Howdy all.
I picked up an '85 k100 and ran it for a while Nov. '15 to spring '16.
Great little unit, naked, competes with r1200clc and a vstrom for my attention.
Beauty in town, but I like the biggy bike for the highways in southern NM. Dirt is, dirt.
No good tires on the K for that stuff.
Right now the Kbike start circuit cycles with no result.
On for a second, then quiet for a second. Then on again for a second. Etc...


Led me to you folks for "experience" ... successful experience.

Glad you let me in.

Hi That's one problem I've not heard of/seen, but I'll bet someone who does know will be along soon.

Welcome aboard kcdman.

Small world...I was in Las Cruces, NM on 2-3 Mar this year on a work trip. Pity you hadn't joined the forum a month earlier - we could have met up for a beer and a natter and had a look at your ol' K.

You've certainly got some serious desert highways out there - I went out as far as the White Sands visitor centre (by car, unfortunately) and some almost sensible speed limits (75mph) to suit those long straight roads, unlike some other states.

Strange sounding problem you have with your ignition - perhaps a bit more description of exactly what happens when you press the green button - as in does the starter motor actually spin, fuel pump run and/or do you have any other unusual indications on you instrument cluster. Sounds like it could be a corroded/worn connection somewhere that is giving an intermittent path to earth. Many electrical problems have their root with the starter motor so probably worth looking at your starter motor brushes in the first instance.

Welcome kcdman.

I don't have much experience with the K's as yet, however on my Triumph the first port of call for any weird starting issues is an old/dodgy battery, closely followed by ground connections.

Thanks folks for the time and attention.
I found a post that sounds familiar.

https://www.k100-forum.com/t4316-on-off-on-starting-problem-ignition-module-or-hall-sensors

Push the green button, fuel pump cycles, starter turns for 1-2 seconds then pauses for 1-2 seconds, then turns, etc...
A bit of fire in the jugs but no catch and run.

I jumpered the common ground under the tank to the battery ground on the tranny and thought I had fixed things.
Tricked myself with that one


She has run on and off in the last year (I will push the button just for kicks sometimes) I've had her run for an hour and shut down on the road while in motion. Wait a bit and the started pause issue goes away and so far I've always gotten home.

Also pulled the starter a while back, cleaned out 30 years of carbon, re-assembled and jumped the relay. Full on turning for the time I was hotwired (kill switch in no run position)
Tricked myself then too

Eccentric, yes bad timing but I enjoy the enchanted highways down here. I've been run over by the drone jockies out of Holloman AFB on the long open stretch from Las Cruces to Alampgordo through the missile range. Fun racing them when it happens, but they have me by about 75mph. No contest really but a kick nonetheless.

I'm thinking of Hall Sensor replacement but loathe throwing money just to replace everything one part at a time.

Thanks Nods, I had a fresh battery in when the problem got out of hand and have since taken it out and had it tested at the local auto parts store. They say it's fine. Good call, though. All my stuff lately is battery dependent. Seems like I remember when pulling the battery was a backyard test of the charge/regulating system.


Will keep you posted.