Suzuki DL650A 2012 Starting Problem.

[The Doctor 46]

My bike has had a few problems starting for a little while now. It didn't matter if I rode 10 miles or 200 miles, sometimes when I stopped, did whatever then went back to start it I would find it either started immediately as it did once after leaving it for six weeks then sometimes not starting for a few presses of the button then it would start.

Before I went out today after not riding that bike for two weeks the bike wouldn't start until I put it in gear and rocked it, it then started. I rode for about 30 miles then parked for maybe one hour then it wouldn't start until I bump started it down a hill.

I'm 99% sure it needs a new starter motor and I'm tempted to order one tonight but thought I would ask for your wisdom first then wait a couple of days for advise. I also think the starter just needs carbon brushes that are cheap but I haven't a garage and very little time to fix the bike before leaving it for a long while. I would rather park it up with a full tank of fuel so need to turn it off at a garage then start it to ride away.

I know there are many tests I could do if I had a meter and knew how to work it but I haven't and it's been cold and raining most days lately so I would rather have a good idea from your experience then go for it.

What do you think? Thank you all in advance. 

[The Doctor 46]

I Googled my problem and an earlier thread on this site came up. kwackboy suggested taping the starter motor with a hammer and it may start. I remember being told to do that on an armoured personnel carrier and it almost always works until the REME come to change it. I'm going to try that tomorrow then put a good earth wire from the battery to the frame. I'm going to find someone who has a meter or buy one and test the battery. I think I'll have it sorted within a few days. If it's still not starting by the end of the week, I'll burn it. 

[Gert]

Have you tried shorting out the solenoid terminals, with the bike is out of gear?
Google youtu.be/Zk7K8rkpOdQ which will give you an idea of how to short out the solenoid.
This step will bypass clutch switch and side stand safety switches or starter button contact issues.
If with a good battery the starter fails to crank, then the chances are good that the starter motor bushes need replacing.
To me, the hammer test does help dislodge a possible stuck starter motor brush(s)

[The Doctor 46]

Thank you Gert, I've got to go out now but when I get home I will do that. You're the best! 

[vstroman]

Can't find anything on that link Gert? Only thing crossing the solenoid can throw a fault code up on some machines, not sure about the vstrom.
Good way to help diagnose the problem though I think.

[The Doctor 46]

I had to visit the hospital today, 15th Nov, for radiation to be injected into me (I'm glowing like a star  ) and then report back 5 hrs later for an hour in a scanning machine. I have some very rare but slow cancer and it's being investigated. This is the 4th in a machine scan of different types, I've had an ultrasound scan and an endoscopy already. When I got home on my other motorbike it was too dark and to be honest, I was not in the mood to start looking at the DL650 starter motor.

I have to visit the hospital again to talk (or listen) to the consultants who will discuss how to go forward with treatment or whatever.

It will probably be dark when I get home tomorrow too so I won't be looking at it then either but Friday is looking good, I will do it then. If it is the starter I hope to have and fit a new one within a few days.

I am not worried about the cancer but pray I don't need treatment that will prevent my big (for me) motorbike tour next year. I had started saving for the motorbike holiday for some time before I was told anything about cancer and I feel 100%, it was found after a routine blood test.  Life can be so much fun sometimes.   

edit. I have had no respect for the NHS for reasons I won't go into but I can't complain at all about the way I have been treated by the NHS this time. I couldn't have been treated better or quicker if I was a multi millionaire and seeing private hospitals. 

[UK_Vstrom650]

Best wishes for your recovery Doc, and hope you get the bike sorted and the trip goes ahead next year 

[The Doctor 46]

Thank you UK_Vstrom650. 

[nigel s]

Good Luck Doc.

[Gert]

Best wishes on the radiation injection Doc.

As far as the partial youtu.be link, either copy & paste youtu.be/Zk7K8rkpOdQ into your browser search bar or do a youtu.be search for the video title: Troubleshooting progress by Matthew Bogue

[Cartejo5]

Good luck Doc.

 I hope everything including sorting your bike out works out well for you.

[Rixington43]

Hi Gert

I've done the hammer trick on a truck where a 14lb sledge was the weapon of choice.
I'm guessing on a bike it's a firm tap of the housing on the metal cap end where the electricals connect?
I think an occasionally stuck brush might be my issue although it hasn't reared it's head for quite a while since I replaced all the interlock switches and cleaned the starter button. Tap can't hurt though right ;)

[Gert]

By my estimation the size hammer that you indicated above, would possibly only suit to the very early early generation. 
My crystal ball suggests that chances are good that there is a very slight possibility that a lot more parts may be shocked loose.... however if that doesn't achieve your desired result, you could try a bigger hammer. 
Oh, just a quick reminder, to snap a before and an after pix, so that you can understand the resulting outcome....   

[nigel s]

These boys will help.......the correct use of a hammer is shown at the end.
Ho Hum