Topic: Won't start in gear, even with clutch in,bout got ran over, can I rewire ?

[1976cb750f836]

Went to local 7/11 for cigs, leaving I stalled (bike still cold 1/4 mile from home, my bad), tried to start with clutch in ,in 1st, no go, find N, start engine, car approaching fast, got away barley. My bike wiring is 76F 750, all stock, as far as I know. Should it start I gear with lever pulled? If not can I wire to start in gear? I bout got ran over due to no start!
Ps-my 81gs750 starts in gear, lever in or not(stock wiring as far as I know).
I would like to remedy this, lever in or not!
Thanks

[CBphill]

Did you test starting it at home (without a car bearing down on you?)

[BenelliSEI]

Thee are two “safeties”. The neutral switchis one, but shout allow starting if you pull in clutch. Does you clutch lever have a micro witch in it with two wires headed somewhere? Make sure they are hooked up correctly (for your harness).

[Bodi]

Looks like your clutch lever switch is dead or disconnected. The starter relay (solenoid) coil gets its +12 power (yellow/red wire) from the start button... this apparently works as you can start in neutral. The relay coil ground is switched, only enabling the starter when the bike is in neutral and/or the clutch is disengaged.
The clutch lever switch (in the lever perch) is directly connected between the relay coil and ground: the starter should always be enabled when the clutch lever is pulled in.
So check that switch and its connections first. The relay coil switched ground is the green/red wire. The switchpod has a green ground wire to this switch, it does not ground to the bars. Confirm that both wires are connected to the main harness. Test that the switch works, open with clutch lever released and closed with it pulled in.
The neutral switch also enables the starter but it works through a diode to isolate the two switches - connected together without the diode, the neutral light would come on whenever the clutch is disengaged. Maybe some PO disconnected the clutch switch because of that: a failed diode may have caused this neutral light problem and instead of replacing the diode they disabled the clutch switch. The diode is a small black rectangular thing in a socket on the electrical panel, should have the tee'd arrow diode symbol on it.
To bypass all this stuff: either 1) jumper the green and green/red bullets at the harness connectors for the clutch switch, or 2) disconnect the green/red wire's bullet connector at the solenoid relay and connect the wire from the relay directly to ground. The starter will then work regardless of the gear or clutch situation. Try not to start it in gear when it's pointed somewhere you don't want to immediately go.

[1976cb750f836]

Bodi, excellent writeup, thanks. That's exactly what I needed. Gives me options to remedy this.
So from this read, I take that it should start with lever in. I'll tear into it today.
And yes their is some hillbilly wiring going on under tank. The plastic frame mounted wire harness box is empty, also because of non stock headlight, no wires inside it?
I'll pull tank and unwrap the wire cover and look for the wires u mentioned.
Or, sounds like simplest thing is the bypass at lever, I'll try first.
My switch housings have benn apart to polish, I might not got something back in right?

[1976cb750f836]

Ok, I had No switch in perch. Or no wires for it. So i went to solonoid wires, grounded G/R wire, now she turtns over, no matter what! Thanks
To wire in a lever switch, is all I need is switch(is it available? ), and 2 wires to solonoid where I grounded?

[bryanj]

It is/was the same switch as the 125 drum front brake brake light switch(different coloured wires but that dont matter)

[1976cb750f836]

Found a switch, North of the border, same as brake lever switch, it's on the way, but std shipping 5$ vs fed ex 20$ takes 3 weeks?