Spyder wouldn't start

[gazey]

I went to start my Spyder this morning. Put in the key, prssed the M button on the bars, Pressed the start button and nothing. Checked over the cluster and all was as it should be. Tried again and nothing again.
Checked the fuse, removed and reseated the relays, still no go. Removed the key and walked away from the bike, gave it few mins and tried again.
Same deal, would not even click. I was just starting to think I was going to have to take the car but thought I'd give it one more try. So I put the bike in 4th gear, moved it forward and popped the clutch to try and turn over the motor and gear box a bit. Turned the key, hit the start button and it fired up as normal. I am thinking maybe GPS. The cluster said it was in N, but it was acting like it was in gear the whole time. Any ideas:dontknow:

 

[gazey]

Used SM5 a few days ago and experienced the same thing. But it was my fault. I did not press the clutch like I should have. Ever since that incident I make sure it is in neutral, press the clutch, press the M and it rotates every time.

One other thing that has an adverse effect on engines rotating is keeping the battery charged to the top. Most of the time batteries are not a peak unless you use a battery tender overnight every couple of weeks. Even when ridden regularly the heat takes a toll on the battery state of charge.

I want all to know I really got a good SM5 from RocketLady. :thumbup:This machine is pretty as a speckled puppy under a pink umbrella.

I ride mine every day. Park in my workshop. Always start in neutral and never pull the clutch. (Unless of course I'm at the lights etc)
This has never happened before. Hasn't missed a beat since.

 

[gazey]

Did you check to see if your relays were lose? If you already haven't done so you might consider putting a piece of foam inside the cover to the fuse box. I did this and so far, so good... they haven't gotten lose since. I really suspect that many of the relays that have failed... failed because they were lose and were arching and a sparking. That is one maneuver electronics do not like.

If I think of anything else that could have caused that particular symptom I'll pass it on to you.

Thanks Bud,

I did remove and re-seat the relays at the time but it still would not start.
There was already a piece of foam in the fuse box lid.
It might just be a one off event and hopefully wont happen again.

 

[dave01]

I think a Tasmanian devil was hiding in the Spyder somewhere and when you shook it, he ran away.
Actually, mine did the same thing but I think it was from parking on a very small incline and not using the brake, but letting the Spyder tranny hold it in place. I have had sport bikes do the same thing and by rocking them against the gears, they fire right up

 

[gazey]

I think a Tasmanian devil was hiding in the Spyder somewhere and when you shook it, he ran away.
Actually, mine did the same thing but I think it was from parking on a very small incline and not using the brake, but letting the Spyder tranny hold it in place. I have had sport bikes do the same thing and by rocking them against the gears, they fire right up

I can tell you straight out the if one of them little suckers was hiding in my bike there would be nothing left to speak of :shocked:
I think you are right about the rocking against the gearing, I am sure thats what got it going.

 

[WaltH]

I never start mine in neutral. I park it in gear and then pull the clutch to start. Never had any problems. There is a switch on the clutch lever which could be a source of a problem some day.

 

[czdaryle]

I have had the bike 1 and 1/2 and had the bike not start maybe three times, but I just take the key out and do it all over again and it has always then started

 

[BLACK WIDOW]

Won't Start

I went to start my Spyder this morning. Put in the key, prssed the M button on the bars, Pressed the start button and nothing. Checked over the cluster and all was as it should be. Tried again and nothing again.
Checked the fuse, removed and reseated the relays, still no go. Removed the key and walked away from the bike, gave it few mins and tried again.
Same deal, would not even click. I was just starting to think I was going to have to take the car but thought I'd give it one more try. So I put the bike in 4th gear, moved it forward and popped the clutch to try and turn over the motor and gear box a bit. Turned the key, hit the start button and it fired up as normal. I am thinking maybe GPS. The cluster said it was in N, but it was acting like it was in gear the whole time. Any ideas:dontknow:

That happens to me more than I would like to admit and it's usually because the kill switch in the handle bars is turned offpps:

Michael

 

[Tom in NM]

A couple of things . . . .

I had this happen once, and did a little digging around, seems like the M button on the dash display sometimes"sticks" if that is a good description. I have stopped usingthat button for starting purposes and use the one on the handlebars, not a problem since, and I find it more convenient.

. . . . Lamont posted a problem he had with his dash M button a while ago. He discovered it was not working and that it is not a switch, but a magnet triggered button. Just something to watch for.

I have an SE5 and one thing about them is that if you turn off the bike in gear, you need to press down the foot brake in order for the bike to start. I do not know if the SM5 would react the same with the clutch in and the brake being pressed. It is natural (for me) to be pressing the brake when I am on the bike and starting it, but if I am starting it and off the bike, this has sometimes been a "gotcha!"

Tom

 

[BlackWidow]

check the kill switch... we have all done that at least once.

 

[gazey]

check the kill switch... we have all done that at least once.

Yeah, been there done that pps: its first thing I looked at. But thats how the bike reacted, just like the kill switch was off or it was still in gear. But the nuetral indicator was N, and I could move the bike like it was in neutral. Even tried clicking up and down a few gears and back to neutral. Also tried pulling the clutch, Still no go. Only after I moved the bike in gear and popped the cluch it started as normal.

Thanks to all who have tried to help, it hasnt missed a beat since so I'll just keep my fingers crossed and ray: that it doesn't happen again.