Post Number 1 and I'll Start with a Question

Hi I'm David. I bought a 2001 VFR with Race Tech front Suspension and a Pensky reach shock, Seargant seat and 25k miles about a month ago. SO far I adore this bike. Comfortable and and with the upgraded suspension handles like a dream. I have a couple questions I though I might get answered.

Neutral Kill Switch - What is the deal with having to have the bike in neutral to start it? I understand having a kickstand kill switch but having to have it in neutral? :unsure: Is there a way to disable this feature so you have to have the clutch in but not in neutral to start the bike? My Gold Wing operates this way.

Heat - SO I've read the numerous heat thread but thought why not start another. My bike runs at 220 all the time. It cooks my legs when in jeans but with my riding pants it is ok. Is this really to hot for the Viffer?

I hope to add to the discussions going forward and look forward to meeting and riding with several of you.

David

 

Hello David,
I have a 08, with the kick stand down I have to put mine in neutral, with kick stand up I just clutch it and it starts up. The heat during the peak of summer heat is 220-225, with Traffic can be 230. Yes mine does get hot and I try to void traffic stop and go's.

Welcome to the board.

 

Thanks for the welcome.

I have to have mine in neutral whether the kickstand is up or down. It is weird. I have the tendency to kill the bike at stop lights and I have to search for neutral to re-start. I'm worried I am going to get run over while I search.

I guess I could just learn to ride :wink:

 

That is not the issue. The bike will start fine in neutral but will not start in any other gear. SO lets say I am in second riding along and I accidentally hit the kill switch. The bike dies...right. So now I want to restart it. On all other bikes I switch the kill switch back to on then pull the clutch and hit the starter. The bike starts and away I ride. With the Viffer I have to turn the kill switch back on pull the clutch in then "find neutral" hit the started and up shift back to there I was. My bike will not start unless the gear is in neutral.

Make sense?

 

Makes perfect sense, i think he means exactly what you're saying about your other bikes. I know on my 98 so long as the kick stand is up i can pull in the clutch and start the bike while in a gear...Seems as though something is goofed on yours...? I'm fairly new to them as well so maybe I'm wrong and the 01s are like that? I'm sure somone can answer definitively. Welcome!

 

Yes, the bike should start with the clutch in.
Heat-the bike does run on the hot side, but...a good flush of the coolant system and a new thermostat is in order for a 2001. I just did my 2000 a couple months ago and dropped 10-20 degrees while on the open road and sheds heat faster when it does get warm. The thermo is located under the throttle body so it is a super pain in the butt to change. Worth the trouble though for the health of the bike.

 

I suspect you have something wrong. I know for certain my '07 does not have to be in neutral because I always park it in gear. I haven't seen anything on here that would make me think other years are different.

 

Welcome!
As far as the heat issue...it is pretty normal. And if it makes you wear riding pants and leave the jeans behind then it is a GOOD thing. Riding jeans when riding is (IMHO) the worse thing you can ever do.
Enjoy the forum...I hope you get the starting issue figured out.

 

Your problem is probably that you either have an aftermarket clutch lever (known to not engage the clutch switch), faulty switch, disconnect wires at switch or bad connections in the harness......

 

I've had my 2000 a couple weeks now. If it's above 90 degrees outside and I'm on the open freeway 60mph +, it's at 195-205 degrees. In traffic on a 90 degree or hotter day, I'm at 215-225 with the fan kicking on/off. I haven't seen anything hotter than 225 yet but I imaging if it was 100+ degrees out I'd hit 225 no problem. If it's in the lower 80s I'm at 180-190 degrees. I've read a lot about this and seems pretty normal. When it's hot out, my right leg cooks in traffic or sitting at a light.

 

if you want to bypass the kickstand switch there is a green connecter behind the coolant resovior that can be shorted however I feel ist is a good saftey feature to keep the switch. I just replaced mine ant the cost for the part at my local dealer was $36.98. It took me all of 10 minutes to install it.

 

It sounds like you have a bad switch at the clutch lever. Your bike should start in any gear with the clutch pulled in and the sidestand up.

 

Yeah I won't disconnect. I have a friend that disconnected his and he totaled his bike. He was going around a left corner and the stand was down. He didn't know it and it wrecked. totaled his Duc.

 

I've got a uk model 2000 vfr, whilst thumbing through the manual I noticed that there is a diode located in the fuse box, 'the diode is part of the safety circuit which prevents the engine starting if in gear unless the clutch is pulled in.....'

So my guess is it's either the clutch micro switch or the diode at fault assuming your wiring is ok.

The diode and the clutch switch can be tested with an ohmmeter.
You should hear the switch click when you pull in the clutch lever, if it does you'll know it is mechanically ok, unplug the 2 wires and check for continuity when the lever is in and open circuit when the lever is out.

the diode has markings on it showing which way electricity is allowed to flow, it's like a one way valve

Hope this helps to shed some light.

 

Can someone do me a huge favor and check to see if their sidestand switch has 3 wires going to it or two? Mine has 2 but the switch on the goldwing is the same and it has 3. I tried switching out the switches and it still did not work. I think the previous owner may have removed a wire but I am not sure.

 

two wires on my 98 solid green and green with a white stripe

 

Thank you Very Helpful.

 

HAHA Found the problem!!!!

As someone stated above the issue was the clutch switch. The clutch lever was not engaging it all the way. I adjusted the clutch lever and whalla - issue gone.

Next!!!!