Embarrassing lesson learned.

Finished my long night shift this morning, 12 hours, no sleep in the preceding day either so I am fairly tired. I walk out to the Silver Wing, looking forward to my commute home and bed.

'Wing' is parked in total and complete darkness at the rear of the building I work in so everything is done by feel and touch. Pull in the left brake lever, press the starter - nothing. Lights dim but no start. Did this several times before giving up. Helmet off, gloves off and retire into the office to consider my actions.

Usual experts tell me of their diagnosis, flat battery, loose wire etc. All I want to do is get home and bed 24 plus hours without sleep I am not at my best. Out Honda Assist card and a phone call the Rescue Centre for assistance. Next call to my wife to appraise he I wont be home at usual time.

As promised the Rescue chap arrived on time, he tries to start with same results as me, next he checks battery strength, that's ok too! I am distracted by one of my work colleagues when I hear the sound of a Silver Wing engine. Great - I'll be home within the hour.

What was the problem. As if you haven't already guessed.

Yes! I never checked the kill switch! You would have needed ear protection for the next few minutes. ~Did I swear - just a little.

However! I am quite anal about my procedures and I always put my switches back to there proper place when leaving the bike and car. I distinctly remember using the kill switch to shut down last night, by the same token I also remember putting the kill switch back to it's normal setting.

Now where my 'Wing' is parked up is dark, but it is also the location my smoking buddies use for their hourly intake of nicotine. I can only assume, hate assumptions, that one of them sat on the bike and inadvertently knocked the kill switch.

A big lesson learned. When tired take more time in thinking through simple problems and check ALL switches.

Now that admission written from some one who has recently been accused of being perfect!!

Hope some one as well as me may learn from my simple error. I am grateful it wasn't anything more serious if I am honest with myself.

Hope you all have a better day than the one I have started!!

I would suggest that most of us have experienced a moment of panic when the gear is back on and the scoot doesn't start - especially when the group you are with is disappearing down the road - the rush of relief when the kill switch was the problem. In my case I had just picked up my slightly used Aprilia Scarabeo and it the prior two weeks 2 fuses had blown on my driveway and then on the first group ride no fire!!! Been lucky in that no further blown fuses in the last 3 years but a few resets on the kill switch have been required. There is a bit of humor now looking back but not at the time.

Thanks for sharing

Rick V

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Better the switch than kickstand culprit

I once heard some idiot Bikers saying how they thought it was really funny to go along a row of parked bikes and turn all the kill switches on. I wasn't near enough to say anything but, i guess we will never be free of idiots like these.It would have been a real problem for me now as, i just put Handlebar Muffs on for the coming colder weather.

Better the switch than kickstand culprit

I've done both.

Also managed to flick the switch whilst on the move (quite fast) in traffic because of the handlebar muffs. Not funny!

I know how you feel Waspie, when I first got my S/Wing, I was also having starting problems, come to find out, I was'nt squeezing the left brake past the second click. Ride Safe...Robert in Az.

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Good idea.
My excuse is that the heated grips switch was just above the kill switch on the X9.
It was a very chilly day and after dark.

Bit more!

On the way home yesterday I noticed a squeaky rattle from the handle bar area I hadn't noticed before. So I decided this morning to have a delve!

I noticed immediately the plastics around the handle bars was loose! Strange!!! It, (the centre plastic shroud,) wasn't correctly located under the ignition barrel and I was able to lift it gently away from the ignition barrel mount, plastic was secure everywhere else.

So I removed all the plastics, again courtesy of a link on this site. Thank you.

https://www.silverwing600.com/t181-i-adjusted-my-handlebars-today#814

(Click on JeffR's link to a Pdf document)

Replaced all the plastic and ensured it was all firmly relocated correctly. Now, the plastics are solidly held in place.

Me-thinks my first thoughts about someone fiddling in the dark may be closer to the truth.

Mm. Very suspicious!
Glad it's sorted now, Doug.

I bought a new Kawasaki Z750 twin just after I passed my bike test back in the 1970's, after a few hundred miles it developed a sticking exhaust valve on one cylinder and used to cut out. The dealer gave me a Suzuki GT500 two-stroke twin to ride while they fixed it, it was a really nice bike to ride too.

After a couple of weeks, I rode down to the dealers about 40 miles away and picked up the Kawa which had been repaired, rode home and later went off on night shift. The next morning as I was riding home it started cutting out on one cylinder again. Luckily I managed to get to a nearby village and found a telephone box and called the dealer.

Two mechanics in a van arrived over a hour later and none too pleased about being called out. They started the bike and it cut out within a few seconds, then they started it and it happened again. Then one of them fiddled about for a few seconds, started the bike and started revving the engine, it didn't cut out, then he went for a short ride on it.

He had cured the fault by switching the petrol tap to reserve, , needless to say I was cringing with embarrassment. If the village cafe had been open I'd have bought them breakfast, as it was I apologised profusely for my errors, put on my helmet and probably singed the liner with my burning ears and rode off home.

Meldrew wrote:

as it was I apologised profusely for my errors, put on my helmet and probably singed the liner with my burning ears and rode off home.

That was me yesterday morning. It didn't matter how much the AA guy said - "it happens" I feel felt a right plonker for not spotting what should have been the obvious!

Oh yes .... a few times I've forgotten to LOOK at the gas gauge until it is SOOOO LOOOWWW!! Luckily, I haven't run out or anything, but I HAVE had to put 3.3 gal into a 3 gallon tank!!!

Nuttin worse than going out to saddle up the Swing and IT WON'T START!! And then when it is something like kickstand, kill switch or low fuel .... wellllll

Took the church crew up the Feather River Canyon this last summer...there were about 8 of us riding Harleys, Goldwings, Suzuki Boulevards and, of course, my SWing.

We stopped in Quincy for lunch, then continued east on 70, intending to go out to 49 and back to Sacramento through Downieville and Nevada City. Somewhere along the line, we got turned around and we stopped in Portola to ask directions. I came out of the building, put on my gloves, turned the key, grabbed the left brake handle, hit the starter and ... nothing. Checked the key position...definitely on and lights were bright. Checked the kill switch...was on...cycled it and tried again...nothing. Starting to panic a bit...the guys were making several suggestions, but nothing seemed to work. I decided to dig the tools and flashlight out of the storage compartment and went to put the side stand down and then realized...it was already down. Retracted the side stand and the bike started right up.

Caught some hoorah from the guys about that one....

Ha Ha. Live and learn. sounds like something I have done

Bin there, done that got a tshirt for it ------