God i hate this bike

1981 kz550 ltd started up yesterday and ran fine around the parking lot. And today, pressing the starter button, and nothing happens. Doesnt even click?? Battery is fully charged

Could be anything from starter solenoid to ignition switch. Does your bike have any of those goofy "lockout" switches that disable everything like the ones on the clutch lever or side stand?

Do the headlight, neutral light, and oil light come on with the key on?? Check to make sure your battery connections are tight. Clean them up with a wire brush and if that doesn't work then wiggle them while you hold the start button down.

all lights, horn, turn signals work. And like i said it ran fine yesterday. I took off the gas tank last night and rewired the lines because they were wrong and put the tank back on and tried it this morning. Ridiculous. Just put it on craigslist for 500 because im a newbie and want nothing else to do with this bike.

If not already done, would also check the "Kill" switch (aka OFF-RUN-OFF) switch on right handlebar switch gear to assure it's in RUN position (i.e., the middle click).

Good Fortune!

Just my opinion, and not to be unduly inflammatory, but I think you lack the patience and maturity required for motorcycle ownership.

Sell it.

guitargeek wrote:

Just my opinion, and not to be unduly inflammatory, but I think you lack the patience and maturity required for motorcycle ownership.

Sell it.

Agreed. And this isn't intended as an insult to the OP, but it definitely takes a certain...personality to own a vintage bike. And that personality includes having enough patience and willingness to track down and fix the little problems that WILL happen from time to time. And not only patience, but also the ability to find some excitement from the process of working on your own bike.

If that doesn't describe you, and you just want to have a trouble-free ride that you can take to a mechanic if a problem ever occurs, then I agree that you should sell it and get something newer.

But, as a suggestion to the OP, sometimes it can be as simple as corrosion in the starter button. Sometimes you can just twist the button 180 degrees, and it will fire up.

i have the patience but just not the knowledge of vintage bikes. If i owned my own house and had a career id keep the bike because i would have ample work space and more than a $9 hr job income. But being a grad student with 20 page papers due every month, a bike that needs work just isnt for me. i got it running just cant keep it running. no harm tho, you didnt hurt my feelings

guitargeek wrote:

Just my opinion, and not to be unduly inflammatory, but I think you lack the patience and maturity required for motorcycle ownership.

Sell it.

:laugh: What a coincidence.... I was riding my old KZ750 yesterday and I noticed the tach stopped working. I stopped and looked and the tach cable had worked loose and fell out of the tach fitting. End of the cable was sitting there spinning.

Old motorcycles are not like new cars, they are more like girlfriends on PMS. They take a lot of understanding to live with....

bountyhunter wrote:

Old motorcycles are not like new cars, they are more like girlfriends on PMS. They take a lot of understanding to live with....

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Nailed it!!!

mine on my 900 has been needing a fews wiggles/toggles on nthe kill switch some times....Patton wrote:

If not already done, would also check the "Kill" switch (aka OFF-RUN-OFF) switch on right handlebar switch gear to assure it's in RUN position (i.e., the middle click).

Good Fortune!

DOH!!! Tough crowd.... :pinch: :whistle: