Starting Woes.....

Grumpy · 29-10-2019, 08:52 PM

About 7 weeks ago I wheeled the 12r out of the garage for an evening run out.
Key in the ignition, turned the bike on, the electrics carried out their normal checks, pressed the starter button.....nothing! Checked all the fuses( which not all in one place!) all ok.Took the starter button off the bars checked for broken wires, dirty connections...nothing obvious.Examined any electrical connections which are exposed to the elements, all clean with good connection.
So went back to the starter cluster blew canned air into the switch..bingo bike fired up.
The 12r started on the button for the next couple of weeks.
Wheeled the bike out on a Saturday planning to meet Gazza and Dacs for breakfast, same again the electrics carried out their checks before pressing the starter button.....nothing....grrrr!
Bike out back in garage, bemmer wheeled out for a rapid ride to sunny Norfolk.
Due to commitments ( in a plumbing and heating engineer....this time of year is silly season) finally checked the bike over on Sunday. I was convinced the problem was the starter button, so took apart and cleaned with contact cleaner, didn't work.
Checked all the connections all ok.
The bike was collected by the local Ducati dealer today, 2 hrs later I received a call to say the switch was faulty. The off part of the circuit was permanently life.
New switch was only £50! Plus fitting.
I'm keeping the old switch to see if it's repairable.

Mr Gazza · 29-10-2019, 09:02 PM

Well I'm glad you've got it sorted.
If you were able to "mend" it once by doing something, if unknown. Then it must be repairable properly, as the off part of the circuit is not permanently live at all, but intermittently live. Just a matter of some logical testing. Sounds like a bare terminal touching something it shouldn't, to me. Or perhaps a piece of metal detritus floating about and shorting, that you jiggled with the air before?

Grumpy · 29-10-2019, 09:47 PM

I agree with your thinking Gary. Having looked at the switch whilst off the bars, it's a pressed fit item where part of the assembly covers the starter button. Once the faulty switch is back with me I'm going to strip apart to see what if any part is broken, or see if a wire has come adrift.If it's repairable, the switch will be fixed and stored as a spare.

29-10-2019, 08:52 PM	#1
Grumpy record breaker!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peterborough Bike: M1200R Posts: 2,154	Starting Woes..... About 7 weeks ago I wheeled the 12r out of the garage for an evening run out. Key in the ignition, turned the bike on, the electrics carried out their normal checks, pressed the starter button.....nothing! Checked all the fuses( which not all in one place!) all ok.Took the starter button off the bars checked for broken wires, dirty connections...nothing obvious.Examined any electrical connections which are exposed to the elements, all clean with good connection. So went back to the starter cluster blew canned air into the switch..bingo bike fired up. The 12r started on the button for the next couple of weeks. Wheeled the bike out on a Saturday planning to meet Gazza and Dacs for breakfast, same again the electrics carried out their checks before pressing the starter button.....nothing....grrrr! Bike out back in garage, bemmer wheeled out for a rapid ride to sunny Norfolk. Due to commitments ( in a plumbing and heating engineer....this time of year is silly season) finally checked the bike over on Sunday. I was convinced the problem was the starter button, so took apart and cleaned with contact cleaner, didn't work. Checked all the connections all ok. The bike was collected by the local Ducati dealer today, 2 hrs later I received a call to say the switch was faulty. The off part of the circuit was permanently life. New switch was only £50! Plus fitting. I'm keeping the old switch to see if it's repairable. __________________ It's not the destination, but the journey that matters Definition of a motorbike, a devise for overtaking cars!

29-10-2019, 09:02 PM	#2
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,806	Well I'm glad you've got it sorted. If you were able to "mend" it once by doing something, if unknown. Then it must be repairable properly, as the off part of the circuit is not permanently live at all, but intermittently live. Just a matter of some logical testing. Sounds like a bare terminal touching something it shouldn't, to me. Or perhaps a piece of metal detritus floating about and shorting, that you jiggled with the air before? __________________

29-10-2019, 09:47 PM	#3
Grumpy record breaker!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peterborough Bike: M1200R Posts: 2,154	I agree with your thinking Gary. Having looked at the switch whilst off the bars, it's a pressed fit item where part of the assembly covers the starter button. Once the faulty switch is back with me I'm going to strip apart to see what if any part is broken, or see if a wire has come adrift.If it's repairable, the switch will be fixed and stored as a spare. __________________ It's not the destination, but the journey that matters Definition of a motorbike, a devise for overtaking cars!