Burgman 650 Starter Switch FIX YOURSELF

[Paul 38Burg650 07]

Headlight and Starter Switch Problems are related, at least they were on my 650 Burgman 2007.

I think I have it fixed permanently with a simple do it yourself fix - no problems for several months now and I ride a lot - 27000 miles since March of 2009.

Mine started with intermittent operation of the Start Button - I had to push the Black button just right to get a start. I did this for a couple days, but it was geting harder to do. I do not know if lights were acting up at the time as I mostly rdie in the daylight - but I discovered later that they were intermittent when I was parked in the garage.

Anyway, I disassembled the handle bar assembly with the Start Button to get to the internal assembly that contains the terminals involved with Start and Headlight and the slide assembly that moves back and forth when you push the Start Black Button.

As you likely know when you push in the button to START, the headlamps go out. Then when you release the button the headlights come back on. NORMAL OPERATION.

The Black Starter Buttton pushes on a small White button (about a 3/16 inch square shaped) behind the Black one. The small White one is part of a slide assembly about 1/2 inch square that slides back and forth as you push the White button (controlled by the black button pushing on it). There is a spring on the back side of the slide assembly that pushes it back when you release the black button. That is a horizontal spring.

Now for the real probblem --- That slide assembly has in it a copper strip (I liken it to a staple shaped copper strip) that sits in a grove cut in the plastic slide assembly. The copper strip is pushed up from underneath by a very small spring (verrtical spring and easy to loose) that is also in that grove. The copper strip makes contact with two sets of contacts above it. Two at the back for start and two at the front for lights.

When the black button is pushed in, the slide assemble slides to the back position and the cooper strip is pushed by it's underneath spring against the two contacts at the back of the whole assembly and make contact with the starter circuit. When the black button is released, the slide assembly is returned to the out position by a spring at the back of the slide. Then the copper strip is pushed up by it's spring against the two terminals for the Headlight circuit.

I diagnosed my problem as --- The cooper strip (staple shaped copper thing) was not free to move up and down in the grove it sits in as it is too tight a fit. So, it was causing the slide asssembly to hang up and not return to it's position and made it dificult to push in to the starter contacts.

I fixed --- by removing the copper staple shaped strip out of the slide asembly(BE CAREFUL DO NOT LOOSE THE TINY SPRING PUSHING IT UP). I then carved the groove it sits in out a little by sraping it with a sharp knife. I also bent and filed lightly on the staple shaped Copper strip to make it fit in the groove better (a more lose fit so it's spring could push it Up and DOWN. This also makes it more free to ride over the terminals it makes contact with and any rough spots in the assemble.

Put it all back together. However, I left the Black button out so I could watch the White button on the slide assembly to see if the slide assembly was returning to it's out position. I just use tip of finger to push the white button in to the start position.

Maybe put the black button back in some day. But, one good thing about being able to reach the white button is - you could reach in and pull it out with needle nose pliars if it got stuck in the IN (start position) or stuck in between as mine semed to be doing.

BY THE WAY - if you have the Black button in and the slide assembly does not return to it's out position the Black button will feel loose (no spring tension pushing it back out). So, you would know what is happening, but you would not be able to pull the White button and it's slide assembly out with a needle nose pliars.Paul 38Burg650 07
Gold Member


Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 22:25 22
My Ride: Burgman 650
Year model: 2007
Purchase date: 06 Apr 2009
Current mileage: 3000
E-mail Paul 38Burg650 07

[waynevb]

Hi I have the same starter problem. I pulled the switch apart cleaned it up now I can't work out how the white plastic with the contacts goes back under the hazard warning light switch.

Does anyone have a picture of how it all fits back together?

I have a 2005-2006 model, hopefully they are all similar...

Oops!

Thanks folks in advance.

[Buffalo]

This thread has pictures of the switch taken apart, maybe it will help.

[Paul 38Burg650 07]

I do not remember seeing or being concerned about the Hazard Switch when I had my assembly taken apart in terms of the function of the starter and headlights. Wondering if you are saying you have the assembly apart and do not know how to get it back together.

The picture on the Thread mentioned by the other response is at this link and might help.

http://picasaweb.google.com/NealsWebPic ... irectlink#

The white plastic on the left picture is showing the Cooper Strip (staple shaped thing) that is in the grove of the small white plastic piece that slides horizontally when you push on the white button at the top of the picture (it gets pushed by the black button that your finger pushes on when you start the Scooter). The slide then returns to the headlight position by force of the two springs shown in the left picture at the bottom of the picture.

