yeah yeah yeah, double entendres aside...

I finally got around to pulling the fucked peices off the bird this weekend and seeing what was still ok. I want to try to crank it over and see if it'll still run, sans the dash. I turn the key and nothing, no fuel pump wirring. Pull the tank and check the battery and fuses. They're fine. I pulled the tip sensor and grounded it. Still nothing. So I guess the question is, how do I hotwire the bird and give it a test crank?

My wife can suck start a Harley, want me to send her over offer a helping hand? :lol:

Actually check some little things.. like its not in gear, or kickstand switch, kill switch.

Do you lights and everything else work?

lol. Nah she'd ruin a good set of lips on the sharp metal of the muffler. Thanks though.

It's in neutral, kickstand shouldn't affect start then. Check on the killswitch too. On the lights, there's not a real good way to check that since they kind of disintegrated.

no lights huh?

any wires that go where the headlights use to be making contact and grounding out, or maybe a wire up front got cut or something..

I would probably start tracing wires first, and then get a voltmeter and start testing wires to see if juice is being sent..

Jesse, do you still have the instrument cluster? If so, and the circuit boards aren't broken and you can still plug in the wiring harness to it, that's step 1. Then, set the bank angle sensor in it's proper position - it's marked - and plug it back in. Shake it to see if it rattles - no rattle = ok. You can set it anyplace as long as it's fairly level. Have you checked all the fuses with your ohmmeter? You don't need the headlight or turn signals plugged in. If still no indicator lights, leave ign. on and start wiggling wires. Also check for B+ at the ign. switch. Report findings. Joe

... by pulling the plugs (unecessary if the head really is off..), put it in gear and manually rotate the engine (by wrench if the rear wheel is off as well)... if it spins free, then go hunt your electrical gremlins. If it won't rotate, look for something mechanical interfering, binding, or broken...

Joe,
Theres no instrument cluster left. It took the brunt of the collision. Should the bike be able to fire without the instrument cluster?

1500 series Goldwings do, so you should at least try it, eh?

I don't have a service manual or a wiring diagram, but I would think that the primary wiring system should suffice to start the engine. Check the wires that feed all the accessories - inst. cluster, etc., to make sure none of them are pinched together and feeding one another. Isolate any you find. Then start with the battery lead and just follow it downline and test for voltage at each point - starter, alt., coils, ECU, etc. No fun, but I don't know any other way around it. I think I'd retract the side stand, just in case there's a problem with the switch or the wiring. You also might want to pull in the clutch when depressing the start button, and check the emergency cut-out switch on the right clip-on and it's associated wiring.

ITS ALIVE!!!!

Well kinda. I sorted out the electrical issue and resoldered the ignition ground wire. Bam, it cranked over and started spitting oil from the oil cooler. But it sounded good for the 5 seconds it ran. Too bad the rest of the frame is bent to shit. Thanks for the help Joe and everyone else.

:bigshock: :cheers: