Topic: what does this sound like to you ?

[78whiteorbs]

Got a bike and the guy I got it from started it like this , without a battery <

"Make sure the key and switch are on. Then I'd hook my jumper cables to my truck as I did and hook the ground to the frame right near the bottom of the side cover. You should see where I have rubbed the paint down to the bare frame in a spot from sliding the cable on it. Then I take a screwdriver and clamp to it with the hot cable and touch the screwdriver to the bolt on the starter where the wires connect to it. The light gauge red and black wires are nothing. I put them on trying to start the bike and never took them back off."

[Gordon]

Sounds like the bike has a dead battery and a cheap PO. 

[78whiteorbs]

Yeah, I bought and put a new battery in it though (the one in the photo) when I turn the key all the signal lights work and have juice but when I push the starter the light dims a little but the starter does not engage. I have noticed though that the kill switch is ,and pardon the pun,dead! it doesn't click up and down like it should .There is no resistance at all .

[mrbreeze]

So are you gonna fix it or pay to have someone else fix it?? Do you know anyone that won't rip you off tryin' to fix it?? Are you willing to buy a book and maybe tools so you can do it yourself???

[78whiteorbs]

Ha, I NEVER pay anyone to work on my bikes. I have always and will always do it myself.   I have accessed a few things but like to listen to more experienced folks have to share.

Basically , I get the idea of what is going wrong here. No juice is getting to the starter. Between the battery circuit and the starter there are a few interupts . Could be between the start button and the starter or between the cylinoid and the battery. It's just weird  that the bike turns on and everything powers up but when you push the start button it only dims the lights. I got a new right side pod coming with a functional kill switch so I will swap them out and see what happens. Anybody else have any thoughts~

[mrbreeze]

Sounds like you are on top of it. These bikes are super easy to work on. If you have a roadmap (wiring diagram) and a basic knowledge of electricity.....easy cheesy!!!

[Gordon]

The kill switch only turns off power to the ignition circuit, not the starter motor.  Sounds to me like you have a bad starter solenoid, but it wouldn't hurt to check the contacts in the starter button, too. 

[Johnie]

The kill switch only turns off power to the ignition circuit, not the starter motor.  Sounds to me like you have a bad starter solenoid, but it wouldn't hurt to check the contacts in the starter button, too. 

I agree with Gordon. And there is a post here somewhere from Hondaman about cleaning the solenoid contacts. That may be all it needs.