The copper strip has a tendency to stick (meaning it will not move vertically up and down in the groove) The pressure of the spring in the groove under the copper strip should push it up and it should also be free enough to move back down in the grove when something is pushing it from above, like the contacts or any roughness of the assembly as the slide moves back and forth. Oterwise, as in my case where the slide hung up kind of in between the start position and the headlight positiion.

The copper strip has to make contact with 2 of the 4 terminals when it is under a set of terminals (Terminals are the contacts shown in the right picture on the black plastic piece). Those four terminals (contacts) on the black plastic in the right hand picture are used as pairs - one pair turns on the headlights when the copper strip in the white slide is under that pair and the spring pushes the copper strip up to the terminals. The other pair completes the starter circuit when the copper strip is under them and is pushed up against them by the srping under the copper strip.

Basically, it is a flimsy design as evidenced by all the problems folks have. I have never had a problem with the start button in 150000 miles of use of two other MCs ( A Honda VLX 600 and a Kawasaki 80 classic ). Maybe this unit is a one of a kind for the Suzuki Scooter - wonder how their MCs do?

I hope that helps you understand the opeation (which you may all ready know) or if you are having a problem putting it all back together. Not sure I can help with that.

[waynevb]

Thanks everyone for the help.

I figured out how to put it all back together. My problem wasn't actually fixed by cleaning up the slide and contacts although the act of loosening the bolts of the handlebar assembly caused the slide to free up.

After I put the switch assembly back together, the starter still would not operate. Finally I tried holding the RH front brake lever and pressing the start button. The starter operates OK using the RH lever. Awkward but functional,

The LH brake lever operates the brake lights, so it's not a bad switch. My only thought is that the current is slightly less using the LH lever and this affects the relay operation that enables the starter. The problem is very intermittent and one time out of two the LH lever allows the starter to operate, usually after running the engine.

My assumption is that it's an effect of slightly low battery level which reduces the current.

[gdawg]

I didnt read everything, but scanned it pretty good

The stromtroopers website has a lot of guys putting in a bypass relay for this same issuse, not sure if the wiring harness would work on the burgmans or not tho, but its a big enough problem someone came up with a perm fix for it.

[Big-D]

After reading, printing and examining this procedure, I thought I'd give it a try because my 2007 650 is experiencing the exact problem that started immediately after visiting my local self-serve car wash. I checked fuses, although the chance of both High & Low beam fuses going out together are slim, checked both blubs, again chances of both high/low beam on both blubs going out are also slim at the same time. If I had got water inside something causing a short, the fuse would have gone out, but it didn't.
Here is what I did to make this job really easy. I took out the two main screws holding the starter button grip assembly together out. I pulled the switch partly apart and sprayed a healthy heaping of brake cleaner inside the switch, while holding a rag underneath to catch the mess. Then I immediately dried it out with my air hose. Put the switch/grip assembly back together and it worked perfectly. No messing with springs, buttons or wires. Brake cleaner will clean damn near anything and leaves NO residue. With an air hose, it dries almost immediately. It works better than electronic cleaner on electrical parts and once dried, its gone. Took me about 4 minutes and now its fixed.
HINT: Always keep a few cans of brake cleaner around for cleaning almost anything. Just don't spray it on anything hot, cause it will burn like there is no tomorrow. Does not matter what brand you buy, its all the same. Great stuff for cleaning almost anything. Won't damage like acetone will.

[MJR]

There are some parts inside I'd bet that need some lubrication for the detents and pivots. At least you might be able to get good brake cleaner where you are but not so in California where the cleaners were all reformulated with acetone crap, thanks CARB!

[frostman]

I solved the problem by cutting the headlite wire to the switch and running it through a toggle switch that I added to the dash panel to turn the head lites off and on and relieving the starter switch from carrying the load that caused the plastic insert behind the button to warp and stick. This also allowed me to turn the headlights off and leave more watts to run extra electric garments without running down the battery. Works great !

[burg650]

If the problem is with the starter switch button and if it is effecting the lights as well does this mean you will not have either low or high beams working

[peelbrow]

I solved the problem by cutting the headlite wire to the switch and running it through a toggle switch that I added to the dash panel to turn the head lites off and on and relieving the starter switch from carrying the load that caused the plastic insert behind the button to warp and stick. This also allowed me to turn the headlights off and leave more watts to run extra electric garments without running down the battery. Works great !

I too did this. I can now control when my headlights are are on or off. (see pix - it's the switch on the air-filter/fusebox cover - which also neatly solves any problems with losing the cover) Kenp

[ErikDK]

Say after me, 10 times, Peelbrow and frostman: "SMIDSY"

Sorry, mate. Didn't see you.
Maybe it would have helped if your mandatory headlights had been turned on?

