[ChiliPepperGarage]

imported post

I have to be in neutral to start. I have had Harley's since 1976 and every one could start in gear. Having to start in neutral is a pain in the butt! I went for a ride today to get some seat time with the sidecar rig. With the extra weight, it puts a strain on the drive train so you have to slip the clutch a bit. So I'm sitting at a light with my dog in the car and a hottie is walking by says "nice bike". I smile and try to be cool to ease up beside to ask her if she wants a ride. Sure enough, I kill the engine. She's walking off, I can't find neutral, cars behind me are honking and driving around! I look like a dork! :shock::baffled:



I did a search but couldn't find anything. Is there a way to bypass the neutral switch?

 

[Popeye]

imported post

My 1500SE starts in gear if clutch is pulled in & sidestand is up.

:stumped:

 

[tdbieber]

imported post

I don't know what year you have, but mine is a 99 and all I have to do is pull in the clutch. I am sure some others will jump in here with some better tech advice. IMHO bypassing any safety switch is not advisable, but then my career is safety. Find the root of the problem and fix than instead of trying to bypass something that was installed to prevent an injury. As for the dork look and the hottie! Oh well, she probably was very shallow! LOL

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

imported post

tdbieber wrote:

As for the dork look and the hottie! Oh well, she probably was very shallow! LOL

That's okay, so am I! :cheeky1:

The bike is a 1990 GL1500 SE. I just bought it a couple weeks ago and don't know much about it. The side stand is always up because it has a sidecar. I see a switch that the sidestand trips when down. Maybe that's bad. I'll have to check it.

 

[kyboy67]

imported post

I just posted this same problem a couple of days ago,
go back a couple of pages and look for topic:
Start in gear........

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

imported post

I did a search on "start in gear" and couldn't find anything. I just read through the owners manual and it says sidestand must be up in order to start in gear (witch clutch lever pulled in) so it must be a bad stand switch. I'll check it tomorrow.

 

[Dusty Boots]

imported post

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum4/56746.html

 

[Kit Carson]

imported post

Any bike with the safety switches will not start in gear if one of the switches is dirty or defective. If the bike starts in neutral and the light comes on it is not the neutral or gear position sensor, most likely it is the clutch switch , and can be the side stand switch also. Normally it is the clutch switch. My 1800 is relatively new and it has started acting stupid, it is the clutch switch, plan to order a new one Monday.

Kit

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

imported post

Thanks, Kit. I can hear two "clicks" when I pull in the clutch lever. I guess I have to put an ohm meter / continuity tester on each switch to see if they are working or not.

 

[Reitzclean]

imported post

great info. I'm having the same problem. will check it out tomorrow. What a great forum

 

[Kit Carson]

imported post

ChiliPepperGarage wrote:

Thanks, Kit. I can hear two "clicks" when I pull in the clutch lever. I guess I have to put an ohm meter / continuity tester on each switch to see if they are working or not.

yea mine clicks but does not quack!! I have to work the lever several times to make it work as of late.