Have a 2006 ZX-14 turning over but not starting has new fuel pump new battery pc5 working gas tank cleaned new gas put in fresh oil change Could the bike not be staring because of the kill switch going bad come to find out previous owner put a whole in the black plastic almost as if they used a paper clip to put in there to make contact, not every time when u push down on the switch to the on position does the bike turn over but if u flip it back and forth a few times it will turn over currently have the bike at the shop and there scratching there heads

Two options:
1. Change switch. If toggling gets it started, you narrowed down the problem, right?
2. Take a paperclip and jump two wires, thus bypass the switch using the one wire, you now have the better connection.

Make sense?

I know this is a little older post, but if the kill switch weren't made up, it wouldn't turn over would it? I'm asking because my '07 has an issue where sometimes when you hit the start button, nothing happens, hit it again or hold it in longer and it fires up. The fuel pump primes every time the key is turned on, so ignition seems ok. Any expertise would be appreciated, Thank you!

My 08 does the same thing and it is worse when the motor's hot. I sometimes hear a squealing noise from the tail when I hold the button down which I have been told is probably the relays. I also sometimes hear a loud buzz somewhere on the RH side below where I'm sitting when the starter fails to turn. That may be arching electricity. It's done it since new and it seems to be getting worse. My solution so far has been to avoid starting the bike when the engine is hot.

I've been told it could be a short in the starter motor wire. I better have a look at that someday soon.

Sounds like a break in the electrical current.Eventually it's gonna stop firing altogether,IMO.I wouldn't be riding it like that.Unless ya have bucks to pay for a tow.Or you like pushing your bike...

Hey Rook, I changed my start relay because they're cheap, it's right behind the battery so might explain the noise you're hearing from the right side under you. Didn't fix my issue, but one more thing that I know ISN'T the problem. I also took the switch housing apart and checked the start switch with my meter, seems to be working 100 percent, I couldn't get the leads on the kill switch terminals so not sure about it, although it looked like new inside, no corrosion.

Were you thinking the kill switch might be preventing the starter? I'm almost certain the starter turns with the kill switch on OFF. The motor won't start but the starter should work. I remember Hub saying something about a large wire going into the starter. I saw the wire but haven't checked it carefully. The arcing would be welding the wire every time it happens if it is arcing. Maybe the buzz I sometimes hear is the starter relay.

First of all, check to see if you have spark. If the kill switch pod has been messed with, I'd change it.

Mad

I've seen stock kill switches modified in many ways to
create a tethered kill switch that's required by NHRA for drag racing.

So maybe?

If it works with a pin stuck in it, put a pin in it or
as Hub said bypass switch to see if that's your problem.

Hi Rook, I just checked on my bike, kill switch activated, no starter turning. Intermittent electrical issues are the worst, wish the damn thing would just quit then I'd narrow down the issue fairly quickly. I kind of suspect the starter motor brushes actually.

Thanks Brightside. lol I was just thinking about that last night after I started the 14 but you know...with this issue, one doesn't go out of his way to shut the motor down and restart it.

Looks like there's an 08 that is having the same problem we are in a new thread. Might be good to follow this one since it looks like Bopropucope is on the trail.

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=7F64D392-C664-BB68-0E7EA6C298A3945C

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/28/2020 @ 10:11 AM *

Picked up my bike from the dealer today, starting problem fixed! He said one of the cables on the negative side of the battery wasn't going to the right place so not making a good ground. (Seems like there was only one big cable going to the frame to the right of the battery, and the battery tender cable, so I'll have to verify that, but issue seems to be gone!) I remember somebody said bad ground in the comments, so they nailed it.