I figured it out.

How? Because I am OFFICIALLY a dinosaur.

Not by age, but by my knowledge and experience... See, I took my bike (2014 Slim) to work the other day and when I came out to ride home, it would not start. Lights came on, everything worked but the starter button. I hit the start button and nothing... I mean diddly, zippo, nada. Quiet.

Thinking my battery was going (which I've been thinking since late last year), I got a ride from my son and bought a new battery.

Same. Damn. Thing.

I'm thinking the starter switch has gone bad or there's a wire that's broken. I am staring at the bike for ten minutes, trying everything I can think of... When it dawns on me.

This is the first bike I've ever owned with a neutral lock out/safety switch thingamajig.

Sure as the sky is blue... Pop it into neutral and she fires right up. My son got a good laugh at me. Called me a rookie. That's when I laughed and explained that all my old bikes just tried to start in gear. He looked at me... Well, like I was a dinosaur.


That's when I realized, they died out because they couldn't get their dang bikes to start.

 

Would it still not start if you pulled the clutch in?

 

21 in the attached drawing is the switch:

http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche....0TURN%20SIGNAL

 

It probably would have... But, I'm so not used to it, it just didn't occur to me.

I'll have to run out and test it in a few minutes. Although, I would swear I ran into this once on my wife's 48 and pulling in the clutch didn't help. That time I remembered, or maybe didn't think about it and bumped it into neutral. I can't remember now.


Either way, I thought it was funny enough to make fun of myself and put it here, online, hoping I will remember next time due to my shame! LOL

 

Not to worry you old dinosaur, crap happens to both of us dinosaurs

 

After I had some recall work done a while back I sat in the parking lot wondering why it wouldn't start. After a while I realized they had turned the switch on the handlebars off too, which I never do. Felt pretty dumb after that one.

 

You use "so" like a millenial, I think you'll be fine

 

Actually you're not a dinosaur. You're suffering from CRS.

 

Battery can be checked by any auto parts store w/o removing anything from your bike! They have to attach clamp of their tester to starter thick wire and any frame bolt.
At the same time they can check your alternator and starter. They will not know specs, you need to know
battery cca
starter amps
alternator voltage
maybe some more

 

I'm reminded of the many times I've gone out to the garage with the car keys in my pocket and wondered why the bike wouldn't start.