Hi All,
Im back on the road again after several years off!! No better way than to buy a K100 LT in England and ride it all the way to the south of Spain, 1442 miles over 3 days! I bought a 1991 model with only 43392 miles on it, ex Police bike, so fully serviced. The last service was 48 miles ago, but 6 years ago. Real good tidy bike.
All went well apart from the last day when after refilling, the starter wouldn't engage, nothing at all. I rocked the bike in gear and it started on the switch, after that no problems for the rest of the day. At home the next day the bike wouldn't start again on the switch, over the last 5 days it has either;
1) Made no noise at all when the switch is pressed,
2) Made a current sounding noise with clicks heard beneath the petrol tank and lefthandside panel,
3) Once started on the switch after rocking the bike in gear,
4) Always starts if you put it in 3rd/4th and bump start it.
Any suggestions please, I have read possible causes, and am thinking it may need a starter motor or an overhaul,
Regards,
Tiddy

Welcome to the fold tiddy305
I'm no guru like the rest of this team, but before you get too carried away with expense, follow the earth cable from the starter motor to where it attaches to the engine block, undo it and give it a real good clean, then try and clean any connection on the wiring down from the starter button. Sounds like a earthing problem.
In Oz we have been using a product call De Oxit which is a contact cleaner to clean any connector in the wiring that we can get to.
Good luck.
RT

Hi Tiddy
I had a very similar one some time back, (Also lights not working) the guy's on this forum where a great help and suggested starter motor overhaul. When I took the starter motor apart it was full of carbon. A good clean up all OK. The brushes where worn so I ordered a new starter motor brush kit but not fitted it as I have not had any more problems with it, weekend project when I can find the time as I am going to change the clutch cable at the same time.

It sounds as if your starter needs to be cleaned. Check this tutorial I wrote on cleaning the starter motor. The reason is the bike's grounding circuit flows through the starter and, with dirty brushes resulting from years of dust accumulation, the grounding is intermittent. This causes all sorts of electrical gremlins. The observation that the bike turns over starts after bumping the starter is a clue.

morning
you´ve got the usual probs resulting from worn out starter brushes
open the starter according to the posted descrition
futher details & needed spares see here

and: take out the generator !
the brushes might be worn as well
for oem spares see here

Hi everyone,
Thanks for the posts. I intend to have the starter taken out and cleaned. However I decided to give it a tap as a last resort effort, and lo and behold it now starts on the button! Guess the thing just got stuck.
Regards,
Tiddy

Fancy riding past us on your way down without saying hello!

Generally, when a starter motor brush set is soooo worn out that the brush springs can barely make them still contact the armature there comes the final point when they will no longer contact.
Sometimes a gentle rap on the starter motor with hammer or heavy bar will allow the starter to work for a few more starts.
In this case it might be wise to open it up for inspection while you are home.
regards, ibj...

Not a good idea to tap very much as the starter motor magnets are only glued onto the outer case and have been known to fall of then cause strange problems and even more strange noises sort of like a couple of skeletons having a F^*# in a tin bucket.
They can also lose a lot of magnetism from being struck.

Good advice!

tiddy305 wrote:Hi everyone,
Thanks for the posts. I intend to have the starter taken out and cleaned. However I decided to give it a tap as a last resort effort, and lo and behold it now starts on the button! Guess the thing just got stuck.
Regards,
Tiddy

wrong conclusion

next time (on a lonly rainy highway) ...
electric is definitely female - so better accept the strange el. behaviour of your K as a (friendly) warning

The brushes that worn so i will request with another start engine brush pack yet not fitted it as I have not had any more issues with it weekend venture.
When I can discover the time as I am set to change the grasp link in the meantime.

Used reach truck

Hi,

After read this post i one ask you some things!

To start, i'm with a problem with my lights but as you say i think is the relay and i need to buy one.

Another problem that happens today!

My bike is a K 100 RS from 87.

I went to work , i had ride about 10kms and stop the bike for a few minutes . Then when i want to turn on th e bike again she didin't start. It makes a noise like the fuel want to go to the pump but i don 't heard the starter working. So she stays parked where she stops. After 1 hour i put the key and she start working again normally.

At night she starts again and i ride until my house. Then i stop the bike and to test it i tried to pull it on again and nothing again! I heard the fuel pump but the starter Don't work . I engage some gear change and the bike starts.

I let her get cold and she didn't starts again. Then i tried again with some gear changes and she starts again.

After reading this post i'm thinking that i should chave a problem with my starter motor.

What do you think it is? Do you think if i try to clean it it solves the problem ordem should i buy one?

Thank you

Good Curves

I am thinking 2 things.
#1 May be the bike is overhot? May be the fan does not work? If bike is too hot, computer will not let restart until cool off.

#2 Starter needs work? If will not start: put in gear #5, rock back & forward, put in neutral, try again.

Tell us what you see

Well,

I don't think is overhot because when i stop the bike she didn't starts immediatly but after some gear changes in #4 and #5and pull it back and forward she starts again even hot.

The last time i tried had alegada pass about 2 hours since i stop it and she didin't starts útil i put #4 gear and pull it back and forward.

Then i put in neutral position and she motor make noise again.

abbocath wrote:After reading this post i'm thinking that i should chave a problem with my starter motor.

What do you think it is? Do you think if i try to clean it it solves the problem ordem should i buy one?

Well, the symptoms sounds like a starter motor with dirty brushes or commutator. Obviously, I'd suggest cleaning the starter motor before considering buying a new one. It is definitely cheaper, by far. And you can't loose anything by trying. It is a simple task. Look in the How-to section of this site for a step by step instruction.

New brushes might do the trick?

after taking the starter apart for cleaning....it is possible to inspect the brushes. if worn too short, they won't be able to spring inward far enough to contact the rotor well. If still long enough so the brush wires and or springs are not "bottoming out" on the brush holder, then just clean and re-assemble

Well, this will be my Sunday entertainment!

Today i went to pick the bike start and she says: "today i don´t want to go work with you", and she stays in the garage! :-(

Thank you for the help, i will give you the feedback of the situation!

Today was the day!

After cleaning the contacts and the brushes the motor of k100 starts making the noise we want to ear!

The starter was very dirty and it can´t make a good contact.

Thank you for all the help!

Tomorrow she will be ride again! ;-)

Good Curves