Newly acquired K75 on the road this week end. Ran faultlessly getting on for 200 miles, lovely smooth bike, including regular stops and starts with no problems but... arriving home yesterday evening parked up to open garage door, pressed the starter button, all the lights went out and silence. Left the bike until this evening. Tried again, same fault. removed tank to examine relay box, all very clean with no corrosion. Ignition on, kill switch on, press button all lights go out and will not come on again until I turn the ignition switch off then on. Turn ignition on yet again and whilst I stand there looking at it, the starter relay chatters a number of times for no reason, press the starter button and the engine cranks over. Ignition off then on press the button and engine cranks. Have I a faulty starter relay or is it a bad connection somewhere? Any suggestions on what to do, welcome. John

Hi John,
 I'm not too familiar with the K75, but sounds like a bad connection or something is drawing down the battery.
Did you check and clean the earth connection on the casing. I know on my K11 it was corroded and needed a clean.
I'm sure you will get a more comprehensive reply in due course.
great knowledge and help here.

All the best
Rod

Yes, good clean earth connection, also forgot to mention that horn and lights work as normal. John

Possibly: Dirty sprag clutch. The voltage shedding relay for the starter is sticking owing to the dirty sprag clutch.

Put the bike in gear, rock it backwards and forwards with the clutch engaged. It may start after a few goes. If it does:

Drain a litre or two from the engine oil and add ATF fluid with a high detergent content. Bump start and run the bike with ATF fluid in the sump for a few hundred miles. Once it re-starts consistently, change the engine oil.

As horn and light function as normal I would rather suspect the kill switch (or its connector, under the tank).

You could try turn it a few times left and right from center, and see if it makes any difference.
If it helps, next step would be to a little tlc to the switch itself...have a look at this.

Thanks for that, will try all the electrical connections first. That's an interesting and clear thread Inge k. very useful. John

possibly starter motor brushes, they act as an earth for all electrics through the load shed relay when the starter is not used, mine were worn badly, once replaced all electrics seemed stronger

Regards Bushy.

Set too this evening to clean the many multi pin connectors under the tank, didn't bother to trace wire colours, did every one I could see, found a number of 'green' pins so all given a clean and spray with silicon water repellent spray. Likewise both handlebar switch clusters which were very dry and responded well to the silicon spray. There is also an earth point under the tank with something like six tags, again all cleaned. Every thing back together and it started on the button. As has been said on the numerous threads on this forum, many electrical problems are due to corroded connections. Lets hope that's the problem solved as it will be taking me to work tomorrow. This winter I will remove starter etc. as suggested as potential problems and give them a good clean and service. It has done 86,000 miles so I guess it needs a little TLC. John

egads john ...silicon spray ???..... silicon is a great insulator

hope it dries off leaving metal to metal contact ......
hope you saw at least one time ....deoxit

don't know what to do about the silicon spray though ,,,it gets into everything

perhaps a brass bristle brush and lots of elbow grease

OH DEAR!! I have used this for years with no problems. I never knew it was an insulator. Well, will run the bike to work today and see what happens. You've taken the smile from my face. John

sorry for that john

cheers !

36 mile round trip to work and didn't miss a beat.
Now let me tell you a story. In 1970 I was running a Humber Super Snipe which had a very stiff interior light switch. Rummaging around in my fathers garage I found a tin of the said spray. Suitably treated, the switch was fine with no electrical problems. Over the next 43 years I have used this substance on many British bikes to free sticky switches, water proof electrics etc.and even in the home on mains (240v) equipment. Its never been a problem, always a cure. My K75 seems to have responded well to the treatment. Ah, ignorance is bliss!
As for the K75, am totally sold on it and such a smoooooth engine. John

I do not know the hows or whys, but dielectric grease used on bulb sockets and such is an insulator also. this is why I am afraid to smear it on my bulbs.

I have never been a big fan of using dielectric grease on anything but although it is an insulator if there is sufficient pressure and the normal bulb holder will exert that pressure the grease will be displaced and a connection made. The grease then will or should create a barrier to the corrosive elements that abound.
So clean the connection and put it together then apply the grease but if that is impractical put the grease on in a small amount and put the connector back together, but cleaning the connector is the important part regardless of what you use to prevent futher corrosion.
With the marine enviroment, which is about as harsh as it gets, we used to remove the covers from the outboard engines and wash them with fresh water then liberaly spray CRC all over them to displace the residual water and protect the paint and electricals. We didn't need to care how greasy and tary it got because it was under the cover but it was really good protection.

Hey virg I have a 1963 Snipe series 4 bought it in ' 82 which means I'm the longest owner, of 3. 1st 

was Stan McDougal Victoria Cross, died '68 or '69, poor bastard only got to put 12,000mls on her.

Super Snipe side thread?

Ghost who rides wrote:Hey virg I have a 1963 Snipe series 4 bought it in ' 82 which means I'm the longest owner, of 3. 1st 

was Stan McDougal Victoria Cross, died '68 or '69, poor bastard only got to put 12,000mls on her.

Super Snipe side thread?

I am seriously getting worried here. When I got my K my brother referred to it as 'a pipe and slippers bike', 'a granddad's bike' and similar.

But the Humber Super Snipe takes us to a new level. They are definitely a pipe and slippers job.

Most of us are too young to remember the Humber Super Snipe. Sure I remember them because a neighbour had one when I was a kid. Yes, a darn nice motor too. So, a new section?

It was a 1960 Series 2 Snipe. As my parents family car was a Mark 5 Hawk of 1954 vintage, the Snipe was the obvious choice. Happy days. John

Both of my sons came home from hospital in the Humber, day three and day two respectively.

 Who do I leave it to in my will?

You will have to buy another one, I believe Humbers were quite popular in Aus. Whilst on holiday in Victoria (Mortlake) about six years ago I was surprised to see a Mark 5 Hawk in very good condition but I guess it would be as you don't have the winter salt that we have in the UK. John