No ground to e-start?

Adamantium

Adamantium

Been Around the Block
Is the ground to the handlebar controls the handlebar itself? I have no ground for my e-start or horn. However, my signals and headlight work just fine. I cant find a straight answer no matter how much I google. Ive tried everything to get a ground, Ive scraped away paint even. I can get continuity from the fork tube, and bolt on the fork clamp, but nothing from the barclamp or bar itself. Im lost.
 
Short answer, no. All of your grounds from forward controls likely go back to main frame. Due to grease and bearings at the steering neck, anything forward will not ground well unless you add a ground strap. Typically, your harnesses will go down under the tank and have disconnects there. If you cant isolate the problem, pull new wires back to the frame under the tank. Good luck. :)
 
I forgot to mention, many handle bars are rubber mounted and would definitely not ground.
 
First it depends on the bike, and 2nd, chances are yes the housing might be grounded back to the harness with a wire.

That being said, a wiring diagram will tell you for sure, and a simple continuity test between the handlebar and the frame or engine will tell you if your bars are in fact a ground. You can do the test from the housing to the frame as well.

I'm pretty sure that on some bikes the switch housing is indeed the 'ground'. Every Honda CB123 does not have rubber mounted handlebars and they would definitely have continuity to the frame.
 
Ive done many continuity tests, and have no ground from the handlebars.
In each forward control, the wiring diagram just has a ground icon at the point of the control. I dont know what that indicates because there is no ground wire. The e-start is only a green/pink wire I believe, which led me to believe it would ground through the housing to the handlebar. But I guess not.
This 72CB450 does have rubber mounts in the triple, but also had a 3 inch long wire going from the back of the speedo to the triple, which I thought would provide a ground of some sort. It was hooked up. I have the lights in the gauges, my signals light up (but not flash, I dont have front signals yet if that matters) and all 3 positions on the headlight work. So how does only half of my electrical work in the housings? I cant figure it.
Ive been doing all my continuity tests from various points to the engine.
At one point the estart did work by moving the RH control around on the bar, it got to a certain point and the starter would work, then it just stopped and that was the end. Which moved me to gently kick start it instead (see below how that went)
I did at one point see a tiny spark where the housing made contact with ground away paint on my bar, when the estart would work.
As far as I know there is only one fuse in the system. A 15A, I replaced it, but nothing changed.
The other issue, maybe its related, is that my kickstart has basically bottomed out and will not return, so I doubt my clutch is doing anything at this point as my cable is slack until I can somehow get it started. I can get through all the gears by shifting and turning the wheel.

Thanks so much,
 
The buttons are grounded to the housing which is grounded to the bars which is grounded to the triple tree with a grounding strap.

There should be a wire that comes from the bottom of the riser and goes to your triple tree somewhere. If your bars are not grounded, the buttons won't work. Your headlight is grounded elsewhere and will not be effected by the lack of ground.

I don't think there was another wire from the tree to the frame or harness, but I may be mistaken. I think the triple is just grounded through contact to the headstock. If your bars are not grounded, figure out a way to make them so.
 
I have the wire we speak of connected where it should be but the ground still isn't making its way through. I'm going to file off some paint and powdercoat on the riser and try to make a connection. Theres nothing else I can think of hindering the ground
 
If your bars are heavily painted or powdercoated, that my be the problem.
 
You could trying temporarily running a wire from the riser to the switch housing. If it is the bars, just remove some paint at the contact points.
 
Just a thought, Are you sure your starter is good? Or the starter solenoid? I have similar issue I have yet to address on my KZ400. I have been kicking it.
 
I replaced the bar with a non painted one, filed down the powder on the riser clamps, and behold all my ground problems went away. Thanks for the combined efforts!
Now, on to the stuck clutch plates/kickstarter problem.
 
Regarding your stuck clutch. I trick you can try is to zip tie the clutch lever in while the bike is not in use.This removes pressure from the plates and allows them to free up. I kept one on my triumph like a factory installed option before I tore it down. I am confident after I rebuild the engine and trans, replace the clutch and use the proper oil it will no longer stick! haha
 
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