Hi everyone hope you are all out and enjoying the lovely weekend. I on the other hand will be trying to work out why my 1983 K100 wont start. I was all ready to start key in the ignition in the on position kill switch in the go position console lights all lit up...
... And when I pressed the start button klick!!!! All lights out and no power anywhere. I checked the fuses, all good. I checked the batery, all good. What was the click? Why is there no power when I turn the key on? Is there another set of fuses anywhere that I might have missed?
Now I know what you will all be thinking, when you get back from your lovely rides, "he only calls us when he needs something" and yes that's the case. But hay I'm hoping that's what this forum is about. Lol

All the fuses BMW could muster are in the same place, behind the left side cover.
Check the ignition switch out, usual power in and out, wiggle the wires around while you watch the meter.
If you need a manual with circuits ask and it will come. Then you will have to swallow the email.

the click ....could be the starter relay welding itself shut ....

if there is poor cabling from the battery to the earth or starter solenoid - relay or even a low charge battery

the starter might mow be sucking power big time ...resulting in a huge voltage drop ...permanently

food for thought

welcome aboard

hope you have fun along the path

enjoy !!!

Iv been wiggling wires and the like for a bit with the ignition switched on. Still no power. The battery is still showing 12 volts so prob not the power sucking starter welding thingy!!!! I will see if I can dismantle the console enough to get to the ignition switch/barrel and see if there's power heading that way in and out. Well in I know there's no power on the way out because nothing is working.

Check the earth lead from the battery at the gearbox end, could be corroded.

Sadly all in very good condition. Probably not so sad about that just means iv got to dig deeper.

You may have a problem with the ignition switch (not uncommon)

At least see if she runs by 'bump' starting her down an incline with the key on, second gear engaged, clutch out as she's rolling. You probably know the drill. Then you can check to see if it is the starter/sprag clutch after confirming that she'll actually go.

Have you suffered any other odd electrical and seemingly random ailments leading up to this no-go situation?

With your motor bike, that is.

Check all the fuses with a meter and make sure you have continuity. We have seen some of the blade type fuses go open circuit without showing they are blown. Was only a few weeks ago one  of the members found some crook fuses.

Do you still have light on your dash when you turn the ignition ON?
If not, the emergency cut off switch could be the problem. You didn't turn it off by mistake?

Thanks everyone. There is no point trying to bump as there is no power reaching the consol when I switch to an on posision. So I guess there is no power to oporate the components like injectors ecu and the like. The kill switch has been right royally jiggled without a differance. I will remove fuzes and try a bulb test on each with a battery. Iv got no electrical equipment like volt meters ect so will have to be a bit "Heath Robinson" about testing. The only reason I know the battery is the full minty is I checked it with my charger. Even used my heavy duty 12 volt booster battery in its place. And still no power when switching to the on posision. So I guess iv got to see where the charge goes to and what is stopping it getting any further. In hoping I don't have to take the tank off as it looks tricky.

Only had the bike a month and it has been a compleat joy. It was stalling when coming down the box so I rode it with the choke on which cured it. Whil the choke was on. I upped the tockover to about 1000rpm when warm and that seemed to solve that. Although I was going to put to to the test on a long run when sadly "klick" no power when I pressed the starter. And I do mean all instrument lights on pressed the start button "klick" all lights out and nothing since.

Hay you'll love this. I called C N my insurer and asked for home start breakdown assistance. Hour and a half later S*S motorcycles turns up, that's who they use, and I'm not sure the lad had seen a motorbike before. I had taken off the side panels and unlocked the seat so he could check fuses battery then I hoped he would check voltage at the barrel ie where you stick the key in. I guessed he would have the tools I don't. Well he was amazed that the fuzes were so prominent "anyone could just nick them" he said. I explained that I'd takes all the covers off to help speed his diagnosis up but all he knew about was flat battery's. he didn't know about the kill switch which I had left in the off position as he wiggled the key in the barrel. He was surprised when I switched it to the on position for him. I'm telling you he had never seen a bike before. I'm going to call the aa tomorrow and see if they are any better. Can't be any worse. 0 out of 10 for your service Carol N**h. Are you sure SO* motorcycles are the best you can do!!! I know what I sound like. I wasn't expecting a full re wire just some expertise beyond myself.

Hello, I'll throw my sixpence worth in. At the risk of sounding annoying, most of these problems end up being really simple. Your symptoms sound exactly like I was experiencing except I was in the middle of a roundabout in traffic. Eventually I found that
the earth cable to battery connection just wasn't connecting/conducting. It was tight but if I juggled it up n down the dash lights would come on, try to start and "Click" everything would go out. I took the negative lead off, both ends , battery and where it joins the
transmission case, scraped them on some concrete, did them up tight and it worked. Eventually I put star washers on the battery connectors to hold it all tight.
It's probably not what is wrong, but sounds really similar symptoms.

Like RT is saying usually when all just stops dead it is a fairly simple thing that has failed (it does not mean it can be simple to find).

If your bike is just the K100 and no fairing it is simple to lift the rear of the tank and get into the relay box, it's just one bolt at the rear of the tank and it will prop up a few inches.
Like RT said check those cables and earth connections. The click you heard could well have been an electrical arc at an earth point that destroyed the only little bit of connection left.

Hi guys. Thanks for all the hints and tips. I will get around to systematically checking everything and I will post what I find. Ill have to buy some electricall checking stuff I guess to make the process a bit easear. It will be next weekend now before I get a chance to do any more checking but please feel free to keep sending hints and stuff. It's given me lots to go on. Many thanks to all my new K series friends. Happy riding. I'm off to the bay to sorce a volt/amp pronngy checking thingy.

"I'm off to the bay to sorce a volt/amp pronngy checking thingy."

Gee, you're up with the tech talk already!   

As a suggestion, a continuity buzzer on your volt/amp pronngy checking thingy, makes life so much easier when chasing electrical faults.

onya blakey  that demystifies it all


word of advice if it cost under $30   forget it ...else they are just indicators ...not many have solid measurable, repeatable and reliable function ...you will probably find the battery flat and unuseable in most cases of infrequent use anyhow .
try for something a little better ...if you can, is all im saying .
buy it from someone that sell these things as a lively hood ...not a autoparts store ...you will pay almost twice as much for half as good .

then go have a look at "kbikes" thread on using a multimeter ///measuring volts current and amps

found here
https://www.k100-forum.com/t725-using-a-test-meter-volts-amps-and-ohms

good research to understanding

Thanks for the good advice

Hay just had my bike enthusiast electrition friend give it the once over. No joy. The consol lights came back on after some wiggling but presed the start button "klik" no power again. The click came from fuse box area but all fuses good. So "not a f***ing clue" his words no mine. He did everything I was going to do so its on the phone to the BMW garage tomorrow and get it looked at. I found that the rubber hoses under the tank had perished so prob a good time for a bit of an over hall. I'm worried about the brake hoses now so think ill get her fitted with good ridge beaded hoses at the same time. Just to be safe.

Don't go to a main dealer, as you are in Nottingham, give this guy a call:

http://www.ifixyourbike.com/

Comes recommended.

Mike

Check the relay box as RickG says, it might be the load shed relay is saying no go, this pic should be the right one for your bike, it should have power coming out of it before you touch the starter and will close off power to most everything else when you push the starter, so that may be your click. saying no go for some reason

For future reference, a certain amount of preventative maintenance is required on electrical systems that are 30 years old.  :bom: 

Deoxit is one common way to keep contacts and connectors at peak performance. I recently doused my handlebar switches in Deoxit, then let them drip-dry for a week before using. Result was the switches performed like new, and all without a rebuild or replacement.

Whenever the battery is replaced, also replace the ground lead with as heavy a gauge as practical. I had a wimpy lead on my bike and this lead to premature battery failure. This is also a good time to inspect/replace the alternator brushes (replace every 50k miles for sure).

There are quite a number of areas (I won't name them all) where routine maintenance can help prevent problems. Last year when I disengaged a connector to the rear end speedo sensor--a cloud of dust erupted. Maybe that's why I had had intermittent problems with my speedometer. Treated the connector pins with Deoxit, and haven't had any problems since.

The thing is, we change the tires, change the oils, plugs, etc., but rarely think about electrical system maintenance. So, what typically happens is when a fault occurs, it becomes the tip of the iceberg. With regular maintenance, faults still may happen, but they become isolated incidences that are easier to troubleshoot and repair.

Thanks lots of really good advice. I can't get the bike in with jim hill till the end of the month but the main dealer pidcock can see to it on Tuesday. Is there any reason for not going to the main dealer?

HI,

No problem with Pidcocks, just that they are going to be more expensive than Jim. Lets face it, the bike isn't in its first flush of youth with warranty implications, so why spend more than you need. However, if time is of the essence, and Pidcocks can fit you in then that's your choice.

There is also Phil Hawksley (trading as 'The Boxer Man'), but he is in Leicester. I have known him for many years.

http://www.boxerman.co.uk/

Mike

Have you had a look a the following diagrams? They could help you to pin point your problem..
http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/bvogel/K100/download/electrical/diagrams/interactive_diagrams.htm


CF

Thanks everyone. Iv goaded my electrician biker friend into trying to start my K tomorrow so he might save me a bit. I have said he is welcome to take her for a spin if he sorts the fault. I'm sure it won't cost me the bike but it might cost me my back tyre.

Avenger gt you rock. And anyone else who thought it would be a good Idea to check the earth. The plastic tax disk was one side of the bolt holding the earth to the gear box who'd a thought that would make all the differance. Iv pulled the cork out of the sump going to put some new oil in. Not that it looked like it needed it just thought why not. Happy now.

Effectively you have a very soft piece of plastic as a washer and therefore not very much tension on the connection and so a connection that would be affected easily by any corrosion.

Yeh it makes sence.

Good to see you got there and should be riding soon.

Went straight out. Bug killing.

Tradgear wrote:Went straight out. Bug killing.