

Touch one probe of the ohmmeter to the gray wire, the other probe to the white/black wire, you should see no resistance when the kill switch is on, and infinite resistance when turned off.

Next: Touch one probe to the gray wire, the other to the Black/Red wire.

With kill switch on, press the start button, resistance should go to zero, when button released, the resistance should read infinity.

 

A dirty ignition switch on the dash stranded me on two bikes. It's easy to dismantle and clean and see if that fixes it. It did for me twice. You need all three connections in the switch to be clean.

More info here.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/evo-c...ix-inside.html