new here. need help on electrical on 86 vs700

[Figglewiggle]

Hello all, I recently picked up a 86 vs700 and am trying to get it running. the previous owner had no idea why it quit as he loaned it to a friend while out of the country. now it has sat for about a year and i am hoping to get it running with some help from yall fine people. I am fairly competent in builing and fixing motorycle mechanicals but am pretty dumb when it comes to electrical. the bar perch mounts were all busted so i pulled them off and have all starting related wire stripped and labeled for start, kill, turn, clutch safety.....when i first got the bike, i thought it to be the starter solenoid, so i replaced that. still no luck when i connect the two starter wires from the perch button. I am working with 12v via jumpers from an auto battery. could this be the issue? i dont really wanna spend too much on this thing until i know i can get it running. any help is greatly appreciated

[FallenAngel]

Do any of the lights on the dash come on??
Do you have a tail light when the ignition is in the park position and tail light and head light in the run position

Do you have power at the starter solenoid

If the answer is no to these questions check your grounds and battery connections

My guess is the ground

On of the best diagnostic tools I have is a "power probe"
There about 100 bucks for the basic tool and much better then a test light But you can do alot with a test light

[Figglewiggle]

There is power to the solenoid, dash lights all come on. Tail light comes on, brake light comes on when I connect front brake lever wires. If I jump the solenoid it turns over? Could be a faulty new solenoid?

[Herb]

I gather you have power to the start switch.

Looking at a diagram in the manual:

After that the start signal goes throught the clutch interlock switch and then to the start solenoid.

I am not sure but somewhre in the 86-88 time frame they also added interlocks on the kickstand and the transmisson so that it won't run with the kickstand down unless it is in neutral. If it has those interlocks either one, or both of them can be bad.

My first inclination is the clutch switch because it is one thing I have had problems with on both of my 1400's.

[Figglewiggle]

Yes. Power to starter switch wire. Bike is in neutral. I have the clutch switch wires twisted together. Also have the stand switch wires twisted. Stand light is still on on dash but from my understanding that is only to prevent going into gear not a start inhibitor

[sgtcall]

The side stand switch will cut the engine when the bike goes into gear but does not actually prevent the bike from going into gear.

You could try jumping it off from the starter. Clamp a jumper cable to the positive lead on the starter then touch the negative cable to a ground (the header bolts are an easy spot). I did this several times just so I would not have to access the battery if I needed a jump.

[FallenAngel]

Yes. Power to starter switch wire. Bike is in neutral. I have the clutch switch wires twisted together. Also have the stand switch wires twisted. Stand light is still on on dash but from my understanding that is only to prevent going into gear not a start inhibitor

This is where the "Power Probe" comes in handy
Here is an EBay link
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... e&_sacat=0

Connect the black clamp to ground
The red clamp to power
I have the Power Probe III
When hooked up correctly I get a Light that helps in the dark a tone and I see the voltage on the LED dash
When I touch a good ground an LED will turn green If a an energized power circuit the LED will turn red
A toggle on the tool will energize the test prob with power or ground

With all of your switches bypassed is your solenoid energized at the correct wire You can check it with a test light
At l;east one of the 2 wires at the plug should have power when you push the starter button
If not jump the wires at the plug if you cant get the bike to turn over then you may have a bad solenoid
One of the connections at the plug could be a ground for the solenoid

Also have you bypassed the Kill switch??

[Figglewiggle]

Yes. Power to starter switch wire. Bike is in neutral. I have the clutch switch wires twisted together. Also have the stand switch wires twisted. Stand light is still on on dash but from my understanding that is only to prevent going into gear not a start inhibitor

This is where the "Power Probe" comes in handy
Here is an EBay link
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... e&_sacat=0

Connect the black clamp to ground
The red clamp to power
I have the Power Probe III
When hooked up correctly I get a Light that helps in the dark a tone and I see the voltage on the LED dash
When I touch a good ground an LED will turn green If a an energized power circuit the LED will turn red
A toggle on the tool will energize the test prob with power or ground

With all of your switches bypassed is your solenoid energized at the correct wire You can check it with a test light
At l;east one of the 2 wires at the plug should have power when you push the starter button
If not jump the wires at the plug if you cant get the bike to turn over then you may have a bad solenoid
One of the connections at the plug could be a ground for the solenoid

Also have you bypassed the Kill switch??

Fallen angel- what plugs are you referring to? Thanks for yer help

[hillsy v2]

OK - start with the easiest things first then work forward.

Jump the two big wires on the starter solenoid and see if the motor turns over (be careful - there will be some sparks and make sure the bike is in neutral). If that works then check for power at the starter button. If that checks out then see if you are getting power to the solenoid small wires, etc.

It's easiest to do this stuff bit by bit and work your way through.

[FallenAngel]

Fallen angel- what plugs are you referring to? Thanks for yer help

I was going off of a picture on E Bay
Probably wrong
I couldn't find a good picture in the manual I down loaded

Are you getting a signal from the starter switch to the solenoid ?