The only sane way of relieving load off the puny array of contacts is to install relays for the headlights.

[peelbrow]

Say after me, 10 times, Peelbrow and frostman: "SMIDSY"

Sorry, mate. Didn't see you.
Maybe it would have helped if your mandatory headlights had been turned on?

Never jump to conclusions! I ALWAYS ride with my headlights on. I just need to control them for some other circumstances. Also, I always wear bright visible riding gear. Kenp

[jazzme]

Do you have a link to a schematic to by-pass the head light switch? Which wire is it and where is it running? I would be interested in this fix too because this has been an on going problem for me. Taking that switch apart is a real pain in the doopa. I wonder what the cost of replacement would be?

[frostman]

Whatever floats your boats - we all have our own viewpoint as to what is useful and necessary. One must evaluate individually and follow your conscience. I know what's good for me and don't expect everyone to agree.

[peelbrow]

Do you have a link to a schematic to by-pass the head light switch? Which wire is it and where is it running? I would be interested in this fix too because this has been an on going problem for me

Remove the fusebox/air filter cover and then pull out the fusebox (it just pulls out) Turn it over so that you can identify the wire colours going into it. Search out the ALL YELLOW wire (be careful - there is a yellow/white also) Snip this all-yellow wire and connect a 10A single throw single pole switch to the two cut ends. My switch is on the cover itself (which has the added advantage that should it flirt off while riding it would be restrained by the switch wires.) Kenp

[jazzme]

Sorry if my next comment makes me sound electrically challenged. How will putting a switch between the yellow wire and the fuse box solve the problem of power not coming out of the start switch? Perhaps a look at a wiring diagram would help me understand better. Seems to me that this would only serve to cancel the "always on" headlights.

[MJR]

Sorry if my next comment makes me sound electrically challenged. How will putting a switch between the yellow wire and the fuse box solve the problem of power not coming out of the start switch? Perhaps a look at a wiring diagram would help me understand better. Seems to me that this would only serve to cancel the "always on" headlights.

I assume he turns off the headlamps prior to pushing the start button and then turns the light back on. Power still runs through the start button but the contacts don't break/connect the load under power.

[ErikDK]

Sorry if my next comment makes me sound electrically challenged. How will putting a switch between the yellow wire and the fuse box solve the problem of power not coming out of the start switch? Perhaps a look at a wiring diagram would help me understand better. Seems to me that this would only serve to cancel the "always on" headlights.

You are absolutely correct.

[jazzme]

My problem is that the lights do not come back on after starting. Problem appears to be in the contacts for the lights in the start switch. I'm thinking about by-passing the start switch and using a toggle switch for the lights. Would putting a switch between a 12v source and the yellow wire to the fuse panel solve this?

[Beauty]

I watched while this switch was taken apart, cleaned and reassembled on both my Silverwing scooter and Burgman (which solved the Starter/headlight issues.) I now have contact cleaner AND a whole switch assembly (new - not needed bc the cleaning worked) I do not need. (And no garage for storage of any of it ;-/)

Good for yas who can DIY.

[degreentx]

Thanks for the good information, Paul38Burg650 and Big-D.

I've been suffering from ignition/light switch problems as well. My problem has been getting the headlights to come on all the time. I've taken the switch apart, cleaned and lubricated it, three times over the past three years. Now the lights aren't coming on all the time again. I'll take it all apart again this week and give good consideration to Paul38Burg650's suggestion.

[MJR]

I must say what a piece of crap that spring loaded contact is. It's a piece of thin metal folded over unlike a solid thicker piece as I've seen in better switches. Anyway here's a couple of photos.

Dirty switches


Starter switch all apart and cleaned up


All back together, cleaned, sanded, and fresh dielectric grease

[degreentx]

Great pictures, MJR.

[Paul 38Burg650 07]

I must say what a piece of crap that spring loaded contact is. It's a piece of thin metal folded over unlike a solid thicker piece as I've seen in better switches. Anyway here's a couple of photos.

Dirty switches


Starter switch all apart and cleaned up


All back together, cleaned, sanded, and fresh dielectric grease

GREAT PICTURES --- That staple looking copper contact is what I reshaped slightly (bent staple ends in and compressed the sides of the horizontal part so it is a bit smaller and fits loosely in the plastic groove). I also cleaned and lightly scraped the groove to make it easy for the copper staple to move up and down. So far (I think 20 0r 30000 mmiles) - no problems.