07 Norge temporary no start.

[drdwb]

So yesterday I made my usual 2X month 70 mile run for an appointment. No problems, stopped did the thing 1/2 hr latter started right up, normal, rode to next stop 10 min away stopped, 20 min later I’m back to bike tried starting, nothing, Norge has status interuptus fix. Dash lights all work heard fuel pump click in, but no start no noise nothing. Scratching head I repeat start up procedure, same result, nothing. Rolled bike to shade so I could check it out. Kick stand up,down nothing. Put in 2 nd gear tired to push, moved back an forth no change. Decided to check fuses, took them all out, all good, back in no changed.Called wife telling her I might need truck and trailer. Retried starting, one more time, it’s alive, shut it off, restarted couple times all normal. Went to fill up for ride home, restarted after filling, had a cup of coffee, wondering if it was a time related thing. Got gear back on, started bike took the long way home around 120 miles stopping a couple times just to see. Everything works, so WTF happened, what made it not go? Open to any and all thoughts suggestions. I can’t find anything wrong and it runs normally again thankfully. But until I know what happened I’m going to always have this in my head.

[Huzo]

Firstly, ‘glad you got it home…
I’d start by checking and cleaning everything from the starter button down the line, because it’s intermittent it can be exasperating.
Have you checked if it’s thrown a code ?
A couple of things straight up.

Starter button integrity.
Spade connector to the starter motor under the black cover, they can be a bit frail.
Earth strap at the engine end, the one under the hex bolt that takes the starter cover screw. This can be a known trouble spot. Clean and replace.
When you got the no crank symptom, the horn would work ?
I took the clutch switch off very early in my Norge’s life, just another thing to potentially stuff up.
Go through the sidestand switch and connectors.
Check the tip over switch connectors.
Clean and replace the end of the starter lead.

[guzzisteve]

Carry a 2' piece of wire, stripped on the ends for a hotwire. Batt + to spade on solenoid = starter goes. Make sure it's in neutral & key on.
Who knows why, ponder or get down the road.

[drdwb]

Thanks Huzo & Steve, first time it’s happened, I read about the horn button check when Foto Guzzi was posting about his problems, but forgot to check, I was so taken off guard by this first event. I did mess with the side stand several times but didn’t seem to make any difference but who knows it started just as mysteriously as it didn’t. I’ll start carrying a piece of wire with me for awhile. On the EV I always carry tools, the Norge has been such a reliable ride that on short day trips I rely on the tools which came in the kit, and I’ve only taken the kit out once, and have never had to use them, years ago. I will continue ridding it, I’ll check everything on Huzo’s list, but I’ll be pondering while riding until I get a sign.

Carry a 2' piece of wire, stripped on the ends for a hotwire. Batt + to spade on solenoid = starter goes. Make sure it's in neutral & key on.
Who knows why, ponder or get down the road.

[Tkelly]

Make sure your battery cables are tight,don’t ask how I know this.

[gscott]

Battery.  Buy the 20AH Yuasa dry.  I did all the startus mods and replaced my new Batteries Plus 20ah with the yuasa and haven't had any further issues in the last 6 weeks 10k miles.  They are battery fussy.

[drdwb]

Battery.  Buy the 20AH Yuasa dry.  I did all the startus mods and replaced my new Batteries Plus 20ah with the yuasa and haven't had any further issues in the last 6 weeks 10k miles.  They are battery fussy.

Thanks gs, I haven’t had an issue since original post and checking all connections. After finding nothing battery may be next change. It’s at least 5 years old.

[drdwb]

Make sure your battery cables are tight,don’t ask how I know this.

Tom wins the prize. After doing all checks mentioned, I checked tightness at battery posts, seemed good but I jiggled wires, the neg terminal had a stripped nut, obviously I’d overtightened before, easy fix, combined battery tender and GPS wires in one connector now down to three connectors on post, replaced nut inside negative battery post with one I’d saved from a discarded battery. All good now.

[Huzo]

Tom wins the prize.

Would he mind sharing at least a bit with the guy in reply #1 ?
Checking the integrity of BOTH ends of the negative lead would have saved a lot of grief….

[drdwb]

Would he mind sharing at least a bit with the guy in reply #1 ?
Checking the integrity of BOTH ends of the negative lead would have saved a lot of grief….

Huzo you are correct about checking both ends, which I did but not aggressively enough to  find the problem. TKelly’s comment made me go back and recheck everything on your list and really stress the battery connections, since I hadn’t found anything else to fix.
Having met TKelly several times I’m pretty sure he’ll share the prize. He’s a nice guy, he bought a few of us ice cream cones at the infamous 2007 National Guzzi rally before the flood.

[Tkelly]

I will even give Hugo the whole prize if he comes to the Wisconsin Rally.

[Huzo]

I will even give Hugo the whole prize if he comes to the Wisconsin Rally.

You know what they say about meeting your heroes…

[kingoffleece]

Come on, mate.  Halfway around the world for a Culver ButterBurger.  What could top THAT!?

[Huzo]

Come on, mate.  Halfway around the world for a Culver ButterBurger.  What could top THAT!?

Well probably not much…
I did take a non stop 19 hr flight from Perth to London once for a spotted dick, it was very tasty.


So was the meal…

[Tkelly]

I will even buyHuzo all the beer he can drink at the rally,unfortunately we don’t serve Fosters but many local brands.

[Huzo]

I will even buyHuzo all the beer he can drink at the rally,unfortunately we don’t serve Fosters but many local brands.

Working class here don’t drink Fosters.
VB, Great Northern, Carlton, are popular ones.

[Tkelly]

When your mate Roper and his wife stopped here for a venison cheeseburger I apologized for not having Fosters,which their commercials said is Australian for beer,he went on a rant saying that nobody in Australia drinks that piss.