Clutching to start

[hobie]

My 98 will no longer start until I pull in the clutch.  This was usually not necessary in the past but happened occasionally.  Now it happens all the time.  Is this a sign of something that is getting worse?  I was planning to go on a trip, but don't want to be stranded if there is a chance it will refuse to start at all.

[Mustang]

Does your neutral lamp work when the bike is in neutral ?

If no than you need a new neutral switch inside the gearbox .

If yes than you need a new clutch switch .or you have a broken or unhooked wire coming from the neutral switch to the clutch switch .
 it's one or the other  that is all .......my bet is the clutch switch is bad as it gets activated everytime you pull the lever


Clutch switch is #8 in the drawing $20 from Bike Bandit or the Dealer

[hobie]

Thanks, Mustang, for your prompt reply.  

My neutral light is still working, so that's good news.  I suppose that the switch could fail completely and the bike would not start at all?  The reason I ask is that my trip is in 2 weeks and getting parts from Bike Bandit to Canada usually takes 3 weeks.

[Mustang]

if it craps out on ya on the trip you could just unplug the switch at the handle bars and put a jumper wire across the black wire to the red and black wire
or connect the black wire to the green and yellow wire  either way will bypass the switch and let the starter run ...but it will start in gear without the clutch pulled that way .
the switch more than likely will be fine as it is until you could repair.